Elders plan Indigenous summit

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Elders are meeting at Six Nations of the Grand River for the first International Indigenous Elders' Summit of the Americas in late summer. Elders from the South Dakota, Cree, Ojibway, Mayan, New Mexico's Navaho and Colombia's Kogi nations and others will gather to share knowledge on youth suicide, historical trauma, domestic violence, environment and health. They hope that discussions on these issues will result in resolutions that will be presented to the United Nations as well as to governments in North, Central and South America.

"Our children are choosing to not live. Our billions of dollars are going into programs that aren't altering the statistics of our children, the neglect and the overall trauma that Indigenous families have endured through residential schools and colonialism," said Dawn Martin Hill, manager of the summit.

"The cycle must end. So the agreement was with the gathering of the Elders-that is the focus. They will end the cycle and begin a new one for the next 500 years."

The idea for the gathering, which will take place Aug. 27 to Sept. 2, came from dreams and visions shared by a group of women four years ago.

"They were able to see that this great gathering was coming ... it was going to focus on children and it was going to focus on restoring balance towards respecting women. So that's kind of sacred information; we agreed we would not repeat those visions and dreams to the public but that we were all very confident that we needed to start getting ready for this," said Hill.

Two thousand people, including community leaders, educators, youth and women's groups, are expected to attend. The summit officially will be opened by representatives of the Unity Ride and Run travelling from Vernon, B.C.

The Unity Ride and Run was an idea that came from the Lakota Elders of North and South Dakota. It follows a vision by Black Elk that in order for the Nations to heal from the 1890 massacre of 400 men, women and children at Wounded Knee, they needed to retrace the path of their ancestors so that the seventh generation could have a better life.

"The Unity Ride and the Wounded Knee ride, (we) want it to be for Indigenous youth, for Indigenous people, and it's a healing journey and spiritual journey. Also, with the summit being held at Six Nations ... a lot of the traditional protocol will be observed-welcomings and so forth. That in itself is going to require some sensitivities so they are encouraging Indigenous people to be at that beginning. But when we move to Hamilton and do the official forums and plenary sessions, that will be where all people are encouraged to attend," said Hill.

Following the summit, Hill hopes that other First Nations will follow up by planning future gatherings. She said that the wisdom of Elders can help guide the future of Aboriginal people.

"It's time just to sit and listen and pay homage to what we all argue-that as Indigenous people, we respect our Elders and their authority. ...Self-determination cannot happen without the Elders as the leaders. And so far, in all the self-determination or self-government talks I've ever been to, it's young, educated leaders, lawyers and so forth at the table, and you don't see a whole lot of Elders sitting there. So I think it's time maybe to look at a new strategy of self-determination and sovereignty and all those other things we say we want," said Hill.

For more information on the summit, visit the Web site www.elderssummit2004.ca.