Earth Rights Trek
The following post-conference experience is organized by Earth Rights Institute, a CGO member organization:
Earth Rights Trek - A journey into native lands of New Mexico and Arizona for dialog and consciousness raising concerning culture, water and land conflicts and to experience and appreciate innovative efforts for sustainable development.
Sunday, July 25 - Meet at Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and Museum in Albuquerque at 2:00 pm for museum tour, dance performance, and orientation to Earth Rights Trek. Afterwards we will gather our gear and shop for food, then head out to a campsite near Albuquerque.
Monday, July 26 - Explore Acoma Sky City Pueblo, the oldest continuously inhabited town in the US, and El Morro National Monument. In afternoon we travel to Zuni Pueblo for meeting with Jim Enote, Associate Director, Indigenous Communities Mapping Initiative. Jim does conservation and development, particularly around land, water and cultural ties. Camp near Zuni.
Tuesday, July 27th - Around noontime we leave Zuni for Black Mesa which extends into both the Diné (Navajo) and Hopi reservations in northeastern Arizona. This area has been the center of many environmental and social injustices. The continued destruction of Diné and Hopi traditional homelands is endangering the cultural survival of the native people and their traditional homelands. We will meet with Black Mesa Water Coalition leaders and others working to end wasteful use of scarce and sacred water resources. We will camp for three nights at Black Mesa.
Wednesday, July 28 - All day journey visiting extensive strip mining sites of Peabody Coal Corporation with particular focus how Peabody uses pristine aquifer water to mix with crushed coal-called "slurry" which is then pumped through a pipeline over 275 miles to the Mohave Generating Station in Nevada.
Thursday, July 29 - We will learn about natural building and other current projects for sustainable development on the reservation; discuss their work with the United Nations and indigenous people around the world; introduction to global ecovillage movement.
Friday, July 30 - Options: (1) Return to Albuquerque; or
Weekend: (2) visit Four Corners Monument, Shiprock Pinnacle and Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a designated World Heritage Site; OR (3) weekend visit to Arcosanti, a protype arcology, community and urban laboratory using various alternative technologies in the high desert of Arizona.
We will be renting vehicles from Albuquerque. Participants need to come prepared to camp in hot weather. Limit of 20 people so please register asap.
Earth Rights Trek Websites:
Pueblos: www.indianpueblo.org;
Black Mesa Water Coalition: www.blackmesawatercoalition.org
Black Mesa Trust: www.blackmesatrust.org
Arcosanti: www.arcosanti.org.
Four Corners: www.navajonationparks.org/fourcorners
Earth Rights Institute: www.earthrights.net
For registration and further information on Earth Rights Trek contact Earth Rights Institute organizers toll free at 866-588-7445 or 717-264-0957 or email: <earthrts@pa.net>