RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN THE PRISONS
Religious freedom for Native American people has been
historically denied by the
U.S. government to the point of persecution. Not until 1978,
through a joint
resolution of the 95th Congress and its enactment of the American
Indian
Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA), was some relief felt by native
peoples. Yet
obstacles and challenges to the rights of a people to observe a
relationship with
the Creator continue to exist.
One of the most dramatic examples of these challenges is within
the prison
systems of the U.S. First, Native peoples are systematically
removed to prisons
distant from their homes making it virtually impossible to have
visits from
family, friends and spiritual leaders. This practice of
distancing a people from
their homelands is unique and exclusive to native people. Native
spiritual
observances are as diverse as the many tribes of these lands,
which means someone
from the midwest sent to the east has no opportunity to meet with
spiritual
leaders familiar to his/herheritage.
A second is the refusal by many prison officials to allow for
religious
ceremonies such as the Sweat Lodge ceremony. Again this refusal
is unique to
native people in that all other religious persuasions enjoy the
opportunity to
have their ceremonies complete and unencumbered by harassment or
denial from
prison officials. The First Amendment guaranteeing religious
freedom supplemented
by the AIRFA has proved completely inadequate in insuring native
people the right
to their spiritual observances.This is a pitiful and shameful
commentary on this
country's commitment to human rights.
Third is the complete disregard for the need of sacred
instruments necessary to
native ceremony. Sacred Pipes, eaglefeathers, various herbs and
the wearing of
long hair are allintegral parts of ceremony necessary for native
spiritual
expression. Once again denials by the prison system are practiced
against native
people, an indication of a strong anti-indian attitude by prison
officials. It
would appear that this attitude is reflective of the moral
character of this
country and its government.
Fourth is the lack of willingness by prison officials to
recognize that native
ceremonies are not on a linear, weeklybasis. Native american
spiritual
observances are guide by cycles, seasons and other natural
related occurrences.
The disregard for native ceremony to take place in harmony with
those occurrences
in nature on which the ceremony is founded is to deny native
people their
religious freedom.
WE URGE THAT NATIVE AMERICAN PRISONERS BE:
HOUSED WITHIN THEIR TRIBAL BOUNDARIES;
ACCORDED FULL CEREMONIAL RIGHTS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR
INDIVIDUALHERITAGE;
GIVEN FULL USE OF ALL SACRED INSTRUMENTS REQUIRED FOR
NATIVESPIRITUAL CEREMONY;
ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR SPIRITUAL CEREMONIES IN HARMONY AND
CONSISTENT WITH THE
NATURAL OCCURRENCES UPON WHICH THOSE CEREMONIES ARE FOUNDED;
WE FURTHER URGE THAT ANTI-INDIAN ATTITUDES OF PRISON AND
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
BE ADDRESSED AND REQUEST THE ENACTMENT OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
ACT WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN CONGRESS.
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