"If you avoid breaking laws and do what you're told and ignore the poor, the oppressed and the downtrodden - you probably won't be bothered. If you try to right what is wrong, however, you will surely meet opposition and run the risk of imprisonment or death" -Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier is a member of the Anishinabe and Lakota Nations, he is a father, grandfather, an artist, a writer, and and Indigenous Rights activist. Each February 6th marks another anniversary of incarceration. 2009 marks the 33rd year he has been unjustly imprisoned. FREE LEONARD PELTIER NOW!!!!!
Welcome, I am creating this page as a tribute to Leonard Peltier....a Native rights activist who has spent more than 30 years in prison for a crime he was admittedly(by the Feds) framed for. The government's refusal to release him or crucial parts of FBI records on Leonard and the American Indian Movement(among countless others) is based on it's weak grounds of "national security". He is kept in prison because the government cannot face up to their crimes. He is a great man, truly one of the last great warriors reminiscent of the spirits of Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and Geronimo. Those who live and die for the people are the true heroes...and Leonard Peltier has always been a great hero to me. May he be freed soon, and the truth be revealed at long last. There are a few photos of him in the group photo album.
The Native sister wearing the military uniform in the photo album is Lori Piestewa of the Hopi, who died in combat service to the US military. She was a true warrior, and I believe that her untimely death is a testament to the profound wrongness of the war in Iraq. May she be honored by all for her incredible spirit and bravery. There are images of other brave and incredible spirits in the album, such as Anna Mae Pictou Aquash, who was murdered for her role in fighting for Native sovereignty, Sitting Bull, John Trudell, Richard Oakes, Chief Joseph...there is truly not enough space on myspace to include all the heroes who have fought and inspired so selflessly. May we always remember our heroes in our prayers, and continue their work for the good of all people.
The Old Ones you see dancing in the picture are Ghost Dancers. The Lakota Ghost Dancers were among the most passionate about the Ghost Dance before being massacred at Wounded Knee in 1890. The Ghost Dance movement started with the vision of the great Paiute dreamer Wovoka, and spread throughout Native America in the late 19th century. The dance was a crying of the spirit for the help of the Old Ones, the peoples wishes for life at a time when Native life and culture was being killed and destroyed in every conceivable way. But they failed to kill all of us, and the spirit of the Ghost Dance lives on with each and every Native dreamer alive today. I wish peace for their spirits, and all other spirits who have passed. I pray for their spirit to reach and help all who need that love and passion to carry on their own Ghost Dance. I place this picture on my page with great love, reverence and respect for all the Old Ones, for the remaining Elders...for all who carry on our peoples' ways. The Ghost Dancers gave their lives, with the purpose of giving life to the people. That is the meaning behind all Native practices and beliefs...giving, sacrificing for others..that is the greatest purpose we have in life. I believe that the spirits of our ancestors remain as close to the land in spirit as they did in life...willing to help us whenever we seek them out, loving us even when we fail to remember them. I pray that the spirit of the Ghost Dance may live again, as strongly as it did so many years ago. Their spirit is with us, ready to teach us, if only we can listen.
I have put together a YouTube page with an assortment of videos to supplement my myspace pages.
http://www.youtube.com/freespiritncali707
MAKA' SITO'MANIYAN
Maka' sito'maniyan uki'ye,
Oya'te uki'ye,
oya'te uki'ye,
Wan'bali oya'te wan hoshi'hi-ye lo,
Ate heye lo, ate heye lo,
Maka o'wancha'ya uki'ye,
Pte kin ukiye, pte kin ukiye,
Kanghi oya'te wan hoshi'hi-ye lo,
A'te he'ye lo, a'te he'ye lo.
Translation:
The whole world is coming,
A nation is coming, a nation is coming,
The Eagle has brought the message to the tribe.
The father says so, the father says so.
Over the whole earth they are coming.
The buffalo are coming, the buffalo are coming,
The Crow has brought the message to the tribe,
The father says so, the father says so.
-Ghost Dance Prayer
Make your own Banner here!
The upside down flag is a symbol of the American Indian Movement, in the military it is a distress signal. I want it to be understood that I have this upside down flag on my page, out of respect for Native struggles, for all the people who fight for Native rights and survival, in honor of all the people who have suffered and died for being Native. I do not wish to disrespect our troops, our warriors, those who have fought and died for this flag....all of our warriors and soldiers have my love and respect. Please understand that I honor all of you who have fought and died for this flag. But please also understand, many have fought and died for the upside down flag, and for the struggles to preserve Native cultures, languages, and ways. As Native people, we have struggled against genocide and forced assimilation for as long as the colonialists have been here on Turtle Island. It is to honor our warriors, not to dishonor, that I hang this flag upside down.
