reprinted with permission from
Poison Fire, Sacred Earth,
TESTIMONIES, LECTURES, CONCLUSIONS,
THE WORLD URANIUM HEARING, SALZBURG 1992
page 179
Father John (Moderator)
Thank you for the message from Grand Canyon,
and let's hear now what Carletta has to tell us.
Carletta Tilousi
Carletta Tilousi, Havasupai Nation, Grand Canyon,
USA. Member of Southwest Network for Environmental and
Economic Justice.
Greetings, Brothers and Sisters from all over
the world! I am also a member of the Havasupai tribe. I
represent the youth that live within my home. I travel
to many countries and speak for my people. We live in
the Canyon, we do not have cars, it's not easy for us
to come out of the Canyon. So that is where we stay. We
plant corn, that is how we live. The waters in the
pictures you have seen here is how it looks in my
home. The beautiful waterfalls you have seen attract
millions of tourists, but most of the tourists don't
know the truth of what is really happening there. That's
how come we are here before you, to tell you the
truth. The bluegreen water that you have seen is
going to be contaminated. We use that to drink
and feed our animals and to water our crops.
As a young person, I was taught by my
Elders to understand that this is my home and it
always will be. And we are considered guardians of
the Grand Canyon. When I am growing up, I see
many bad things going on all over the world. And
I, too, will continue the struggle, fighting to
protect my Mother Earth and my future to come. I'd
like to encourage each and every one of you in this
movement because time is running out. I am
afraid to see the future. And I'd like to encourage
you to continue your fight because in the end we
are the ones that will be rewarded.
That is all I have to say. Thank you.
Father John (Moderator)
Thank you, Carletta, for that inspiring and touching talk. If you noted her talking, I think she was really giving herself totally and the future really depends on her and the other youngsters like her.
Here is some commentary on that, please.
- See Also:
- Carving up the Canyon, An interview with Carletta Tilousi
-
from the September 1992 Multinational Monitor issue, Indigenous Voices