September/October 1984 RAIN Page 31 Bioregional Congress Unites Movement by Kris Nelson The first North American Bioregional Congress convened near Kansas City, Missouri, May 21-25. The congress used the symbol of Turtle Island—based on the Seneca Indian myth of the continent's formation—throughout, to convey the spirit of ecological inhabitation we seek with the indigenous peoples of North America. To open the congress, the 200 participants related their name, bioregion, role, and passion to each other. At the first plenary, Navajo elder Roberta Blackgoat presented the congress with a plea. She asked that we all assist the Navajo and Hopi—those who have the most to teach the bioregional movement—in their struggle to save their land, their waters, and their lives. The Hopi/Navajo Relocation Commission is requesting $20 million from Congress to forcibly move 14,000 native people from their sacred homeland into towns, devastating their lifestyle and culture. (Write to your senators and representatives immediately to have them investigate the commission's actions.) Winona LaDuke urged people to tell their lawmakers to vote against Senate Bill 85 and its related version in the House, which would take 90% of the Anishnaabe people's land in northern Minnesota. Committees met to develop resolutions to present to the congress, and reported their progress in the daily newsletter. The Voice of the Turtle. (The four-day set of newsletters, providing a good summary of the varied congress activities, is available for $3 from The Bioregional Project, Box 129, Drury, MO 65638.) Committees ranged from Green politics and water to arts/culture and economics. Carolyn Estes gracefully facilitated group consensus on the final day of the congress. The resolutions, along with workshops, activities, and musings are documented in the congress proceedings (available for $10 from The Bioregional Project). David Haenke, coordinator of the congress, opened the last plenary with these requests: "Consider each resolution you pass to be a sacred treaty with the earth; therefore I ask that you make no resolution that you do not intend to carry out, or pass on to your children to carry out, and to their children to carry out now and forever. ... I ask that this Congress never adjourn but rather take a short two-year break with committee meetings, arguments, declarations, absurdities, wondrousness, birth and death, joy and sorrow in between—and then gather again. I ask that the Whole Earth Bioregional Congress convene in fall 1990, brought together by the holy being known to us as North America—Turtle Island." No discussion followed these requests. The congress endorsed New Life Farm Bioregional Project to organize NABCII, tentatively scheduled for fall 1986. Many projects were initiated or pushed forward during the congress. Here is a pretty complete list of them: □ A Rotating Bioregional newsletter: New Life Farm agreed to publish the first issue in conjunction with the proceedings. Katuah: Bioregional Journal of the Southern Appalachians (see RAIN X:4) will publish the second issue. Send news and submissions to The Bioregional Project, Box 129, Drury, MO 65638. □ Turtle Island: Visions and Soundscape II: A more educational rather than spiritual version of this slide show is in process and is seeking slides and arts-related funding. Contact Sue Richman, 109 Glen- wood, Columbia, MO 65201. □ Sustainable Forestry Conference: Participants will gather in
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