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Moksha Lecture Series:  Indigenous Ecologies & the Everglades

10/13/2014

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by Dr. Dennis Wiedman & Houston R. Cypress

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THE MOKSHA LECTURE SERIES PT. 4:
"INDIGENOUS ECOLOGIES AND THE EVERGLADES" 

A Dialog with Miccosukee Houston R. Cypress and Anthropologist Dennis Wiedman

Indigenous peoples around the world continue to express their views that natural and physical environments are being harmed by humans whose philosophies of life do not respect the Earth. The 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples confirmed their rights to traditional lands, resources, language, medicines, religions, media and culture. Anthropologist, Dr. Dennis Wiedman reflects upon the political and environmental changes occurring over the past centuries that disenfranchised Native Americans from their lands, their resources and their sacred places. Houston Cypress, member of the Miccosukee Otter Clan, brings an Indigenous world view to the public through his videos, words and actions. For the past several decades there has been a renaissance of Indigenous arts, music, and religions here in the US and throughout the world. The Indigenous voice is now being heard in films, music, the internet and in the courts.

Contemporary Native American scholars, artists and film makers are bringing to the public their ways of knowing about life, the Earth and human relationships with the Earth. Many of these express the Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives as caretakers of the Earth, as compared to those who view the Earth and resources as objects to be exploited, controlled, bought and sold. With environments being modified, polluted, and spoiled, this dialog and discussion of these differing world views may lead to reconciliation and a better understanding of how public policies can respect the Earth.

Here in South Florida where the natural Everglades, rivers, and wetlands were drained, canaled, controlled, filled-in and polluted, Indigenous Peoples continue to express their concerns about the quality of water and how it affects all human and biological life in the Everglades. In this evening of information sharing, dialog and discussion, Houston and Dennis compare and contrast these contested world views about the environment and nature facilitating a better understanding of the restoration of the Everglades and the need for public policies that respect the earth affecting the future quality of life for generations of South Floridians.

Dr. Dennis Wiedman is an anthropologist whose life long work on Native American health extends from the Miccosukee of South Florida, to the Delaware, Apache and Cherokee Tribes of Oklahoma, and the Inupiat of Northern Alaska. His research has ranged from traditional healing to contemporary health problems, from Peyotism as a health care delivery system, to the causes of Native American diabetes and the global increase of diabetes with modernity. Since receiving his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma, he has taught for many years at Florida International University where he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies. His latest work is published in the American Indian Culture and Research Journal, and the American Indian Quarterly.

Houston Cypress, an Otter Clan member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. Houston grew up in the swamps of the Florida Everglades, blazing trails through the bush. The endangered beauty of the natural environment made such an impression on him during his childhood – being a refuge for his ancestors and the source of traditional plant medicines – that he grew to find ways to articulate strategies for preserving this World Heritage Site. Art, communications and spirituality are some of the modalities and techniques that he employs through his collaborations with the following organizations Miccosukee Magazine TV; Film, Recording & Entertainment Council, FREC Star Gala, Medicine Signs Spiritual Center, Camposition, Inc. and the Love The Everglades Movement. Houston is committed to supporting his society of clans by assisting in cultural preservation, environmental protection, community outreach, business development, media & event production and strengthening sovereignty. He resides on the Miccosukee Reservation located west of Miami, Florida and he maintains a number of traditional villages located on tree islands scattered throughout Water Conservation Area 3A -- the area known as the historic River of Grass, and called by his community: Kaahayatle, which can be translated as "Shimmering Waters".

In consideration of the upcoming election on Tuesday, November 4, Amendment 1 which is about the environmental protection will be discussed. To learn more about the ballot initiative, check out www.FloridaWaterLandLegacy.org and www.VoteYesOn1FL.org - for more information.

*MOKSHA ART GALLERY EXHIBITION*

~JAKE CORDERO~ 

Stay later for musical entertainment with
~DJ CARE~ http://djcare.com/

Tuesday, October 28, 2014:
Doors open at 7:00pm
Lecture begins at 7:30pm (sharp) -10:00 pm

$10 donation pre-sale 
$15 donation at door
Pre-sale tickets available here:
http://mokshalecture10-28.bpt.me/

Share this event, thank you!

