Final Listening Session on Sacred Sites in Indian Country

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

PORTLAND, OREGON – The fifth and final in a series of listening sessions will be held on the morning of Tuesday, August 28. These sacred site listening sessions are intended to assist in developing policies that result in effective, comprehensive and long lasting federal protection of and tribal access to the places that are so important to the fabric and culture of tribal nations.

Tuesday, August 28

To address tribal concerns regarding sacred sites issues, the Department of the Interior will conduct listening sessions on sacred sites in general, as well as knowledge relating to specific sites on Department of the Interior managed tribal trust and other federal lands. The Department of the Interior will be better equipped to make decisions that are sensitive to the ceremonial use and physical integrity of sacred sites through the benefit of tribal input and views on such matters.

Because many Indian tribes have belief systems that discourage or even prohibit the disclosure of the location or other information about sacred sites and places, the Department of the Interior will respect tribal requests that information about such locations be kept confidential and only share this information with appropriate agency personnel.

For all those unable to attend any of these listening sessions, please send your input/suggestions by September 21, via email to consultation@bia.gov or the US Department of the Interior.

Attention: Mr. Dion Killsback
Counselor to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs
1849 C Street NW
MS 4141-MIB
Washington DC 20240

WHAT:

Final DOI listening session on sacred sites in Indian Country

WHO:
Tribal leaders from the Northwest Region and other regions
Bryan Newland, Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior
Sequoyah Simermeyer, Counselor to the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior
Dion Killsback, Counselor to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior

WHEN:
Tuesday, August 28
9:00 am - 12:00 Noon pdt

WHERE:
Bureau of Indian Affairs Northwest Regional Office
911 Federal Bldg. - Auditorium
911 NE 11th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97232

posted August 25, 2012 7:00 am edt