Second Sacred Sites Listening Session in Billings Today

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

BILLINGS, MONTANA – The second of five in a series of listening sessions is taking place today, Thursday, August 16 to address tribal concerns regarding sacred sites issues.

Sogorea Te Sacred Site in California

The Department of Interior will conduct listening sessions on sacred sites in general, as well as knowledge relating to specific sites on Interior-managed tribal trust and other federal lands. The Department 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.

The Obama Administration recognizes that the protection of sacred sites on federal lands is integral to traditional religious practices, tribal identities and emblematic of sovereign tribal nations. 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.

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 Interior department has pledged to respect tribal requests that information about such locations be kept confidential.

WHAT:
Second Sacred Site Listening Session

WHO:
Tribal Leaders from the Rocky Mountain Region and other regions
Del Laverdure, Acting Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, Department of Interior
Dion Killsback, Counselor to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs

WHEN:
Thursday, August 16
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

WHERE:
Holiday Inn - Grand Montana Billings
5500 Midland Road
Billings, Montana 59101

posted August 16, 2012 7:00 am edt