ATNI Resolves to Protect American Indigenous Prisoners' Religious Freedoms

This week, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) resolved that it "denounces and opposes any inappropriate or illegal federal, state or local government restriction upon incarcerated American Indigenous Peoples’ inherent rights to believe, express, and exercise traditional indigenous religion, including any such restriction that does not advance the shared penological goals of federal, state and American indigenous governments or that was not preceded by meaningful tribal consultation with affected ATNI tribes or other American indigenous governments." ATNI further resolved to denounce and oppose "the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s 'emergency' amendments to Section 3190(b) of the California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Crime Prevention and Corrections, and related regulatory restrictions regarding American Indigenous Peoples’ religious properties and sweatlodge ceremonies, because those state regulations violate federal, state and international law, were promulgated without any consultation with American indigenous governments, and are contrary to the penological interest of rehabilitating incarcerated American Indigenous Peoples."

To read ATNI Resolution #13-63, click here.

Gabe Galanda to Deliver Commencement Address to Jamestown S'Klallam High School Students

On May 22, Gabe Galanda will speak at a graduation ceremony in Sequim-Dungeness, Washington, for the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's 2013 graduating high school class.

Gabe has previously delivered commencement addresses at Peninsla College (twice) and Wa he lut Indian School at Frank's Landing (as pictured), and for Seattle School District graduating Native high schoolers. He was born and raised between Port Angeles and the Sequim-Dungeness Valley.

Gabriel "Gabe" Galanda is a partner at Galanda Broadman PLLC, of Seattle, an American Indian owned law firm.  He is an enrolled member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes of Covelo, California.  Gabe can be reached at 206.691.3631 or gabe@galandabroadman.com.

Ryan Dreveskracht Rips State of Montana's Anti-Bison Bills

Seattle tribal lawyer Ryan Dreveskracht lambasted a series of tribal bison-related bills introduced in the Montana state legislature as "another attack on Buffalo Country," according to an interview with Indian Country Today Media Network. That outlet also published his paper, "Montana’s Bison Bills: Another Attack On Buffalo Country."

Together the four pieces of tribal bison-related legislation, all introduced by Republicans, constituted “another attack on Buffalo Country,” said Indian law expert Ryan D. Dreveskracht in a recent interview with Indian Country Today Media Network. . . .

“Undoubtedly, the tribes that originally inhabited these lands had the right to manage, maintain, and hunt bison,” Dreveskracht said. “Congress has not clearly and unambiguously divested that right. The tribes’ exclusive authority to regulate on-reservation wildlife is thus derived [from] the retained inherent sovereignty over its tribal territory.”

He added that legally Montana is obligated to “protect [the tribes’] source of food and commerce” throughout the state, meaning both within Montana Indian country and beyond, on and off the reservation. Although the bills were touted as necessary “to protect domestic livestock from contracting brucellosis [for] the sake of public safety” in the name of conservation, Dreveskracht said, they would have in effect destroyed an entire indigenous culture and economy, nullifying rights that are engrained in treaty. These treaties, referred to in the U.S. Constitution as “the supreme Law of the Land, ” serve to “exempt the Indians’ preserved rights from like state regulation,” Dreveskracht said.

Further, he added, they impose an affirmative obligation on the state to assure that reserved resource is maintained in a manner that gives meaning to the tribes’ reserved right.

Ryan Dreveskracht is an Associate at Galanda Broadman, PLLC.  His practice focuses on representing businesses and tribal governments in public affairs, energy, gaming, taxation, and general economic development.  He can be reached at 206.909.3842 or ryan @galandabroadman.com.

Indian Civil Rights Lawyer Gabe Galanda Decries States' Attack on Native Prisoners' Religious Freedoms

Gabe Galanda is quoted in a Native News Network posting, "Tribes & ACLU Team to Support California Indigenous Prisoners' Religious Freedoms," regarding the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's issuance of a provisional "emergency" regulation denying indigenous prisoners access to sacred items used in religious ceremony and access to sweat lodge ceremony.

“We are thrilled that the ACLU joined forces with Indian Country to decry the state of California's violation of indigenous prisoners' human and civil rights to worship in traditional Indian ways,”

said Gabriel Galanda, Chairman of the Huy Board of Advisors.

“Those violations are also now happening in places like Montana, South Dakota and Texas. But those state discriminatory practices are not going unnoticed and they will not stand.”

Gabriel "Gabe" Galanda is a partner at Galanda Broadman PLLC, of Seattle, an American Indian owned law firm.  He is an enrolled member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes of Covelo, California.  Gabe can be reached at 206.691.3631 or gabe@galandabroadman.com.

California ACLU Joins Inter-Tribal Protest of State's Violation of Native Prisoners' Rights

This week, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of California joined an inter-tribal coalition, comprised of Huy, the Round Valley Indian Tribes, the Pit River Tribe, the National Native American Bar Association, and California Indian Legal Services, in formal protest of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's issuance of a provisional "emergency" regulation denying indigenous prisoners access to items used in religious ceremony and access to sweatlodge ceremony. The California ACLU's protest letter is here and Huy's protest letter is here.

