Longest Walk 2 Begins with Ceremony & Support for Repatriation for California Tribal Nations
Press Conference: University of California Berkeley Denies Protection of Native Ancestral Remains and Sacred Objects
BERKELEY, Calif. -- On February 11, 2008, Indigenous Nations from around the country held a rally and press conference at the University of California Berkeley, to commence the Longest Walk 2 – a trans-continental walk for environmental protection and Native American rights. Participants of the Longest Walk 2 are embarking on a five- month journey on foot from San Francisco and will arrive in Washington, D.C. on July 11, 2008.
More than 1,000 Native American dignitaries, religious leaders, environmental, and union groups began the walk at a Monday sunrise ceremony at Alcatraz Island, which has become a symbol for Native American Resistance. The events continued with a peaceful rally and press conference at the University of California.
“Longest Walk 2 embraces the struggle in solidarity with California Natives fighting the sudden and secretive elimination of UC Berkeley’s Hearst Museum’s unit on Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).” Said Jimbo Simmons, National Coordinator of The Longest Walk 2 and Native American NAGPRA Coalition member. “We are protesting the university’s possession of more than 12,000 ancestral remains. Not only is UC Berkeley refusing to comply with federal law, they are turning complete control of our missing Indian ancestors and sacred objects to radical anti-repatriation scientists.”
Native Americans and social justice allies demanded a reversal to the administrative exclusion of Native Americans from any decision making process. Native people also demanded that the university immediately comply with all federal and state laws.
“You are literally walking in my ancestors foot steps,” said Cheyenne Gould, a 17-year-old Muwekwa Ohlone youth. “My ancestors walked all through here and now they are in boxes at this university, I feel appreciative of the Longest Walk 2 because we need more people to speak out. We also need more people to listen to us so that the University will give back our remains so we can have proper burials.”
A march that grew to more than 400 people began at UC Berkeley’s Oak Grove. Activists have been blocking plans by University officials to clear cut old growth trees and demolish the area that has been identified as an Ohlone burial site by UC Berkeley’s own archeology department.
Marchers proceeded to Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus with a call to attention and for support for a California State Senate hearing on February 26 to investigate the ongoing rights violations committed by the university against Native Americans. Marchers also voiced support for mediation between Indian Nations and the UCB system.
“When it comes to Native Americans, why is that we have no guaranteed protection of our religious freedoms and our ancestors’ final sacred resting places?” said Morning Star Gali, Achumawi Band of the Pit River Nation and member of the Native American NAGPRA Coalition. “Universities, such as UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University, and developers continue to violate federal laws and desecrate our burial sites and sacred places. Both UC Berkeley and SF State are holding over 12,000 of our ancestors and cultural objects hostage.”
“This is a direct attack on our people.” said Joey Silvas, Wailaki tribal member. “We will be back until our people are returned, everyone of them. I would like you to take these messages from Alcatraz, Glen Cove, UC Berkeley, and DQ University. The whole world needs to know. Not only in Indian Country.”
The Longest Walk of 2008 is stopping in communities all across Turtle Island. Longest Walk participants will listen to Native peoples concerns, document and deliver them to US officials in DC.
The 2008 walk will mark the 30th anniversary of the original Longest Walk of 1978 that resulted in historic changes for Native America.
In July of 1978, thousands converged on the Nations capitol to immobilize 11 pieces of legislation in Congress that would have abrogated Native American Treaties.
“It’s sad to think that there are more dead Indians here at this University than live ones. That needs to change,” said Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement. “They have studied us long enough. They’ve trampled upon our history, they have disturbed the journey of our spirits.”
“Americas if you were our friend, we wouldn’t have to walk across this country to say how we’ve been hurt!”
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http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/02/11/18478448.php
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Minutes into marriage, bride dies in first dance
It was the first dance of a marriage that was not to be.
Kim Sjostrom and Teddy Efkarpides had been married for less than an hour on January 19 when the bride crumpled in her husband's arms during a rendition of a Greek song that means simply "love me". At 36, Ms Sjostrom was dead from heart disease.
The couple were married in Davie, Florida, three years to the day after their first date.
Ms Sjostrom had wanted a real-life version of the film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which played in the background as friends fixed her hair and make-up before the ceremony.
The wedding was a project at Davie Elementary School, where Ms Sjostrom taught first grade. Fellow teachers provided the wedding gown, the flowers, decorations and one of them, an ordained minister, performed the ceremony.
Ms Sjostrom carried blue and white flowers during the ceremony - the colours of the Greek flag. As they exchanged vows, Mr Efkarpides, a 43-year-old carpenter and navy veteran, wept with happiness.
The joyous mood of the celebration was soon transformed when Ms Sjostrom complained of being lightheaded during the couple's first dance.
