Want to use my 22 foot tipi?

[yogafortrauma]

I have a 22 foot tipi on a deck here in Cherry Plain that we are not using. The 17 poles are 27 feet long and the tipi weighs about 150 pounds. It's super solid with a liner, has some mold we've been dealing with but otherwise is solid and warm..I have a 5-dog woodstove that you can use with it designed for tipi use.

I believe with the city of Albany and the police working with the movement a tipi might actually slip through as a temporary shelter and they may allow it longterm. Contact me at [e-mail] if you guys want to use this mighty tipi for the movement. Moving this puppy will require a truck with a trailer and some big strong guys, just a heads up. It's a 15oz duck tipi, super solid strong and warm. You can house probably 15 to 20 people in it, use it for a meeting house, do whatever. What a vision, to see a tipi in Albany, NY!

PS my stance is that I've done a lot of work with the Albany Police dept cleaning up and giving away their old bikes that were once stolen. There's good cops and bad cops bottom line, working with the police puts this movement in Albany, NY above and beyond the rest of what's happening in many places in America.

Let's keep the peace forever and show the world how things can be done with a strong coalition that can work with the system and maintain peaceful protest in the winter. There's a lot of folks in Albany who have been working for many years building community. They know you can't build a community without involving everyone around us. This Albany Occupation has done that, I'm very proud of everyone for their hard work maintaining the peaceful protest.

Na myoho renge kyo

Jules Harrell
[e-mail]

[denmarkvesey]

yes

[rana]

Thanks Jules, that's an awesome offer. I would definitely want to have a serious discussion about cultural appropriation/ outreach to Native communities before putting a tipi up at the occupation though. Someone also offered a big canvas tent made to be heated with a woodstove (not included). Around 20 feet long. Details coming in the next day or 2.

[Albanius]

If we go with the tipi, its setup cd be combined with a teachin about Native experience in the Americas, or on the Iroquois Confederacy.

Rather than looking like an appropriation, it could be an opportunity to learn and ally.

[rana]

Albanius- I agree. I'm not 100% opposed, but I don't think it's something to do without serious thought and intention. Also, tipis aren't really an Iroquois thing. Maybe we could talk about Philip Sheridan (the murderer on the statue across the street) and how he massacred lots of Native people in the Plains states who did use tipis.

[shage]

personally, i don't think this movement should have to make an apology for using a traditional structure. simply the fact that we are using it would attest to our respect for this traditional design which still functions and is sustainable. That could be a powerful statement in its own right. Furthermore, this is a movement which has no restrictions on the participation of individuals and aims to have no hierarchy or entrenched powers that be. I am sure we would be open to a first nations caucus. But even were no descendants of native americans to be part of the occupation on any given day, i think utilizing their traditional shelter is a sign of respect for their culture and requires no special apology. It says we recognize that these people had a way of life that is lasting and sustainable and stands in complete distinction to everything around it. When everything is said and done people, if there are any around, will likely one day all be living in Tipis again, and we will have those who invented and preserved this kind of shelter to thank for it. Contintuing the tradition, in my opinion, is a sign of appreciation for its originators and a way of preserving and spreading familiarity with its uses for future generations, who will likely need to know how to use these again.

[anonanon]

+1 to both - not to delay we need something warmer, but it provides an awesome opportunity to explicitly honor indigenous people like on the first night in the new tipi for their culture and providing us with a sweet tipi to keep warm, and to learn about their genocide by US govt up to the present day. if you heard the recent NPR investigative piece on south dakota removing native children from reservations and placing them with non-native families cus the state got a per-child subsidy from good ol US government every kid they took. can talk about AIM also.

[Albanius]

+1 to mikeb
Here is a link to a tremendous blog essay by AIM veteran "Meteor Blades" on the kidnapping of Indian children to foster care, in response to the NPR series:
www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/26/1030339/-South-Dakota-kidnaps-Indian-children-and-sticks-them-in-white-foster-care

[yogafortrauma]

Hey everyone. I have this tipi with the blessings of a good friend and brother who lives on the rez in Arizona and is a traditional medicine man...he's the reason I bought it. I am sure he will support 100% using the tipi for the movement, and if you would like, I can ask him about it. I bought the tipi to support the many American Indians (I dislike the term "Native Americans" because they do not call themselves such, instead saying only they are 'Indins'). I grew up in Oklahoma surrounded by the impoverishment brought about by the white man. I know what these people have suffered and first hand have seen the devastating results. Dennis Banks recently spoke eloquently at the Peace Pagoda about how the Buddhists helped him years ago, and how he understands what the term Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo means... I believe this is a time for all of us to come together and help in whatever way we can.

If the movement decides they want to use this really cozy and warm shelter, the tipi is available and James will give his blessings. I will ask him today.

Peace and support to you all,

Jules

[rana]

Jules- That's great. With consent and blessings, I'm all for it! The tipi will be so helpful in keeping the occupation going all winter and a really good impetus for us to start talking about these issues.

[danielmicah]

Thank you, Jules! I feel that you are connecting us with First Nations people, those who we must honor before others. The city has a height limit of 10 feet, but we are moving ever so cautiously thus far, and it is necessary to begin pushing the envelope. We are the closest occupation to the Cohoes Falls location where the Peacemaker, Skennenrahawi, established the Huadenosaunee Iroquois Confederacy. We should reach out to indigenous people in the area and have a dedication if this traditional structure is to be accepted. Perhaps an indigenous healer can lead the ceremony. Again, thank you for the generous offer, Jules.

[joshred]

Before you offer the movement your tipi, you should ask yourself if you're prepared to potentially lose it. You should also talk to legal about whether you need to transfer ownership to organization. It's possible you could end up with some ridiculous fine because Albany ticketed the tipi's owner.