by Michelle Bourdieu

Marquette County, Michigan - The Walk to Eagle Rock, a sacred Native American site on the Yellow Dog Plains, on Sunday, Aug.2, 2009, was a

community event, bringing together people of at least three, if not more, generations — Native and non-Native — from Michigan, neighboring Great Lakes states and even from the far West.

To read the rest of this article, by Michele Bourdieu, please visit Keweenaw Now.

by Michele Bourdieu

Marquette, Michigan — Last weekend, Aug. 1-2, “Protect the Earth 2009,” the second annual Great Lakes Community Gathering of people opposed to metallic sulfide and uranium mining in the

Upper Peninsula and nearby Great Lakes states, offered workshops with expert speakers; musical entertainment; Native American dance, drumming and spiritual ceremonies; and a two-mile walk to Eagle Rock. This Native American sacred site is a proposed target of the “Eagle” Project, Kennecott-Rio Tinto’s potential metallic sulfide mine on the Yellow Dog Plains near Marquette.

For the complete article by Michele Bourdieu, please visit Keweenaw Now.

See below for an excellent speech given by Susan LaFernier, Vice Chair of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, at Eagle Rock on August 2.

There is a chance of isolated showers for the weekend.  Please prepare for rain for the walk to Eagle Rock. It’s only 2 miles, so not too far to walk in the rain if necessary.

Hope to see you there!

Saturday August 1st from 12-4 workshops will now be in the Northern Michigan University Whitman Building (Whitman Commons and Rooms 122 and 124). Follow the signs. Please park in the Whitman parking lot just off of the Elizabeth Harden Drive http://webb.nmu.edu/SiteSections/Map/CampusMap.shtml.

Saturday August 1st

Workshops, Dance and Music: Northern MI University, Whitman Building, Whitman Commons (Rooms 122 and 124), and West Science Building, Mead Auditorium, Marquette, MI, 12-4 pm and 6-8 pm (See Details Below)

Workshop Speakers Include, Saturday 12-4 pm, Whitman Building, Whitman  Commons,  Rooms 122 and 124:

Kevin Kamps: Don’t Waste Michigan (Uranium mining, nuclear energy, radioactive waste)

Al Gedicks: University of LaCrosse WI, Wisconsin Resources Protection Council, Author and Filmmaker (WI Grassroots Multicultural Movements)

Laura Furtman: Author (Pollution at Kennecott’s Flambeau Mine, WI)

Stuart Kirsch: Anthropologist, University of MI (Indigenous Movements, Papua New Guinea)

Eric Hansen: Writer and Traveler (The Upper Peninsula, A Spiritual Homeland)

Lee Sprague: Sierra Club Clean Energy Campaign Manager and Former Ogemaw of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians

Mike Collins: Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition

Tim DeChristopher: University of Utah Student, Conservation Activist

Music 12-4pm Throughout Workshops and 15 Minute Breaks, Whitman Building, Whitman Commons Room:

Victor McManemy: Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination, Musician

Skip Jones: Wisconsin Folksinger, Educator and Social Activist

Music and Dance:Whitman Commons,  6-7:30pm

Megan Tucker: Anishinaabe Fancy Shawl and Hoop Dancer

Bobby “Bullet” St. Germaine: Ojibwe Folksinger

Movie demo: Mead Auditorium, West Science Facility NMU: 7:40-8:00pm

Introduction by Producer, Composer, Author Jeff Gibbs

“Yoopers vs. Giant Mining Corporation”, NMU Mead Auditorium, Right Across from the Whitman Building, 7:30-8 pm

Sunday August 2nd

Walk to Eagle Rock (2 miles): Meet and Park at the Clowry Trail, Follow the Signs from County Rd. 510, 10:30 am
Bring your blueberry pails! (Rides will be provided back to your vehicles, and if you cannot walk the two miles please meet at Eagle Rock for lunch and speakers at 12pm) (Also, see directions below)

Lunch,Speakers,Ceremony: Eagle Rock, 12-2pm

Fred Ackley, Fran Van Zile, Jerry Burnett: Mole Lake Sokaogon Chippewa

Susan LaFernier: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

Lee Sprague: Little River Band of Ottawa Indians

Al Gedicks: WI Resources Protection Council

Eric Hansen: Traveler, Author

Jessica Koski: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community

Bobby “Bullet” St. Germaine: Lac du Flambeau

Kenn Pitawanakwat:  Wikwemikong Reserve, Manitoulin Island

Tom Williams: Lac du Flambeau

Directions the Clowry Trail and  to Eagle Rock:

Follow the Signs!
From Marquette: Get onto County Road 550 north of Marquette. Drive 25 miles
along County Road 550 going northwest. At the intersection of County Road 550
and County Road 510, turn left. Drive 3.1 miles until you reach AAA road. Turn right
onto AAA road. Drive 3.1 miles until you reach a Y in the road. Stay left. Continue
for 5.0 miles until you reach the Clowry Road. Turn left and drive until you reach
the bridge over the Yellow Dog River. Park here.

Last year, Protect the Earth was very powerful event that united people throughout the Great Lakes region who were concerned about protecting our land and water.  It was also a whole lot of fun too, so we are planning another one this year.  

We’ve already lined up some good speakers and presentations, a film premiere, as well as a tribute to legendary historian and staunch opponent of metallic sulfide mining along Lake Superior, Fred Rydholm, who passed away this winter.

Please stay tuned for updates and a schedule of events that will be out by the end of June.  Please contact us if you would like to get involved in organizing the event, participating as a speaker or performer or for more information.

Hope to see you this year!

An excellent speech given by legendary area historian, Fred Rydholm, at the Protect the Earth Summit (August 2008) is now available in two separate parts.  [Video provided by Jeff Gibbs]