Aaron Payment
A quiet day in downtown Lansing was interrupted today by the hypnotic beat of Indian drums and the periodic whooping of a few hundred Indians who gathered in front of the Capitol in an unusual protest and show of solidarity.
As a show of support for the international Idle No More movement indigenous people from across Michigan today travelled today to the State Capitol in Lansing to host a drum circle and listen to tribal leaders and Idle No More supporters explain the growing movement which seeks to draw attention to the world’s indifference and destruction of the environment and the abuse of treaty rights.
Several Michigan tribal leaders spoke including Aaron Payment who is the chairman of the Sault Tribe. Payment spoke passionately about the need of the indigenous nation’s to gather together to protest attacks on sovereignty, human rights and the environment. He also specifically spoke to the attempt by Michigan tribes to overturn the recent law which would create a hunting season on the gray wolf. Payment explained the importance of the wolf in the culture of Midwest Indians.
A young Indian woman from Minnesota spoke to the continued violence toward Indian women especially on or near reservations and the need to enact the Violence Against Women Act which would provide for protections against rape and violence for all women, but especially American Indian women.
Also speaking was Skylar a Lansing Community College student who helped organize the “day of action”. As two drum circles pounded a traditional beat tribal members from across Michigan gathered in a circular dance to support the international movement
Visit the Facebook page for more details on the Idle No More movement.
