CPTnet
October 15, 2004

GRASSY NARROWS UPDATE: August -- September 2004

Short-term Delegation: September 3-11, 2004
A group of seven delegates from Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and Saskatchewan, came to Grassy Narrows and Kenora for ten days.  The group spent the first part of the delegation at Slant Lake (the site of the blockade), learning and listening to First Nation, Anishnaabe voices talk about Treaty #3 and how clear-cutting affects their traditional land. During this time, a couple of the delegates went fishing with a community member while the rest of the group picked blueberries.

The second part of the delegation was spent in Kenora and included meetings with Abitibi-Consolidated and Mayor Dave Canfield.   At the end of the week, the CPT Clear-cut Choir had their debut performance at Kenora's Market Square over the noon hour.  Their performance included songs, chants and cheers aimed at raising awareness of the issues involved in clear-cutting and Anishnaabe peoples' means of survival.  During the performance CPT delegates and members of Friends of Grassy Narrows surveyed the passersby with questions such as "What have you heard about the community of Grassy Narrows?" and inquiries about tourism and clear-cutting.

New Project Focus

Reducing Street Violence
When Grassy Narrows community members come into the nearby city of Kenora to buy groceries, they do not feel safe. They know about the ongoing street violence against Natives. Out of their growing concern, they asked CPT to shift its project focus from the violence reduction efforts on the logging road blockades in their traditional lands to the streets of Kenora.

Exposing Racism
In order to reduce local street violence, the team expects to address systemic roots of structural violence, structures of complicity that allow targeted violence against Natives, and racism toward Natives. Although the team has just begun to discuss its goals and its role among other local peace and justice organizations, one possibility has been laid on the table -- that CPT work to expose racist structures and attitudes.

New Team
Three new team members, Kristin Anderson (European-American), Stephani Sakanee (Ojibway), and Kristyn Thurman (Japanese-American), arrived to join Matt Schaaf (European Canadian) on the project. Given their racial and ethnic backgrounds, the team recognizes its opportunity to serve as a visible witness of multiracial, multiethnic harmony and cohesion (no small task.)

New Base of Operations
The team relocated to Kenora in September and set up an apartment as a base of operations, a place of hospitality, and a safe haven for Grassy Narrows visitors. To introduce themselves to their new neighbors and to welcome Grassy Narrows friends to their apartment, the team hosted two barbecues in September.

Building Relationships
Anderson, Sakanee, and Thurman are building relationships with folks from Grassy Narrows and with local Kenoran allies. Frequently, Grassy Narrows community members ask new CPTers how long they intend to serve on the project. Schaaf believes that community members ask the question because they want to know whether the individual CPTer plans to be here for the long haul or only plans a short-term commitment.

At the same time, the new team is learning about culturally appropriate behaviors and cultural boundaries (for example, when meetings are intended for Natives only.)  Hospitality plays a key cultural role in developing relations.

Prayer Vigil
During the week of September 20-24, CPT coordinated a prayer vigil in front of the local Kenora courthouse. Inside the courthouse, the provincial government's Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) charged the logging company, Abitibi Consolidated, with twenty-two counts of breaching provincial laws related to previous years' clear-cutting of areas in Grassy Narrows traditional lands. Outside the courthouse, the CPT Kenora team, some Grassy Narrows community members, and occasionally a local Kenoran, held candles, sang, played musical instruments, and prayed for healing between the Anishnaabe nation and Canada.  People in the courtroom could hear the singing.   Even though the witness was not intended to be a media event, a local newspaper reporter took a photo of the prayer vigil and printed it on the paper's front page.

Toronto Trainee's Public Action
In consultation with Grassy Narrows community members, the team advised CPT trainers in Toronto regarding a public action in solidarity with Grassy Narrows' interests. On September 30, CPT trainees set up a mock clear-cut in front of the Toronto Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), passed out leaflets to raise public awareness of the issues, and sang songs as a "clear-cut choir." At the same time, a group of trainees proceeded into the building to try to meet with the new Minister of MNR, Dave Ramsay. Because he was absent, the group delivered a letter to his aides and prayed for right relations between the government and Grassy Narrows First Nations.


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Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations. Supporting violence-reduction efforts around the world is its mandate. Contact CPT, POB 6508 Chicago, IL 60680; Telephone: 773-277-0253 Fax: 773-277-0291; e-mail: peacemakers (at) cpt.org.

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