Grassy Narrows First Nations Activists Walk 1850km to Protest Destruction of Traditional Territory

Grassy Narrows, Anishinaabe Territory - On April 30, 2008, Crissy Swain along with fellow members of Grassy Narrows First Nation began the 1,850 km trek on foot from Kenora to Toronto in an attempt to bring attention to the continued destruction of Mother Earth, and in particular to draw attention to what is happening within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabek in Northern Ontario.

According to Crissy Swain, the walk has originated from long standing frustration “for the way our people have been criminalized and imprisoned for protecting the Earth, our future generations and our rights as Anishinaabek and First Peoples of this land”. She wants to raise awareness of the “ongoing theft and plunder of our lands, as well as repression of our people”.

Protecting Our Mother Walk commenced from the Bypass 17 and Hwy 671 in Kenora, ON on April 30 and will end at Queens Park in Toronto, ON in May (around May 24). Crissy is asking people from KI and Ardoch Algonquin communities as well as other Anishinaabe and non-Anishinaabe communities, who want to do something to protect the Earth for the future generations and the freedom to be Anishinaabe, to come and walk with her and help carry the staff for our children.

Your support in donating food, water, footwear, socks, gas money, tobacco, accommodation and the like would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Crissy for more details.

Contact:Campaign Coordinator, Crissy 1-800-667-2129 (during the day),807-925-2674 (evenings), ojibwediva@hotmail.com
During the Walk: 519-761-7820

****Grassy Narrows First Nation, located 80 kilometers north of Kenora, ON, has been the site of some of the worst clear-cutting in the country. A peaceful blockade against the logging companies Weyerhaeuser and Abitibi was set up five years ago in an attempt to stop the companies from clear-cutting within their traditional territory.