Mr Efkarpides thought his wife, a diabetic, needed sugar. She collapsed.
Efforts to revive her by wedding guests, paramedics and doctors at a nearby hospital all failed.
She had a previous cardiac episode in her 20s and was a poster child - literally - for juvenile diabetes, relatives and friends said. Mr Efkarpides recalled seeing the poster featuring his bride on New York subways.
Friends are mourning Ms Sjostrom knowing she was probably pleased with her last moments. She had her Greek-themed wedding, complete with Greek husband.
"It was perfect for her," said Dominic Church, the friend who performed the marriage.
"The only official document that can bear the name she wanted to have is the death certificate," Mr Efkarpides said.
He consoles himself by reading a list of "101 Reasons Why I Love You" that Ms Sjostrom gave him their first Christmas together. No.1 is "You make me smile."
No. 98 is especially difficult, the one not meant to be: "You're the one I want to grow old with."
http://www.smh.com.au
Kim Sjostrom and Teddy Efkarpides had been married for less than an hour on January 19 when the bride crumpled in her husband's arms during a rendition of a Greek song that means simply "love me". At 36, Ms Sjostrom was dead from heart disease.
The couple were married in Davie, Florida, three years to the day after their first date.
Ms Sjostrom had wanted a real-life version of the film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which played in the background as friends fixed her hair and make-up before the ceremony.
The wedding was a project at Davie Elementary School, where Ms Sjostrom taught first grade. Fellow teachers provided the wedding gown, the flowers, decorations and one of them, an ordained minister, performed the ceremony.
Ms Sjostrom carried blue and white flowers during the ceremony - the colours of the Greek flag. As they exchanged vows, Mr Efkarpides, a 43-year-old carpenter and navy veteran, wept with happiness.
The joyous mood of the celebration was soon transformed when Ms Sjostrom complained of being lightheaded during the couple's first dance.
Mr Efkarpides thought his wife, a diabetic, needed sugar. She collapsed.
Efforts to revive her by wedding guests, paramedics and doctors at a nearby hospital all failed.
She had a previous cardiac episode in her 20s and was a poster child - literally - for juvenile diabetes, relatives and friends said. Mr Efkarpides recalled seeing the poster featuring his bride on New York subways.
Friends are mourning Ms Sjostrom knowing she was probably pleased with her last moments. She had her Greek-themed wedding, complete with Greek husband.
"It was perfect for her," said Dominic Church, the friend who performed the marriage.
"The only official document that can bear the name she wanted to have is the death certificate," Mr Efkarpides said.
He consoles himself by reading a list of "101 Reasons Why I Love You" that Ms Sjostrom gave him their first Christmas together. No.1 is "You make me smile."
No. 98 is especially difficult, the one not meant to be: "You're the one I want to grow old with."
http://www.smh.com.au
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Consecration ceremony starts in Sofia
Sofia. The ceremony of consecrating the flags of the Bulgarian Armed Forces has started in Sofia, Focus News Agency reported.
Bulgaria’s President and Commander-in-Chief Georgi Parvanov is present at the ritual traditional for Epiphany.
The ceremony is attended also by Defense Minister Veselin Bliznakov, deputy defense ministers, Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Army General Zlatan Stoykov, National Assembly Chairman Georgi Pirinski, leader of the Antional Movement Simeon II Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n130886
Bulgaria’s President and Commander-in-Chief Georgi Parvanov is present at the ritual traditional for Epiphany.
The ceremony is attended also by Defense Minister Veselin Bliznakov, deputy defense ministers, Chief of General Staff of the Bulgarian Army General Zlatan Stoykov, National Assembly Chairman Georgi Pirinski, leader of the Antional Movement Simeon II Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n130886
Ceremony houses give civic body the slip
Abhishek Law
Kolkata, Jan. 5: Though ceremony houses, especially unregistered ones charging exorbitant fees, are mushrooming in the city, civic bosses at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation are happy to look the other way.
The civic body’s lack of infrastructure, coupled with its willingness to let these houses remain as they are, has turned out to be a blessing for the ceremonial houses. These houses, despite charging exorbitant sums varying between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh, get away by not paying any licence fees to the KMC because of their “irregular status”.
Municipal commissioner Mr Alapan Bandopadhyay said: “We are not concerned with the amount these marriage houses charge and we do not interfere in their day-to- day running. We see whether they clear their licence fees with the KMC or not.” While the civic body is authorised to provide licences to these ceremony houses, the KMC has no power to check whether they are registered or not.
Mr Bandopadhyay said: “We provide licences after judging matters on a case-to-case basis. Ceremony houses cannot just crop up anywhere and everywhere in the city.”
He also added that at present, the KMC has tightened its norms for granting licences.
