|
|
RETURN OF THE RAVEN - THE EDISON CHILOQUIN STORY
RETURN OF THE RAVEN - THE EDISON CHILOQUIN STORY
Native American Turns Down a Quarter Million Dollars!
In the 1970's Edison Chiloquin earned his place in American history by becoming the first individual Native American to force the U.S. government to give him back his land. He began a 7-year vigil by lighting a Sacred Fire. Together with his wife, family and supporters, Chiloquin tended it throughout the seasons. Never once did it go out. This is his true story The land he wanted wasn't just any land. The land Chiloquin wanted was once his grandfather's sacred village. His grandfather was once chief of his tribe. This was one of a group of distinct tribes later bunched together by the government and called the Klamaths.
Return of the Raven was superbly filmed over a 7-year period in the mountains of Oregon. We follow Chiloquin as the government issues checks to other Klamath Tribal members worth over a quarter-million dollars. But Chiloquin believes The Earth is a Mother--I cannot sell Mother Earth. He flatly refuses the money. He even refuses to touch the checks. The checks were issued by the Government as a form of payment for land taken from the Native Americans, by an act of congress. The other tribal members cashed their checks. They were unaware that by signing their names to the backs of the checks they were not only selling their unique tribal heritage, but lush Ponderosa forests and marshland.
The United States Forest Service cooperated with Chiloquin by issuing a conditional use permit for Chiloquin and his family. This allowed them to use his ancestral village, now part of the Winema national Forest, for traditional Indian purposes. But the permit was not permanent, and each year it had to be renewed, and there was always the chance that one year the permit could be denied. Chiloquin had no option but to go back to where the problem began in the first place-- The United States Congress. Edison and his supporters approached Congressman Al Ullman, then Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Congress passed a law, The Chiloquin Act which restored nearly 600 acres of land to Edison Chiloquin and his family. The Sacred Fire was then allowed to go out on its own. It had served its purpose.
|
Product Options
| |
|
|
|
|