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Two NAISA Council members (Noenoe K. Silva and J. Kehaulani Kauanui) and many other NAISA members have been taking part in efforts to stop California real estate developer Joseph Brescia from building a house on top of a Native Hawaiian burial site.
The Island Burial Council charged with deciding whether to allow construction has deferred its decision awaiting further information and analysis.
Below, I have included a statement by a long list of Kanaka Maoli scholars seeking to stop Brescia. In the spring, I wrote a series of letters to various State of Hawai'i officials and Joseph Brescia in support of the efforts of these scholars, and I would encourage you to support them, as well. Perhaps someone with more direct knowledge of what's happening on the ground with this case can comment and let us know what NAISA members can do.
Robert Warrior
NAISA President
Competition: 6230KB
JOB TITLE: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ABORIGINAL LITERATURES
Position Type: Faculty
Term: Tenure Track
Department: English
Date Posted: September 15, 2009
Closing Date: November 1, 2009
Description: The Department of English invites applications for a tenure-track position as an assistant professor of Aboriginal Literatures. The position will commence August 15, 2010, subject to final budgetary approval.
Dear Robert
I met you briefly at the end of the NAISA conference. I write to express my gratitude for the wonderful hospitality shown to me by the Native American members of NAISA and the great opportunity for intellectual dialogue that occurred through your conference. I am also writing to Jean and Brenda of the University of Minnesota to thank them.
Since April, Indigenous peoples in the Peruvian Amazon have been protesting new laws that would allow expropriation of resources from the Amazon without consultation with the Indigenous peoples who live there.
Over two thousand protesters blocked a road into the region, but were attacked by police this past weekend. According to various reports, 40 or more of the protesters were killed, as were 22 police officers. The US news program Democracy Now! has covered these events:
See: Peruvian Police Accused of Massacring Indigenous Protesters in Amazon Jungle.
The Peruvian Congress has suspended the laws in question, but only temporarily:
See: Peruvian Congress Suspends Land Laws.
One NAISA member, Vicki Grieves, sent the following link, which includes links to sending messages to officials in Peru to denounce these acts. I have already sent a message as NAISA President supporting these Indigenous people, and I hope you will join me in doing so.
See: Latin American Solidarity Network.
Please comment and let other members know what else we need to know and what else we as concerned scholars can do.
Robert Warrior
NAISA President
to the University of Minnesota for a fabulous conference, and to the founders for all the hours of work. I heard many good papers, missed many papers I wanted to hear, and had many conversations that left me rejuvenated. And there was that night of dancing.
Best wishes to Tsianina as she plans for the next conference in Tucson. I will definitely remember to send my registration in early, Tsianina!! We want you rolling in dough well in advance of the conference.
For anyone who might have been wondering where I was this year, and for those who don't care to know, I had registered and planned to attend. Then my back started giving me problems, so I decided not to risk a flight. I'm checking into laser back surgery soon, so hopefully I'll be back in shape soon! I hope everyone had a safe, fun, and educational trip.
Talofa lava ma le alofa.
Thank you so much for combining your super-power forces to make NAISA 2009 conference possible. This was my initial participation (as an attendee only). I can't wait to attend more, & continue conversations, & listenings.
Maybe next year I won't be so lazy, & I'll actually present (hoewever, it's so much fun to just sit & learn just after a semester/year of teaching!).
Wonderful, wonderful time. AND! I'm so proud that NAISA council includes a Council of Elders (for the UMinn program).
Looking 4ward 2 more, & will often visit this NAISA blog.
Syracuse Cultural Workers, international publisher and distributor of peace and justice products and located in Syracuse NY, has created its newest poster to celebrate the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Thanks to Chief Oren Lyons, Onondaga Nation.
This was my first time to attend NAISA. wow... what an experience. I think the exact same meeting should be planned for next year. There were simply too many great topics and precious little time. Thank you conference organizers for hosting such a great meeting.
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