[ I heard a story on the radio a couple of weeks ago - probably on National
Public Radio's "All Things Considered." I'll take a look in the confer-
ence mentioned below and will pass along anything else I find that looks
to be of interest. --Gary ]
/* Written 7:38 pm Sep 17, 1992 by dmorse in cdp:hunger.general */
/* ---------- "Irish famine 1848 & solidarity now" ---------- */
Here's one news article on this project:
AMERICAN INDIANS AND THE FAMINE
This letter is sent from Ireland and I would be grateful if, through your
newspaper, you would allow me to reach some of the estimated 40 million American
Irish located throughout the United States.
I am writing about a unique and historic event, soon to happen, which
links the Choctaw Indians and the Irish in an extraordinary bond of
friendship.
500 years after the voyage of Christopher Columbus, the world is
re-evaluating the impact of European colonization on the Americas. For
the original inhabitants of North, Central, and South American, the
so-called 'discovery' of this new world began a process of exploitation
and brutality with far-reaching consequences.
The Choctaw Indians are but an example of this process. In the winter
of 1831, tens of thousands of Choctaw were forcibly removed from their
ancestral homelands in Mississippi to Oklahoma. Almost half of the
Choctaw people perished during their 'Trail of Tears.'
What makes the Choctaw story of such compelling interest to the Irish
is the discovery of their generosity to our people during the potato famine
of 1847.
We have no idea how the Choctaw learned of Ireland's suffering at
that time. What we do know, however, is that the Choctaw (perhaps
hearing echoes of their own suffering just 16 years previously) were so
moved by the stories of Ireland's poor, they called a meeting to discuss our
plight. At the end of the meeting, the Choctaw raised, from their meager
resources, US $710.00 for famine relief in Ireland. Niles Weekly Register,
recording their generosity in 1847, commented "the poor Indian giving his
mite to the poor Irish."
On September 2, 1991, a small group of seven Irish people will
begin retracing the Choctaw 'Trail of Tears' from Brokers Bow, Oklahoma,
back to Mississippi. On September 21, this group will be joined by a further
17 walkers at Lake Village, Arkansas. On September 27, two Brazilian
Indians will join at Ackerman, Mississippi. The walk will conclude at
the great prehistoric "Mother Mound" of the Choctaws at Nanih Waiya,
near Preston, Mississippi, on Saturday, October 3, 1992.
I shall participate in the last 2 weeks of this historic walk together with
my friend Richard Maore, who, in 1972, at the age of 10, was blinded by a
rubber bullet as he made his way home from school. Richard and I have decided
that our long walk will have 3 purposes:
1. To thank the Choctaw for their humanity to our people during
Ireland's Great Famine
2. To help the Irish charity AFri (Action From Ireland) with its
Great Famine Project
3. Through the Great Famine project to raise essential emergency
relief for the victims of Somalia's great famine today.
I am happy to inform your readers that the Choctaw Indians have
agreed to help us with our efforts to assist the people of Somalia, thus
establishing a new chapter in the history of our friendship.
Should any of your readers wish to join us, they would be most
welcome, especially on the last day, October 3.
However, Richard and I would like to appeal to your readers to sponsor
our walk on behalf of the Great Famine Project and especially the suffering
people of Somalia.
Donatios can be sent to the Great Famine Project - Somalia Fund,
c/o Br.John G. Driscoll, C.F.C., President, Iona Collage, New Rochelle,
NY 10001.
Thank you for your attention.
Don Mellan
Dublin, Ireland
(The name is difficult to read on the fax--I think Mellan is right).
____________
Note from D. Morse--this is a great project.
There is a map of the route and a schedule in the material Steve
faxed to me, with some phone numbers for contacts. If anybody wants
these phone numbers, or wants to know more, email me at dmorse.