Incident At Oglala - The Leonard Peltier Story
Part 1
..
Part 2
Leonard Peltier ~ Americas Mandela
Buggin Malone - Dedication To Leonard Peltier
Buggin Malone -The Beat Goes On - Tribute To Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier's account of that day
~Author Harvey Arden reads "The Escape" from Leonard Peltier's
~PRISON WRITINGS: MY LIFE IS MY SUN DANCE~
The Message by Leonard Peltier
Silence, they say, is the voice of complicity.
But silence is impossible.
Silence screams.
Silence is a message,
just as doing nothing is an act.
Let who you are ring out and resonate
in every word and every deed.
Yes, become who you are.
There's no side stepping your own being
or your own responsibility.
What you do is who you are.
You are your own comeuppance.
You become your own message.
You are the message.
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Artwork of Leonard Peltier
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I have had numerous comments and questions about the paintings of Leonard Peltier I've posted in the group image gallery. I found them by searching search engines for "Leonard Peltier paintings". I will give a list of the titles of the paintings that were attached to the images. I will list them as they are shown in the album, left to right. They start at the top of the page, then continue at the bottom, after the pictures of the POW flag and Anna May Aquash. Also be sure to check out the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee website for more information and to see more of Leonard's paintings and writings. You can buy Leonard's paintings from the Defense Committee office.
Top of Photo Album
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1~Trail of Tears 2~The Ultimate Sacrifice 3~Visions of Freedom 4~Ghost Dance Leader 5~The Protector 6~Spirit of the Hawk 7~Grandma Jumping Bull 8~Black Elk 9~Native Elder 10~Prayer to the Spirit 11~Chief Thin Elk 12~Grass Dancers 13~medicine man 14~I Dance With the Spirit of Horses 15~Winter Count
Bottom of Photo Album
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16~Spirit of the Bear 17~Roe Cloud 18~Sitting Bull 19~Home of the Braves 20~Lakota Holy Man 21~Wind In His Hair 22~Waiting For His Return 23~White Mountain 24~Steve Reevis 25~Crow Dog 26~Young Generation 27~Comanche Warrior 28~Visions 29~Magottagopee
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Contacting Leonard
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Leonard Peltier 89637-132
USP Lewisburg
PO BOX 1000
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837
{must have his name & prisoner number on it}
{cards and letters only, photos OK -Polaroids NO}
{no packages or postcards}
Leonard can receive letters, US Postal money orders, and paperback books.
Send him some love...all it costs is a stamp.
Please also know that a member of the Oglala Commemoration in England has generated an idea to get Leonard's name out there in a most unusual way. USE HIS PRISON NUMBER!
Now, don't get us wrong, we are not advocating graffiti or anything....BUT....
If you can get the number 89637-132 out there in the public eye, people will ask questions and then you can fill them in on Leonard and his plight.
People have put it on signs at sporting events for the cameras to see, they have stenciled it on t-shirts written it on their car windows, made it into bumper stickers and a couple have had it tattooed on them.
Not at bad way to spread the word.
"Let the Great Healing Begin!" - Leonard Peltier (from his autobiography: Prison Writings - My Life is My Sundance)
Much Love,
The OCC
Information & Websites About Leonard Peltier & Native Struggles
http://www.leonardpeltier.net/
http://www.freeleonard.org/
http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info
http://www.iacenter.org/polprisoners/peltier.htm
http://www.myspace.com/freepeltier
http://www.myspace.com/leonardpeltier
http://www.myspace.com/freeleonard
http://www.myspace.com/oglalacommemoration
http://www.myspace.com/norwich4peltier
http://www.myspace.com/bugginmalone
http://www.myspace.com/cultureshockcamp
http://groups.myspace.com/NAAFUcom
http://www.mytribalspace.com
http://groups.myspace.com/supportaim
http://groups.myspace.com/americanindianmovement
http://groups.myspace.com/INDIANLAW
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To learn more about the Ghost Dance, please visit the sites below.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wovoka
http://php.indiana.edu/~tkavanag/visual5.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wounded_Knee_Massacre
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/woundedknee/WKghost.html
Floyd Westerman Speaks of Common Struggles
A Tribute To Native Women
The Ghost Dancers
Bloody Island to Wounded Knee
..
Add to My Profile | More Videos
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End the Genocide Against Native People
John Graham - Another Leonard Peltier?
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