Clearances are obtained after the civic officials judge several parameters such as the amount of parking space that the ceremony house can provide at the time of the event, clearances from other departments like conservancy, among others. “Who will judge whether the ceremony houses have a valid licence? Unless specific complaints come, no one can check their validity,” an official said.
Officials, however, said that earlier, when ceremony houses fell under the “green category” of trades, almost all applicants were provided licences. This led to the mushrooming of marriage halls in the city.
Later, these marriage houses were brought under the “red category” where civic officials gave licences only after verification. But even then, there were lapses.
Ceremony houses continued without seeking licences from the KMC. Only when Calcutta High Court rapped the civic body, almost six to eight months ago, were norms tightened.
When asked, member, mayor-in-council (Buildings and Licence) Mr Dipankar Dey, said: “We have asked all ceremony houses in the city to register themselves with the KMC.
A 31-March deadline has been fixed. If they fail to meet the deadline, we will take penal measures.” When asked about the steps that the city civic body would take regarding “irregular” ceremony houses, Mr Bandopadhyay failed to mention anything concrete. He said: “We do not immediately want a crackdown on these ceremony houses. Social as well as sentimental values are attached to them.”
On the issue of infrastructure shortage, he claimed that the KMC may take the help of police to close down the places.
“If needed, we will issue notices asking people not to book these places. But at present, we are trying to re-orient an old system and doing so would take some time.”
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=6&theme=&usrsess=1&id=183948
Kolkata, Jan. 5: Though ceremony houses, especially unregistered ones charging exorbitant fees, are mushrooming in the city, civic bosses at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation are happy to look the other way.
The civic body’s lack of infrastructure, coupled with its willingness to let these houses remain as they are, has turned out to be a blessing for the ceremonial houses. These houses, despite charging exorbitant sums varying between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh, get away by not paying any licence fees to the KMC because of their “irregular status”.
Municipal commissioner Mr Alapan Bandopadhyay said: “We are not concerned with the amount these marriage houses charge and we do not interfere in their day-to- day running. We see whether they clear their licence fees with the KMC or not.” While the civic body is authorised to provide licences to these ceremony houses, the KMC has no power to check whether they are registered or not.
Mr Bandopadhyay said: “We provide licences after judging matters on a case-to-case basis. Ceremony houses cannot just crop up anywhere and everywhere in the city.”
He also added that at present, the KMC has tightened its norms for granting licences.
Clearances are obtained after the civic officials judge several parameters such as the amount of parking space that the ceremony house can provide at the time of the event, clearances from other departments like conservancy, among others. “Who will judge whether the ceremony houses have a valid licence? Unless specific complaints come, no one can check their validity,” an official said.
Officials, however, said that earlier, when ceremony houses fell under the “green category” of trades, almost all applicants were provided licences. This led to the mushrooming of marriage halls in the city.
Later, these marriage houses were brought under the “red category” where civic officials gave licences only after verification. But even then, there were lapses.
Ceremony houses continued without seeking licences from the KMC. Only when Calcutta High Court rapped the civic body, almost six to eight months ago, were norms tightened.
When asked, member, mayor-in-council (Buildings and Licence) Mr Dipankar Dey, said: “We have asked all ceremony houses in the city to register themselves with the KMC.
A 31-March deadline has been fixed. If they fail to meet the deadline, we will take penal measures.” When asked about the steps that the city civic body would take regarding “irregular” ceremony houses, Mr Bandopadhyay failed to mention anything concrete. He said: “We do not immediately want a crackdown on these ceremony houses. Social as well as sentimental values are attached to them.”
On the issue of infrastructure shortage, he claimed that the KMC may take the help of police to close down the places.
“If needed, we will issue notices asking people not to book these places. But at present, we are trying to re-orient an old system and doing so would take some time.”
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=6&theme=&usrsess=1&id=183948
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Angola: Welfare Ministry Holds Yearend Compliments Ceremony
Angola's Social Welfare Ministry staff this Friday, in Luanda, will present their yearend compliments to the incumbent minister, Joao Baptista Kussumua, reads a document from the institution.
During the ceremony, the minister will inform the workers on the Angolan government's ongoing actions and others for 2008 which are mainly relating to children, senior citizens, disabled people and the sustainable reintegration of Angolan refugees.
Joao Baptista Kussumua will also speak on the social, professional and economic reintegration of ex-soldiers from UNITA, MPLA and FNLA parties, as well as on the demining process taking place throughout the country.
The ceremony will be attended by national directors, department heads and general-directors of public institutes functioning under the umbrella of the Social Welfare and Reintegration Ministry.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200712280529.html
During the ceremony, the minister will inform the workers on the Angolan government's ongoing actions and others for 2008 which are mainly relating to children, senior citizens, disabled people and the sustainable reintegration of Angolan refugees.
