The Lummi Nation brought specially carved totem poles to Capitol Hill’s St. Mark’s Friday for a morning of blessing and prayer on a journey “all along the rail line from the Bakken oil fields and Powder River Basin coal mines, through the Salish Sea and up into Canada’s tar sands.”
Coal export, oil trains, and the toxic byproducts of fossil fuels threaten many tribal lands across the Americas. The Lummi Nation House of Tears carvers are creating a totem pole to raise up the voice of all threatened by fossil fuel transportation. They are journeying with this totem pole across the western United States and Canada to connect with local tribes, faith leaders, and environmental partners. The Lummi ask for blessing and protection of sacred lands and treaty rights, including their own ancestral village and treaty fishing waters at Cherry Point, WA.
The Seattle stop on the nation’s second totem pole journey brought out dignitaries including King County Executive Dow Constantine who spoke to the mix of St. Mark’s worshippers, environmentalists, and tribal members on hand for the event at the 10th Ave E cathedral.
You can learn more about the journey and the Lummi effort to oppose coal exports at totempolejourney.com.
Not to be too cynical, but exactly how are these totem poles and their supporters making these travels? Solar power? Bicycles? Or perhaps, fossil-fuel powered vehicles?
Well, at least it isn’t coal. Try reading the article.
The article’s phrase that led to my comment:
“Coal export, oil trains, and the toxic byproducts of fossil fuels . . . ”
Thanks for playing.