This national inter-tribal protest movement was featured by Indian Country Today last week. In short:

In February, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”) provisionally outlawed, on a so-called “emergency” basis, American indigenous prisoners’ religious use of: tribal sacred medicines like kinnikinnick, copal, and osha root; indigenous sacred items like pipes and pipe bags, drums and other instruments, and water dippers; and tribal religious necessities like cloth for prayer ties, beads and beading supplies, and animal hides and teeth. It appears the indigenous prisoners’ sweatlodge ceremonies have also been curtailed being reduced from occurring every weekend to only one or two times per month.

Although the public comment deadline has passed, any person, group or tribe can still submit written comments about what remains a proposed CDCR religious property regulation to CDCR, Regulation and Policy Management Branch (RPMB), P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, CA 94283-0001, or by fax to (916) 324-6075, or by e-mail to RPMB@cdcr.ca.gov. The CDCR will soon consider comments, evaluate proposed alternatives, and issue a final rule.

We continue to urge your written and public comment in opposition to the State of California’s unlawful effort to unduly restrict American indigenous prisoners’ freedom to believe, express and exercise traditional indigenous religion.

For additional information, contact Huy Chairman Gabriel S. Galanda, at (206) 300-7801 or gabe@galandabroadman.com.

Huy Launches Formal Opposition to Caifornia's Violation of Native Prisoners' Religious Freedoms

Today, Huy joined the Round Valley Indian Tribes, Pit River Tribe Huy, the National Native American Bar Association and others in formal protest of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's issuance of a provisional "emergency" regulation denying indigenous prisoners access to items used in religious ceremony and access to sweatlodge ceremony. Huy's protest letter is here. Huy urges others to do so by written communication or in person by tomorrow, May 7, as outlined below. This national inter-tribal protest movement was featured by Indian Country Today last week. In short:

In February, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”) provisionally outlawed, on a so-called “emergency” basis, American indigenous prisoners’ religious use of: tribal sacred medicines like kinnikinnick, copal, and osha root; indigenous sacred items like pipes and pipe bags, drums and other instruments, and water dippers; and tribal religious necessities like cloth for prayer ties, beads and beading supplies, and animal hides and teeth. It appears the indigenous prisoners’ sweatlodge ceremonies have also been curtailed being reduced from occurring every weekend to only one or two times per month.

Any person, group or tribe may submit written comments about what remains a proposed CDCR religious property regulation to CDCR, Regulation and Policy Management Branch (RPMB), P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, CA 94283-0001, or by fax to (916) 324-6075, or by e-mail to RPMB@cdcr.ca.gov. All written comments must be received by the close of the public comment period this Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at 5:00 p.m.

Also, a public hearing will be held this Tuesday, May 7, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Sacramento, specifically in the Kern room, located at 151 S Street, North Building, 95811. The CDCR will then consider comments, evaluate proposed alternatives, and issue a final rule.

We urge your timely written and public comment in opposition to the State of California’s unlawful effort to unduly restrict American indigenous prisoners’ freedom to believe, express and exercise traditional indigenous religion.

For additional information, contact Huy Chairman Gabriel S. Galanda, at (206) 300-7801 or gabe@galandabroadman.com.

Round Valley & Pit River Tribes Protest California's Violations of Native Prisoners' Religious Rights

The Round Valley Indian Tribes and Pit River Tribe joined Huy, the National Native American Bar Association and others in protest of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's issuance of a provisional "emergency" regulation denying indigenous prisoners access to items used in religious ceremony and access to sweatlodge ceremony. This national inter-tribal protest movement was featured by Indian Country Today this week. In short:

In February, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (“CDCR”) provisionally outlawed, on a so-called “emergency” basis, American indigenous prisoners’ religious use of: tribal sacred medicines like kinnikinnick, copal, and osha root; indigenous sacred items like pipes and pipe bags, drums and other instruments, and water dippers; and tribal religious necessities like cloth for prayer ties, beads and beading supplies, and animal hides and teeth. It appears the indigenous prisoners’ sweatlodge ceremonies have also been curtailed being reduced from occurring every weekend to only one or two times per month.

Any person, group or tribe may submit written comments about what remains a proposed CDCR religious property regulation to CDCR, Regulation and Policy Management Branch (RPMB), P.O. Box 942883, Sacramento, CA 94283-0001, or by fax to (916) 324-6075, or by e-mail to RPMB@cdcr.ca.gov. All written comments must be received by the close of the public comment period this Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at 5:00 p.m.

Also, a public hearing will be held this Tuesday, May 7, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Sacramento, specifically in the Kern room, located at 151 S Street, North Building, 95811. The CDCR will then consider comments, evaluate proposed alternatives, and issue a final rule.

We urge your timely written and public comment in opposition to the State of California’s unlawful effort to unduly restrict American indigenous prisoners’ freedom to believe, express and exercise traditional indigenous religion.

For additional information, contact Huy Chairman Gabriel S. Galanda, at (206) 300-7801 or gabe@galandabroadman.com.