Monday, January 1, 2018

Urgent call for Justice from Yurok Territory: Desecration of Tsurai Village

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 31, 2017


Tsurai, Yurok Territory/Trinidad, California: The Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, stands in solidarity with the traditional people of Tsurai Village, cultural leaders, and tradition bearers, as well as their allies and supporters to protect Tsurai Village, the ancestral burial site, and all cultural resources, from further destruction by the City of Trinidad, the Civic Club, and their partners. We call upon all Peoples of conscience to stand with and protect Tsurai Village.



Tsurai, a Yurok village, is a sacred place of story, song, memory, and ceremony. Tsurai is where Ancestors rest and the Village and its descendants have maintained continuous presence for time immemorial, even following brutal and violent contacts with settler colonizers. This sacred place is currently under attack again. It is being desecrated in the name of greed and through wrongful acts of aggression.


We stand in firm opposition to the proposed temporary move of the replica lighthouse and / or any of its parts by the City and the Civic Club. The proposed relocation would place the structure onto already unstable ground immediately adjacent to the current location. This would directly impact the integrity of Tsurai Village and endanger the integrity of the Ancestors’ burial sites. Such a move would also increase stress on the hillside, likely causing the entire area to fall into the ocean below.


Tsurai Village and its descendants have not given Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for the temporary move. FPIC is the minimum human rights standard recognized worldwide for all Indigenous Peoples as established by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.




The City of Trinidad, the Civic Club, and their partners are taking wrongful aggressive action knowing that such a move threatens to further desecrate this sacred place. To not secure FPIC means that the City of Trinidad, the Civic Club and their partners in this action are likely in danger of violating Yurok People’s human rights.

We stand with those who call for justice. We demand a halt to the temporary removal of the replica lighthouse and recommend its permanent relocation away from the burials and village site. Placing that structure in a less hazardous and more culturally-sound location elsewhere in the region is the most responsible, respectful - and in the long term - the most cost effective strategy for the City of Trinidad, the Civic Club, and their partners. No tourists or locals would want to visit a place that knowingly destroys Native sacred burial grounds.

It is very concerning that such a poorly planned and unsafe move of the replica lighthouse would be considered or put into action. Unfortunately, it seems to be a mean-spirited and desperate effort by the City of Trinidad, the Civic Club, and their partners, to wrongfully claim even more control over Tsurai Village, and Yurok homelands. This clearly unjust action mandates response.



The Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples is a Native-led nonprofit organization dedicated to Indigenous Peoples’ self-determination and the sovereignty of Native Nations.


Contact: Christopher Peters, President & CEO
and/or Tia Oros Peters, Executive Director
Email: contact@7genfund.org
Ph: 707-825-7640






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