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BARROW, ALASKA - Jan., 23rd, 2001. "We definitely and absolutely have (native) children in peril,"says Alaska's Commissioner for Education, Shirley Holloway.What to do? In the closing seconds of the 20th Century, an action took place to try to reach the kids. Spearheaded by former SAS parachutist, J. Bitters[Symbolic name 'Pathfinder.'] who, plagued by war injury and numerous obstacles, dropped with the new rising sun onto Jumper D/Z, near Point Barrow. This was the last legitimate act of the 2nd Millennium. Crucially, carried were certain documents. These including the "talking wires" letter alleged to Chief Seattl (finest prose in translation in the language); a forgotten curriculum from a school of the Koyukan Alaskan Indians and the US Declaration of Independence. The latter was declared 'untoward' for its text reference to "merciless savages." Simultaneously, heading south from Point Barrow, was a group of 20 Japanese maritime officer cadets with their Sensei (G. Meegan). Carried from their university - the Japan National Maritime at Kobe - was a culture centered educational reform protocol, acknowledged by US Gov. as "extraordinary. " It likely represents the last chance for the native cultures to survive the 21st century. Meegan,[symbolic name Wayfarer] had, the previously year, continued his journey 'Longest Unbroken Journey walk of All Time' which had begun in 1977 from Tierra del Fuego [30,919 km./ 8 world's records]. However, the 2000 attempt was beaten back by near blizzard and chill temperatures to minus 82 degrees F. In 2001, at Point Barrow, Meegan read out 'Layers' by poet laureate Kumitiz, then added into his own name the word "Hope". Then, (having reversed his route) came south from Point Barrow, aligning his odyssey with a prophesy that in a time of great crisis 'hope will come from the land of the polar bear'. The way south from was with armed Eskimos on snow machines. Pathfinder & Wayfarer met at a tent and began a ceremony of Reconciliation; the most powerful gesture ever between two cultures. This included a stunning apology from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, this concerning it's near two century history. To acknowledge (but not to accept) were two Innu of the Mushuau Innu First Nation, who came over from Labrador,Canada. Their village, Davis Inlet, is facing "First Nation extinction," where with 169 youths, 154 are substance abusers and of these 80 are chronic sniffers.' One of whom, Innu Jake Rich aged 14, represented all of the 120 million indigenous People in the world. Rabbi Abraham Garmaize in the most noble of gestures - Torah in hand - declared the native Peoples of the world to be; "The greatest survivors in all of recorded human history." Academician Boris Krasnopolski of the Russian Academy of Sciences de-fanged racism by telling the People that the social effects of cultural assault; suicide, alcoholism, et. al. are equal in Russia today as among the native Peoples. University of San Diego Professor Cheryl Mason was on standby to state that Educationitself can be and is a "great cultural destruction engine.' In addition and witnessing was Col. Norman Vaughan [with Byrd in 1927] representing the last living link with the 'golden age' of polarexploration. His first accent of Mt. Vaughan, Antarctica, at age 89. was declared, 'The greatest high adventure of the 20th Century." Others include G. Carroll, who reached the North pole by dog team; documentary film makers Franka Randall and Bill Bacon. Mr. Bacon was twice an Oscar nominee and he represented Tibet. Hei Jing Sheng, was acknowledged as a 'Hero of (Chinese) Democracy.' A Siberian Eskimo joined to declare that Shackleton's was the greatest polar escape of the century. Pathfinder confirmed Sir Wally Herbert's Trans Arctic crossing - Barrow to Spitsbergan 1968/9 - to be "The last great Classic terrestrial journey ever to be made." Messages were read out from the Special Olympics, (2001 being held in Alaska) and from Governors Knowles, Sheffield and Hickel, the latter being President Nixon's Secretary of the Interior. D. Black clipped to a large flag of Armenia (above that of a tiny Ottoman Turk) a copy of the Resolution of Congress confirming the Armenian Genocide 1915-23. That which had failed to pass in Washington, was - de facto - passed in Barrow. The final action of the Century was in the snow. Facing the Inuit, Meegan, as Hope, removed in the freezing sub zero temperatures his heavy top parka, and holding aloft the flag of Columbus (a gift of the Gov. of Spain) and of the European Union (gift of the European Parliament), went onto his knees and expressed the guilt of Europe in the Americas and elsewhere. Sighting the 'Mountain of Silver' that he had passed on DAY 396 of his hemispheric traverse; Where into, across Centuries, the local Indian were marched, but (two) thousand or so per month never to re-emerge. "This was evil," he said. "And egregious evil." His final words were in Inupiaq; "Tooloogak! Coyanaqpaq!" ('Raven! Thank you!') Did we do enough? The dramatically inserted information is potentially sufficient to give indigenous communities a 'fighting chance,' but it must be got to them. Can you media help? |
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Up date 01/02/23  BBC NEWS |
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