Click here to view the embedded video.

By Adrian Eisenhower

I arrived a few nights ago to Johannesburg, South Africa. In the airport I connected with two colleagues, John and Daniel. This was the first time I met either of them. John is a native of the states and has spent a good deal of time in Africa and South America. Daniel is of the Maasia tribe in Kenya and works with the Maasia outreach organization, SIMOO.

For the next month and a half, the three of us will travel from here to Kenya. This passage has been designed and funded by Tribal Link and the route coordinated with the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC), a nerve center of over 155 Africa indigenous people’s organizations. IPACC is also connecting us with indigenous communities as we travel north. Our progress will be thoroughly documented and online dispatches will be sent to Tribal Link- videos and stills will be posted here on Tribal Link’s website through out the weeks to come.

At this early juncture, much remains a mystery. My first full day in South Africa was used mostly in preparation. The three of us, guided by GPS, drove around both Jo’burg and the capital city of Pretoria in search of supplies for the field.

The truck, though not the perfect conveyance for our passage, may be adequate. Both John and Daniel are confident that it will arrive us safely to the rural communities where we are bound. I await some evidence before I form an opinion. Later today we will likely head to Botswana and I will soon find out if we, as well as the Colt, are ready for whatever we have ahead.

Adrian Eisenhower is a young photographer and journalist residing in New York. He currently teaches studio art and photography at the Masters School.

Tribal Link’s Indigenous Voices program highlights the stories of indigenous peoples worldwide. Our goal is to outreach these stories to a wider audience. It is important to hear about the needs and concerns of indigenous peoples in order to better support their efforts to preserve their communities and their cultures. Indigenous Voices began with informal interviews with participants in our Project Access program who were funded to attend the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues each Spring at UN Headquarters in New York. We are now broadening the circle to begin to interview indigenous representatives of communities worldwide by traveling directly to their communities. An initial cluster of consultations will be conducted in countries throughout southern & east Africa.

During the Ninth Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the United States announced that they would be reviewing their position on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The UNDRIP was adopted by the General Assembly in September 2007. While 144 Member States voted in favor of adopting the historic UNDRIP, the United States was one of 4 Member States who voted against the adoption, alongside Canada, New Zealand and Australia. There were 11 Member States who abstained. Of the 4 countries who voted against the UNDRIP, Canada has declared its reconsideration, while Australia and New Zealand have actually reversed their decision.

Together with other Federal Agencies, the U.S. Department of State will be hosting consultations with federally-recognized tribes and dialogues with NGO’s and other stakeholders. The consultations schedule will be posted on the website located at www.state.gov/tribalconsultation/declaration. Tribal leaders, NGO’s and others are encouraged to contribute to the review via email (declaration@state.gov) or via mail to the Department of State: S/SR Global Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street N.W., Suite 1317, Washington, D.C. 20520. Written comments are requested by July 15, 2010 so that they can be given adequate consideration as part of the review.

World Peace & Prayer Day is next Monday, June 21^st , the day of the Summer Solstice. Chief Arvol Looking Horse, leader of the Lakota Dakota Nakota Oyate, the great Sioux nation, is calling all nations to prayer of any kind on June 21 in an effort to return the planet to balance, the people to spirit.

World Peace and Prayer Day was founded in 1996 in the Black Hills of South Dakota by Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe of the Sioux Nation. Chief Looking Horse was led by a vision to honor sacred sites and to invite all nations and all faiths to do the same, to heal our relationship with our mother, the Earth. World Peace and Prayer Day is held annually on the summer solstice, a powerful day to pray for peace among all living beings.

In a message to the people of the world, Chief Arvol Looking Horse says, “Our vision is for Peoples of all continents to come together as ONE at their Sacred Sites to pray, meditate, and commune with one another, on this day, thus promoting an energy shift to heal our Mother Earth to achieve a united consciousness toward attaining Peace” (Read Chief Looking Horse’s entire message.)

Chief Arvol Looking Horse will be celebrating World Peace and Prayer Day at Burgundy Brook Farm in Palmer, MA. Read more about the events happening over the course of this weekend on Burgundy Brook Farm. Events are open to the public. For more information visit their website.

Click here to see a list of official gatherings around the world.

Two of the official gatherings are being hosted by Tribal Link colleagues: United Confederation of Taino People in Bronx, NY on Sunday June 20^th & the Wittenberg Center for Alternative Resources in Woodstock, NY on Monday June 21^st. Please click on their names to read about their events or visit Tribal Link’s calendar for more details.

Click here to read an article with Chief Arvol Looking Horse.

