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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1997)
CHAD PATTESON/Emeratd Beth Newberry speaks to community members during a candlelight vigil in the Eugene park-blocks Monday. Organizers held the event to raise awareness of the plight of Navajo Indians on the Big Mountain Reserve. Vigil held to show support for Navajo ■ oULlUAml Y: borne Navajo residents of the Big Mountain area refuse to leave homes By Eric Collins Community Reporter Although the history behind the relocation of Navajo Indians in northeastern Arizona is com plex, the significance of a candle light vigil Monday night was sim ple: the well-being of the resisting Navajo people. About 35 local residents and members of the Big Mountain/Na tive American Support Group gathered at the Eugene park blocks near the Lane County Courthouse to pray on behalf of Navajo Indians who faced a dead line Monday night to sign an ac commodation agreement or be governmentally forced to move. The Navajo are being told to leave over a 20-year-old dispute over a joint-use area traditionally shared by the Hopi and the Nava jo. However, Beth Newberry, a member of the local affiliation of the Native American support group, believes there should be protection of the Navajo’s burial grounds, way of life and religion. “What we are talking about is a loss of a way of life here,” Beth Newberry, a member of the local affiliation of the Native American support group said. “We want to make the government know the public doesn’t support the forced eviction, genocide or ecocide.” Newberry said Monday’s vigil was a part of the International Day of Spiritual Solidarity, with groups throughout the world marking the occasion. On this night, supporters of the cause prayed and sang for the Navajo people, but many people within the support group have taken a hands-on approach to the problem by forming food and clothing drives for the use by the Native Americans. Many supporters have provid ed food, blankets and moral sup port for the Native American fam ilies refusing to move off the reservation site. One UO Survival Center mem ber, Michael Turaski, took part in a food and clothing drive in May or 1996, bringing pounds of food and raw wool to the Navajo peo ple. Although the support group was able to give the donation, Turaski said Hopi Rangers en forced a strict policy of allowing no citizens on the disputed reser vation land. “That was one of the worst things about the trip be cause we couldn’t talk to the peo ple,” Turaski said. Kevin Treacy, a member of the Big Mountain/Native American Support Group in Eugene, said he believed the majority of Indi ans maintaining residence on the disputed land of the reservation are the elder members of the tribe. “All [the elder Navajo peo ple] know is they’ve been told to get off the land,” Treacy said. “The Navajo believe if they leave the land, the Navajo nation will die.” Stein said the Native American support group will be observing an International Day of Mourning today at noon near the Lane County Courthouse at 8th Av enue and Oak Street with a press conference and subsequent rally and march. Come See The Only Mechanical Bull gene/Springfield Country Music * 'txl to Sat. Karaoke * tin. to foes. Live Entertainment * 7 days a week 535 Main 5t. Springfield 747-0307 Oregon's BEST College Students Deserve Oregon's Best Sandwiches HOMEMADE BREAD \ f)tn& • Soup * Salads / • Baked Goodies nmAe frresA AMy! 75' OFF ) ANY 12"SUB Limit one per coupon. 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