[This is a revised version of an article written by John Maddaus for the First Congregational UCC monthly newsletter, Signposts.]
First Congregational UCC of Albuquerque, in cooperation with Albuquerque Mennonite Church, Monte Vista Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and Interfaith Power and Light of New Mexico and El Paso, hosted Apache Stronghold on their prayer journey to Washington, DC, from Sunday evening, August 18 to Wednesday morning, August 21. Apache Stronghold, in turn, blessed us with their presence, prayers, ceremony, and message.
On Tuesday evening, August 20, we joined in a prayer gathering ceremony in First Congregational Church’s sanctuary. Members of Apache Stronghold processed into the sanctuary singing. The ceremony began with prayers for the success of their journey and of their appeal of their case seeking to protect Oak Flat to the U.S. Supreme Court. Our church’s land acknowledgement recognizes out presence on Pueblo traditional lands, and our desire to follow Indigenous leadership in caring for Mother Earth. Then, Sr. Joan Brown of Interfaith Power and Light of New Mexico and El Paso led a water ceremony, assisted by Rev. Clara Sims and Rev. Ryan Tate. A water ceremony consists of the mingling of waters from different parts of the country with prayers for healing (see photo). Apache Stronghold will carry this water with them to Washington, DC. We sang “May the Circle Be Re-woven”, containing lyrics written for Apache Stronghold. The song expresses hope for “right relations with all creation” and an appeal to “stand up for the earth today.” Rev. Ryan presented Apache Stronghold with a gift of a mojo bag, which he had made and prayed over for success at the Supreme Court. Members of Albuquerque Mennonite Church presented a gift of a quilt.
Dr. Nosie (see photo) thanked us for fulfilling the dreams of his late mother, who experienced the imprisonment of her Apache people on what became the San Carlos Apache Reservation. As late as 1974, Apache people could not leave the reservation without checking in with a white case worker. The U.S. Army persecuted male Apache religious leaders, but Apache religion was preserved by the women, including his mother.
Referring to the water ceremony, Dr. Nosie described his experience of visiting the base of the Hoover Dam across the Colorado River and hearing the sound of water passing through the turbines. When he described this sound to his mother, she cried and explained to him that the sounds he heard were of the water crying. In Apache belief, everything created by God is a living being that can experience emotions, including pain when being harmed. The proposed copper mine at Oak Flat would destroy billions of gallons of water in the aquifer.
Dr. Nosie explained that when he talks with other Indigenous people, they often express anger at the harms perpetrated by Europeans and their descendants. He replies that Europeans are indigenous people too, but that the evils that they first experienced in Europe were brought with them to North America. European descendants also have experienced harm from the colonial capitalist system, and we all need to be in the struggle together to heal ourselves and Mother Earth.
The U.S. government, consistent with the 1872 Mining Act, wants to exempt Resolution Copper from all laws that would protect the sacred land of Oak Flat, and the water and the air. If the water we need for life were given first priority, everything else would also be protected.
Did you know that according to the U.S. Forest Service, only Indigenous people can have a spiritual connection to the land of the United States? Surprised? Feel left out? Think you do have a spiritual connection to Mother Earth? Dr. Nosie shared this story about the Environmental Impact Statement for Oak Flat.
Before Oak Flat can be transferred to Resolution Copper, the U.S. Forest Service must release an Environment Impact Statement concerning that transfer. Once that statement is released, a provision of federal law passed in 2014 states that Oak Flat MUST be transferred to Resolution Copper within 60 days. The Environmental Impact Statement has been written, but the Biden Administration is holding up its release pending the outcome of Apache Stronghold v. United States at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Despite the 2014 law, 400 San Carlos Apaches have submitted statements to the U.S. Forest Service about their spiritual connection with Oak Flat. One White woman, a lifelong resident of the nearby town of Superior, Arizona, and daughter of a Christian clergyman serving that community, also submitted a statement about her spiritual connection to Oak Flat. When the draft Environmental Impact Statement was completed, all the Apache testimonies were included, but the White woman’s statement was not. Dr. Nosie noticed this omission, and asked the U.S. Forest Service why her testimony was excluded. They replied, “because she’s a White lady.” He said, “I know she’s a White lady, but why?” They replied, “Because the only ones who can claim a spiritual connection with land in the United States are Native people. If anyone else wants to have a spiritual connection with the land, they have to go back where they or their ancestors came from!” Dr. Nosie concluded, “In our belief, anyone can have a spiritual connection to the land anywhere.”
As Apache Stronghold processed out of our sanctuary, drumming, singing, and dancing, they carried our prayers on their journey to Washington, DC. Together, we pray that the Supreme Court justices will open their hearts and minds to their case to protect Oak Flat and Mother Earth, and defend Indigenous religious freedom.
Apache Stronghold asks that we continue praying for Apache Stronghold’s appeal in one or more of three ways: (1) join them in prayer on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 1-6pm Eastern Time (from the Southwest Conference, John Maddaus, Dr. Toni, and Rev. Tracy Howe will be there); (2) organize a group prayer in our church or community during the time that they are at the Supreme Court, Sept. 11, 10am-3pm Arizona Time, 11am-4pm Mountain Time; and/or (3) pray individually between now and Sept. 11.
For more information, the UCC Creation Justice webinar on August 14 was titled "Defending the Sacred: Oak Flat - An Apache Sacred Site Under Threat," and featured Dr. Nosie and Rev. Carol Rose of Shalom Mennonite Fellowship in Tucson. A recording of this webinar is available on YouTube (below)