Come early for refreshments and snacks from Plaiedean Lounge.

7th Circuit Productions, 228 NE 59th St. Miami, FL 33137www.mokshafamily.org/ for info #305-757-7277
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Everglades Caucus & L-28 Interceptor Canal

4/26/2014

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by Houston R. Cypress,
Coordination Circle, Love The Everglades Movement

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The Everglades Caucus recently issued a letter to the US Department of the Interior, the US Department of the Army for the Army Corp of Engineers, and the US Environmental Protection Agency, bringing attention to an on-going and immediate environmental threat to the Everglades:  the L-28 Interceptor Canal -- a canal that brings "dirty water" with high levels of phosphorus onto Federal Reservation Lands.

The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida maintain traditional villages -- which they use for a number of cultural practices -- in the area that is directly and negatively impacted by this farm runoff.  In fact, their access to sacred sites become impeded by the proliferation of flora spurred by the fertilizer runoff.

The image at the top of this document illustrates the impact of high and unnatural levels of Phosphorus on the Everglades terrain.  The green areas are the dense overgrowth of cattails and other plants.

The Miccosukee concerns surrounding the L-28 Interceptor Canal are coinciding with a broader discussion on Everglades Restoration, especially as it relates to current events surrounding the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP).

CEPP is concerned with delivering "New Water" through a series of projects that would bring water from Lake Okeechobee south to Everglades National Park.  As these projects come online over the next decade, there is still the glaring refusal to address the 40% of the total waters coming into the system brought by the L-28 Interceptor Canal.

Today, Miccosukee homelands are being sacrificed for the benefit of Everglades National Park -- as if the Everglades eco-system is limited to the boundaries of the National Park.  As the waters coming into Water Conservation Area 3A make their slow journey south, the high Phosphorus levels are filtered out significantly -- and what this means is that Miccosukee homelands are functioning as a de facto Stormwater Treatment Area.

The Everglades Caucus are not only honoring their Trust Responsibility to the Indigenous Sovereingty, but they are also honoring their commitment to the American Public by speaking up to protect these vital natural resources.

Signatories for the Everglades Caucus include:
  • Mario Diaz-Balart
  • Alcee Hastings
  • Debbie Wasserman Schultz
  • Patrick Murphy
  • Ted Deutch
  • Joe Garcia
  • Lois Frankel
  • Frederica Wilson

Read the letter in its entirety:
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Miccosukee Chairman Addresses House Subcommittee

4/16/2014

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by Houston R. Cypress,
Coordination Circle, Love The Everglades Movement

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One of our objectives for the Movement is to advocate for respect of Miccosukee Sovereignty.  This is because the Miccosukee Tribe is one of the few communities who actually live in the Florida Everglades -- so they witness, everyday, the effects of environmental degradation.

By listening to and incorporating the Miccosukee message into our Everglades Advocacy, we begin to do the work of Environmental Justice and express our solidarity with this indigenous community.

The Miccosukee community has a Way of Life that is intimately connected with the vitality of the natural world -- indeed, their philosophy is expressed in a beautiful symbol that is maintained in the heart of every village -- the Circle of Life.

The Miccosukee Tribe has also been an important catalyst for much of the progress achieved so far regarding Everglades Restoration.  This is due in large part to the greater legal framework and promises made by the US Federal Government to the indigenous sovereignties, known as the Federal Trust Responsibility.  Although the historical record reminds us that there has been much discord between the United States and the sovereign indigenous communities of this continent, we can also find evidence of great friendship and prosperity.  So we look forward to honoring our friendships with the Miccosukee community and how we can build on that to achieve environmental/Everglades goals that benefit everyone -- including the people that live there.

Recently, the Miccosukee Chairman, Hon. Colley Billie, addressed the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee during the Public Witness Hearing on Native American Issues.

Chairman Colley Billie's statement was concerned with Everglades matters, and it's such a revealing statement about Miccosukee concerns for the Everglades, that it's worth sharing in its entirety.
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