Six Nations youth organizing international Run for Unity

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A group of Indigenous youth are planning to run thousands of miles to retrace their ancestors' footsteps while at the same time praying for healing and unity among their people.

Everyone is encouraged to join the Spirit of the Youth Run for Unity 2005, which will take place from July 24 to Aug. 5, but the focus is on participation by youth.

The Spirit of the Youth Working Group, which is co-ordinating the run, considers youth to be 29 and under. In order to participate in the event, children 16 and under are required to have a chaperone with them.

The youth group plans to travel across the US/Canadian border through the traditional Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) territory, which has never been done before. They will depart from the Grand River Champion of Champions Powwow on Aug. 24 and will begin their relay across land that holds a lot of history and meaning for Haudenosaunee people. They will travel on foot approximately 30 to 50 kilometres per day, with stops in Tuscarora, Tonawanda and Ganondaga where event organizers hope members from each of these communities will join in on the journey to Onondaga territory.

Once the runners arrive in Onondaga territory, just outside of Syracuse, New York on the final day of the run, they will be welcomed and the Onondaga Nation will host a gathering for the youth from Aug. 6 to 9.

The Spirit of the Youth Working Group consists of approximately 10 members from Six Nations of the Grand River, as well as three McMaster University students-Stacey Green, Nicole Martin and Adam Freeman- who are the main organizers for the run.

The group was formed because of the International Indigenous Elders Summit that took place on the Haudenosaunee territory for six days last summer. During the gathering, youth from North, South and Central America declared that past, present and future exploitation of their culture, customs, traditions and environment are no longer acceptable and that Indigenous languages are their inalienable rights of passage-they are their first language, they are integral to instilling their identity and must be accredited, implemented and accepted without interference.

They also declared that, as young leaders, they must be represented at all gatherings to reflect, network, debate and to make decisions on matters affecting them and their communities.

They also declared that youth have the responsibility to practice a traditional way of life, to protect, preserve and restore Mother Earth and all creation and to free their people from persecution.

In the summer of 2006, the group plans to run from Onondaga to Akwesasne for the opening of the 2006 Youth Peace Summit. The following year, they plan to make their way to the United Nations in New York and present the youth declaration to the United Nations Indigenous Peoples Permanent Forum.

To have as many people, particularly the youth, participating in the run is an active goal of the event organizers, but the group members also want the youth to gain self-respect and respect for one another. The goal of the run is also to have the youth come together to share, support and guide each other in co-creating a promising future.

"We want unity overall," said Green, a 23-year-old from the Six Nations reserve. "We will be focusing on recovering our self-identity and relearning our traditional ceremonies."

Since there's no cost to participate in this run the Spirit of the Youth Working Group has been doing a lot of fundraising, raising money for the youth who don't have running shoes, tents, toiletries and other items needed for this run.

"We didn't want to deter any of the youth away because they don't have these things so we are trying to get as much donations and funding as we can so that everybody is included," said Green.

The youth need as much support as they can get, whether it be contributions, participation, donations or any other support the public can provide.

For more informtion about the run and the Spirit of the Youth Working Group visit www.spiritoftheyouth.com. To help with monetary donations, people can call Stacey Green at (519) 770-5372.