When: Saturday June 19-Monday June 21, 2010

Where: Burgundy Brook Farm, Palmer, MA

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Songs for the Solstice – Music for the Horse Nation

A Day Of Music In The Field – Bring Your Blankets To Sit On

Benefit Concert

Family Friendly Event

Gates Open at 10:00AM – Free Parking

Craft Vendor, Service Vendor & Food Vendor Market Opens 12 Noon

Burgundy Brook Farm, 3090 Palmer Rd, Palmer 01069

Show Starts at 1PM

We will also have a Silent Auction for several great items

Sunday, June 20th, 2010

Native Historical Reenactment

Blue Star Equiculture invites you to the Zadock Paddock to learn about some of our equine residents.  Meet the horses as you learn about their individual histories and their breed histories.  We’ll travel across the country, around the world and through history to tell these amazing horses’ stories.  After the formal presentation, there will be an opportunity to meet the horses up close at the fence!

Gates Open at 10:00AM – Free Parking

Burgundy Brook Farm, 3090 Palmer Rd, Palmer 01069

Events Starts at 1PM

Silent Auction Closes at 5PM

Please remember to bring:

• Tobacco
• Braded Sweet Grass
• Dried Cedar
• Sage

As prayer offering and offerings to the Elders.More on protocol

Monday, June 21st, 2010

World Peace and Prayer Day

From Dawn to Dusk

Gates Open at Dawn – Free Parking

Burgundy Brook Farm, 3090 Palmer Rd, Palmer 01069.

Please remember to bring:

• Tobacco
• Braded Sweet Grass
• Dried Cedar
• Sage

As prayer offering and offerings to the Elders.

When: Summer Solstice, Monday, June 21st  5-7:30pm

Where: St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, Woodstock, NY; Gathering will take place in the Memorial Gardens  (weather permitting)

Participants include: Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, Shubhraji, Rabbi Jonathan Kligler, Rev. Gigi Conner, Rev. Joshua Bode,Pandit Krishna Varanasi, Imam Salahuddin Muhammad, Fr. Tom Deely, Rev Ilfra Halley, Rev. Betsy Stang plus many more including Music from Sacred Tradition

Prayers for the waters will be offered

Co-sponsored by: Mid Hudson Valley United Religions Initiative
The Wittenberg Center for Alternative Resources
St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church
Humanity’s Team

What: Taino Summer Solstice Gathering – NY

Where: Brook Park in the Bronx, New York

When: Sunday, June 20, 2010

In recognition of World Peace and Prayer Day and the summer solstice, the United Confederation of Taino People – OIRRC and Taino Iukaieke Guainia will host an areito (ceremonial) gathering and purification ceremony. A special focus of this event will be to offer prayers  for the Boriken 2010 Peace and Dignity Spiritual Run that will take place in Boriken this 17-22 July 2010.

Several community members will gather at 10am to prepare the ceremonial fire. An opening circle will begin at 12noon sharp and the event is free. The organizers have requested that attendees please bring food to share and consider monetary donations to the Friends of Brook Park and to the Boriken 2010 Run. The park is located at 141st Street and Brook Ave in the South Bronx. For more information on the gathering contact oirrc@uctp.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 1(212)604-4186

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interviewed, filmed, and produced by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Manuela — a participant in Project Access new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interviewed, filmed, and produced  by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Mildred — a participant in Project Access’ new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interviewed, filmed, and produced  by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Jennifer — a participant in Project Access’ new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interviewed, filmed, and produced  by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Jennifer — a participant in Project Access’ new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interviewed, filmed, and produced  by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Damon — a participant in Project Access’ new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interviewed, filmed, and produced  by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Athili — a participant in Project Access’ new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interviewed, filmed, and produced  by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Ghazali — a participant in Project Access’ new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training. The interviews will be posted over the next two weeks.

Click here to view the embedded video.

John Halpern speaks to director James Cameron about his film Avatar at a special screening co-sponsored by Tribal Link.

The event was also co-sponsored by the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Conservation International, and UNDP/GEF’s Small Grants Programme. In attendance were hundreds of indigenous representatives who have traveled to New York to attend the Ninth Session of the UNPFII at UN Headquarters (April 19-30, 2010).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Gul’nara Abbasova

Interviewed, filmed, and produced  by John Halpern

Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences at which decisions are made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods. For more details on Project Access, click here.

The above interview with Gul’nanra — a participant in Project Access’ new workshop, the Project Development and Fundraising Training — is part of a series of interviews with nine of participants in the training. The interviews will be posted over the next two weeks.