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NOTICES “In The Light of Reverence” Chronicles Battles Over Sacred Lands For Native Americans, Panther Meadows on the slopes of Northern California’s Mount Shasta, Devils Tower in the Black Hills, and the ancient mesas in the Four Comers area of the Southwest are more than classic Western landscapes. They are sacred sites that still serve the Wintu, the Lakota, and the Hopi, respectively, as “doorways to the spirit world.” These doorways are in danger of being slammed shut. “In The Light of Reverence,” a new documentary narrated by Peter Coyote and Tantoo Cardinal, reveals that the forces that threaten them go beyond the usual mining and timber operations. Christopher McLeod and Malinda Maynor’s “In The Light of Reverence” premieres on Aug. 14, 2001, at 10 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), as part of the 2001 season of P.O.V., public television’s ground-breaking showcase of independent, non-fiction films. At Devils Tower, rock climbers insist on using the federally protected monument even when it intrudes on Lakota religious ceremonies in June. On Mt. Shasta, not only a $21 million ski resort proposal but growing numbers of New Age admirers of Indian spiritual practices have endangered a spring at Panther Meadows that is sacred to the area’s remaining Wintu. On Hopi land, the scourge of mining is destroying numerous places that have been Native American shrines for thousands of years, sometimes for the purpose of providing gravel for a highway or pumice to soften “stone- washed” jeans. One mining operation is draining ground water at such a prodigious rate that Hopi springs are drying up, threatening to do what centuries of conquest have not - destroy the viability of Hopi religion and culture. At the root of this destruction are the profound differences in the ways Indian and non-Indian societies view nature’s role in their spiritual and economic lives. While Congress acted in 1978, after a century of suppression, to permit Indian religious ceremonies, no provision protects the natural shrines and consecrated places that are fundamental to Native American religious practices. “In The Light of Reverence” gives a compelling account of the stakes at each of the sites. While Native American activists and healers speak eloquently of the land’s spiritual importance to Indian survival, a coalition of miners, developers, local businesses, and recreational enthusiasts protest what they see as their exclusion from public lands. Ten years in the making, “In The Light of Reverence” offers the spectacular tableau of an American West still under fierce contention more than a century after the frontier wars between Indians and non-Indians ceased. Alcohol/Drugs Linked to Student Failure and Crime A new state survey says that Oregon students who use alcohol or drugs are more likely to fail school, commit crimes, and behave violently. “This report confirms what teachers, police officers, and social workers see every day,” says Gov. John Kitzhaber. “There is a strong correlation between drinking alcohol or taking drugs and trouble at school and juvenile delinquency.” The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) recently released “Oregon Public School Drug Use Survey 2000,” a biennial poll of 12,000 Oregon sixth-, eighth-, and 11 "'-grade students conducted last spring in 159 schools. Survey respondents were asked about recent alcohol and drug use, academic performance, and criminal and violent behaviors. Barbara Cimaglio, administrator of the department’s Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs, says the resulting data shows the stark consequences of substance abuse by young people. In each of the three grades surveyed, respondents who recently used alcohol or drugs skipped classes, earned failing grades, or received suspensions at far higher rates than those who did not use such substances. The same pattern occurred with criminal and violent acts. For example, a disproportionate number of recent alcohol ordrug users brought handguns to school, used a weapon in a fight, or stole a car. “Communities need to know that drug and alcohol abuse by juveniles is related to juvenile crime and school problems,’ says Phillip Lemman, executive director of the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. “Investing in effective alcohol and drug use prevention programs can help young people stay in school, improve their grades, and keep out of trouble. It also demonstrates the importance of having school, public safety, and treatment professionals work together to address these problems.” As it does every two years, the state survey also collected information about the use of alcohol and drugs among Oregon’s students. With a few exceptions, substance use fell slightly in each of the three grades polled. According to the 2000 report, 41.8 percent of 1 l"’-graders, 26.4 percent of eighth-graders, (up from 26 percent in 1998), and 7.8 percent of sixth-graders reported drinking alcohol recently. Attention Native American Actors Morl I a nt? Anel IllaaZa. — Here's Your Opportunity To Be Discovered! NBC & The Oneida Indian Nation Invite You To Participate In The Four Directions Talent Search. . : ■ ' ■■■;". ' ’ y Qualifying Events Will Be Held At ... Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard CT - August 24 The Comedy Works, Denver CO - September 11 Yuks Yuks Comedy Club, Toronto CAN - September 24 The Comedy Underground, Seattle WA - October 9 The Comedy Corner, West Palm Beach FL - October 22 Semi-Finals - Turning Stone Casino Resort, Verona NY - November 4-5 Finals - PSNBC Studios, New York NY - November 7 Communications Department 315-361-6512 www.faurdirectionstalent.com (See Survey on page 3) August 2001 □ Siletz News □ 13