Joao Baptista Kussumua will also speak on the social, professional and economic reintegration of ex-soldiers from UNITA, MPLA and FNLA parties, as well as on the demining process taking place throughout the country.
The ceremony will be attended by national directors, department heads and general-directors of public institutes functioning under the umbrella of the Social Welfare and Reintegration Ministry.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200712280529.html
New Britain Resident Honored In Ceremony
John Gwiazda, a resident at the Jerome Home in New Britain, was recently honored at a medal ceremony. Gwiazda served in World War II as a pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps.
•
Six Plainville High School students were selected to perform in the Connecticut Music Educator's Northern Regional Music Festival. Jeffrey Ciarcia, Richard Reola and Kendra Valliere will perform in the chorus. Patrick Haggerty will perform with the orchestra. Marc Levandowski will perform with the jazz band and Jaclyn Neveu will perform with the concert band. The festival concert will be held Jan. 19 at New Britain High School.
•
Elsie Patton recently joined Loureiro Engineering Associates Inc. (LEA) of Plainville as technical director of regulations and permitting. Prior to joining LEA, she had been employed at the state Department of Environmental Protection for 26 years.
•
The Cooperative Nursery School of New Britain held a coat drive at First Church Congregational on Corbin Avenue. Lisa Leavenworth and Cindy Ferraguto coordinated the event. The coats were donated to "Button Up Connecticut" and later distributed to charitable organizations throughout the state.
•
Fran Pitaro, a Bristol native, currently serving as the Chesterfield County, Va. deputy county administrator for management services ,will retire Jan. 1, 2008. Pitaro will relocate to Colorado Springs, Colo., where he will work as a consultant with Zelos, a firm that specializes in helping government agencies achieve better results through performance management.
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-faces1229.artdec29,0,6512221.story
•
Six Plainville High School students were selected to perform in the Connecticut Music Educator's Northern Regional Music Festival. Jeffrey Ciarcia, Richard Reola and Kendra Valliere will perform in the chorus. Patrick Haggerty will perform with the orchestra. Marc Levandowski will perform with the jazz band and Jaclyn Neveu will perform with the concert band. The festival concert will be held Jan. 19 at New Britain High School.
•
Elsie Patton recently joined Loureiro Engineering Associates Inc. (LEA) of Plainville as technical director of regulations and permitting. Prior to joining LEA, she had been employed at the state Department of Environmental Protection for 26 years.
•
The Cooperative Nursery School of New Britain held a coat drive at First Church Congregational on Corbin Avenue. Lisa Leavenworth and Cindy Ferraguto coordinated the event. The coats were donated to "Button Up Connecticut" and later distributed to charitable organizations throughout the state.
•
Fran Pitaro, a Bristol native, currently serving as the Chesterfield County, Va. deputy county administrator for management services ,will retire Jan. 1, 2008. Pitaro will relocate to Colorado Springs, Colo., where he will work as a consultant with Zelos, a firm that specializes in helping government agencies achieve better results through performance management.
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-faces1229.artdec29,0,6512221.story
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Ceremony to introduce kids' program
A program to help the city's children opens at 10:30 a.m. today with a ceremony in the National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut St.
Called KidZone Philadelphia, it is a 10-year initiative of Foundations Inc. that will be pioneered in Northwest Philadelphia and will spearhead a movement to unite communities throughout the city to ensure the success of future generations. Foundations Inc. is a nonprofit, educational organization that manages several Philadelpiha public schools.
About 400 people from Philadelphia and surrounding areas are expected to turn out for the ceremonial launch of KidZone, which will be located at 7157 Ogontz Ave.
Along with a number of special guests, including Gov. Rendell and Mayor Street, others expected to attend include civic-policy makers, opinion leaders in the field of children, youth and family services, leaders from numerous neighborhood organizations and children and families from four schools in ...
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_km4470/is_200604/ai_n16312799
Called KidZone Philadelphia, it is a 10-year initiative of Foundations Inc. that will be pioneered in Northwest Philadelphia and will spearhead a movement to unite communities throughout the city to ensure the success of future generations. Foundations Inc. is a nonprofit, educational organization that manages several Philadelpiha public schools.
About 400 people from Philadelphia and surrounding areas are expected to turn out for the ceremonial launch of KidZone, which will be located at 7157 Ogontz Ave.
Along with a number of special guests, including Gov. Rendell and Mayor Street, others expected to attend include civic-policy makers, opinion leaders in the field of children, youth and family services, leaders from numerous neighborhood organizations and children and families from four schools in ...
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_km4470/is_200604/ai_n16312799
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