Grassy Narrows women take action

By Rainforest Action Network

Last week women from Grassy went out to the edges of their land, near where some cutting of the forest is still taking place. One of the women sent out this statement:

We will go there to feel a little bit of the suffering the land is feeling. We will go there to feel the life of our traditional laws which still roam strong amongst the animals, land, trees, water and spirits. Our laws still exist we just have to bring life to them by exerting them, by living them not just talking about them. They are being undermined by foreign laws and system of government and we are allowing this.

I feel I am trying to bring life to our laws but I am being charged right now by foreign and alien laws for building cabins. I am determined to continue so much so that this past weekend (and as often as I can) I took my six year old granddaughter Ashenokwa out there by snow mobile. What I’m doing is for her, my sons, future generations… We should be out there without fear, without being disturbed, without anyone stopping us for being who we are.

I am finding it hard to fight in their courts because it’s all to do with having money. I am not able to find this money. I cannot take money from my people too.

We will eventually head out soon. We will go there to pray for our relatives that are suffering, our kids that are being abused with alcohol and drugs, we will pray that our people remain strong and not fall prey to little deals, we will pray for strength, we will pray for unity, for health….

Clearcut on Grassy Narrows Land