In this episode, I sit down with my cousin Batsulwin Brown, someone I’ve been dancing with since we were little. We reflect on our lifelong connection to Pomo ceremony, what it means to wear regalia with respect, and how traditional dances are being carried forward today.

We talk about the old ways, learning from our uncles and aunties, without classes or flyers and we ask honest questions about how ceremony is being taught now. Are regalia workshops the right way? Do we lose something when teachings are taken out of family hands?

From protocol to purpose, this episode is about more than just keeping traditions alive, it’s about honoring how we carry them.

Batsulwin Brown is available to speak at cultural events, gatherings, or conferences. For inquiries, you can contact him directly at bbrown@knwi.org.

This episode draws a line from the past to the present. From the mercury contaminated waters of Elem Indian Colony on shores of Clearlake, where I grew up near the Sulphur Bank Mine, to the proposed Resolution Copper mine at Oak Flat.

We talk about what happens with poisoned water, collapsed land, and promises that never benefit the people. Oak Flat isn’t just an Indigenous issue, it’s an environmental crisis that will impact everyone in the region and state of Arizona.

I break down the dangers of block caving, the 250 billion gallons of water the mine will drain, and how Arizona’s groundwater laws are failing us all. What happened at Elem Indian Colony of the Elem Pomo people, is happening again. We still have time to stop it.

In this episode of Fight for Our Existence, it opens with the recent ICE raids sweeping through the country,

We then honor Apache Independence Day (June 18) with a short reflection on the history and sovereignty of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

Honor Juneteenth.

Finally, we shift to urgent breaking news: the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Oak Flat has been released on June 16th, triggering the 60-day countdown that could hand sacred Apache land over to Resolution Copper. We break down what this means, how Apache Stronghold is responding by going to the Supreme Court and writing to President Biden, and why the fight is far from over.

Any Questions please contact Apache Stronghold at:

www.apache-stronghold.com.

Or their Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/SaveOakFlatArizona