From The 

1997

"...Because of our faith in a God of resurrection and rebirth and hope, God revealed in Jesus Christ, we make the following re-affirmations from the 1987 Apology:

"To honor and defend the rights of Native Peoples to practice and participate in traditional ceremonies and rituals with the same protection offered all religions under the Constitutions and public policies of the lands in which we live. 

"To secure access to protection of sacred sites and public lands for ceremonial purposes. 

"To respect the use of religious symbols for use in traditional ceremonies and rituals.  

"To participate in the struggles to end political and economic injustice against tribal communities."

Journey with the Lummi Nation

"We draw the line": No coal export terminal at Cherry Point

A letter from Jessie Dye, Outreach Director with Earth Ministry

Video: Totem Pole Journey of the House of Tears Carvers

"Kwel hoy' means 'we draw the line' in the Lummi language of the native people of Northwest Washington.

"Native tribes lost almost everything in the great genocide on the American continent: their languages, their land, their religion, their families. Despite all this, the Lummi people have created a tradition of carving and delivering totem poles to areas struck by disaster or otherwise in need of hope and healing. Their generosity of spirit brings me to tears.   

"Now it is Lummi Nation's own sacred landscape, Xwe'chi'eXen (Cherry Point), that needs hope, healing and protection. It is our turn to repay a tiny portion of the debt we owe.  The largest coal export terminal in North America is proposed at the very site of Cherry Point, called Xwe'chi'eXen in the Lummi language. If built, this huge terminal would destroy the burial grounds, holy sites and treaty rights of this sacred landscape. It would cause terrible damage to Lummi fisheries, and fishing is the basis of the life and the spirit of the people.   

"In 2012 the Lummi Nation adopted a formal position opposing the proposed project. As Lummi Councilman Jay Julius, in opposing the proposed coal port, has said, Kwel hoy': 'we draw the line.' The sacred must be protected. Treaty rights must be honored. Kwel hoy'. There will be no coal export terminal built at Xwe'chi'eXen.

"The famous carvers of the House of Tears led by Jewell (Praying Wolf) James have crafted a totem pole called Kwel hoy', 'we draw the line.' In a modern enactment of an ancient ceremony, Lummi carvers and elders are taking Kwel hoy' on a journey of blessing and protection along the rail line from the coal fields of Montana to Southwest British Columbia, where it will stand guard over sacred lands. Faith, environmental, and civic leaders are invited to join our native neighbors in ceremonies of blessing and protection at stops along the way.   

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step into the river of history and spirit, on behalf of the ecosystems of our home and for all our relations. Please join Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light and Lummi leaders in these places:

• Wednesday, September 18th at 10:00 am, Northern Cheyenne blessing at Otter Creek
• Thursday, September 19th at 3:00 pm, ceremony in Missoula
• Friday, September 20th at 11:00 am, blessing in Spokane
• Monday, September 23rd at 5:00 pm, ceremony in Portland
• Tuesday, September 24th at 12 noon, blessing in Olympia
• Wednesday, September 25th at 11:00 am, ceremony at St. Leo Church in Tacoma
• Friday, September 27th at 5:00 pm, blessing at Xwe'chi'eXen (Cherry Point)
• Sunday, September 29th, blessing at Tsleil-Waututh in British Columbia

"The time has come to honor and fight for the sacred, for sanity and sustainability. It will take all of us, our prayers, our advocacy, and our love to protect Earth's air and water. We, too, will draw the line."

For more information, please visit: 

http://totempolejourney.com 

The Sacred Land Film Project -- a project of Earth Island Institute -- is "A community dedicated to protecting the Earth's sacred places through education and action."  In addition to producing powerful documentaries -- "In the Light of Reverence" and "Standing on Sacred Ground" -- they offer a vast array of resources for learning more about sacred sites and effectively protecting them.  Please visit their Explore Sacred Lands and Tools for Action pages to learn more.