PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Randy Redhawk
International Native News
1-616-963-1092
by Randy Redhawk; Reprint permission granted to all media
LINE DRAWN AT POW WOW
In the cool morning time, last Sunday, at the KALVIA Pow Wow, held at the
Kalamazoo Michigan, Native families were preparing breakfast and holding small
gatherings around their campsites. Veterans as usual patrolled the area
with the help of Pow Wow Security.
According to Mark Eldridge "When some of the other veterans and I went
to the front of the fairgrounds, we saw two of the KALVIA Pow Wow Committee
personnel talking to Dale Hyatt. They were trying to get him to leave the
pow wow grounds. All the veterans as well as the people, did not want Hyatt
there."
"The pow wow committee had already contacted the police. While we were
waiting for the police." Eldridge had previously spoken to the Assistant U.S.
District Attorney regarding people who disrupted Native events. He handed a
member of the pow wow committee a copy of a 1931 Michigan State law regarding
disruption and inciting a Native community (a felony in the State of Michigan)
to give to the police, as well as requesting that he be permitted to speak
with the police when they arrive as a spokesperson for the people. "The
elders had asked me to speak to them, but I needed approval from the committee
as well."
"When speaking to the police officer I not only spoke with him about the
1931 law, I also spoke with him about a 1941 law handed down by the Supreme
Court on Inciting to Riot." The police needed to know why the people at the
pow wow wanted Hyatt removed and Eldridge explained, "The man in the past and
still continues to insult our elders, something natives do not do." The
officer told Eldridge he was "between a rock and a hard place..." because "I
am not familiar with Native customs or Native Laws."
Eldridge explained to the officer, "That the laws that were being quoted
from 1931 to 1941 were white mans' laws, not Native laws, and we were asking
him to enforce white mans' laws, not Native Laws." The officer then told
Eldridge he was waiting for a supervisor.
An additional four officers showed up as well as a County Park Ranger.
In the mean time many people gathered behind Native trade booths where Hyatt
confronted the committee and several veterans as police tried to sort the
matter out.
Eldridge continued, "This went back and forth for over an hour. After
speaking with the police, they asked me if he could say goodbye to his Chief."
The committee as well as the veterans were not aware of any Native
"chiefs" on the premises, but agreed to bring the trader Hyatt referred to
back to the unblessed area. "After saying his goodbyes to the trader, Hyatt
was escorted along with his wife, off the premises."
Eldridge continued, "We drew a line today. This man has continued to
show up right before our Grand Entries to disrupt our gatherings. We as
veterans follow our Spiritual leaders and on this issue we the people, all
of us need to stand together to stop these atrocities. We as a people have
to stand together as one against anyone that continuously infringes upon our
rights, religion, and traditional ways, especially when it comes to
dishonoring our elders on an ongoing basis."