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PoliticsFirstNations9TuesdayJuly22012TarSandsHealingWalkboastshugeprogramFourthannualceremonialmarchexpects500-pluspeopleonwalkof13-kmtarsandsloopnearFortMcMurrayByMEAGANWOHLBERGWithhugenamesacompletedayofconcur-rentworkshopsandanex-pectedattendanceofmorethan500peoplethefourthannualTarSandsHealingWalknearFortMcMur-rayhasgrownfrombeingasmallceremonialmarcharoundtheoilsandsin-dustrialareatoafull-outeducationalandnetwork-ingeventforpeoplefromaroundtheglobe.TheHealingWalkwhichwilltakepeopleconcernedwiththeimpactsoftheoilsandsindustryontheirhealthwaysoflifeandtheenvironmentona13-kmmarcharoundwhatiscol-loquiallytermedthetarsandslooponJuly6beganasasmallgatheringatCraneLakeandhasquicklyevolvedintoathree-dayeventat-tractingbig-nameactiv-istsandcaravansofentireorganizations.Unlikepreviousyearsthisyearswalkwillfea-tureafullFridayofwork-shopsonJuly5onavari-etyoftopicsfrompipelinestoFirstNationstraditionalfoodsandceremoniesIdleNoMoreandBillsC-36andC-45oilsandsminingpro-cessesandopenspacesfornetworkinganddiscussingtheimpactsoftheindustry.EventorganizerErielDerangerwhoalsoworksascommunicationscoor-dinatorfortheAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationACFNinFortChipewyansaidthemovetoexpandtheeventcamefromparticipantfeedbackoverthelastcoupleofyears.TheywishedthereweremoreworkshopsandtimetonetworkwithpeopleKleinauthorofNoLogoandTheShockDoctrineandIdleNoMorefounderSylviaMcAdamaswellasBillMcKibbenanen-vironmentalactivistfromtheUSandfounderof350.orgagrassrootsmovementpipelinerouteandissuedaceaseanddesistordertoEnbridgelastweek.AgroupfromIdahofightingheavyloadsandpipelineinfrastructureinitsareaisalsocomingup.Around20peoplefromeventremainsalocalonestartedbylocalpeoplewithprioritygiventothevoicesofthesurroundingFirstNa-tionsmostaffectedbytheoilsandsindustry.MembersofACFNtheBeaverLakeCreeNationFortMcMurrayFirstNa-tionMtisNationofAl-bertaSmithsLandingFirstNationandDeneNa-tionwillallbepresenttogiveremarkswelcomesandprayers.Theeventwillalsoincludemealsstorytellingmusicandhandgames.ThewalkwhichbeginsSaturdaymorningwillbegintraditionallywithapipeceremonyandwillbeledbyeldersandcer-emonypeoplewhowillgiveprayersalongtheway.ClaytonThomasMulleroftheIndigenousEnviron-mentalNetworkwillbemasterofceremoniesdur-ingthewalkandwillex-plaintheprayersandhowtoparticipate.Participantsareaskednottobringsignsorbannersastheeventismeanttobeapeacefulceremonialwalkratherthanaprotestorrally.ASaturdaynightfeastfol-lowingthewalkwillincluderemarksfromindigenousCBCbroadcasterandmusi-cianWabKinewDeneNa-tionalChiefBillErasmusanddrumming.Alongwiththelogisti-caladditionstotheeventalsonewthisyearistheLeftMarchersledbyClaytonThomas-Mullercentresinganddrumduringthe2011HealingWalkAboveTheHealingWalktakesmarchersarounda13-kmloopinthemiddleofoilsandsoperationsnorthofFortMc-Murray.PhotocourtesyofKeepersoftheAthabascaDrivingpastityingoveritisonethingbutwalkingandstandingthereintheimmensityofititsanentirelyvisceralexperience.Yousmellityouseeityouhearit.Youcantasteitinyourmouth.Allofasuddenthegravityofthesituationstartstosetinalittlebitmore.ErielDerangerAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationaimedataddressingclimatechange.IndigenousactivistandauthorWinonaLadukewillalsobegivingakeynotead-dressalongwithTzeporahBermananenvironmentalactivistandauthor.Peopleareexpectedtoar-riveindrovesfromalloverthecontinentandbeyondDerangersaid.Busloadsofpeoplewillbecaravan-ingfromtheYinkaDeneterritoryinnorthernBCwholivealongthepro-posedNorthernGatewayQuebecNGOAlternativesaremakingthejourneyalongwithmoresectsfromtheNorthwestTerritoriesManitobaSaskatchewanOntarioNewYorkSanFranciscoandeventhePe-ruvianAmazon.WehavepeoplebikingfromNovaScotiaandwehavesomecrewswhoarewalkingsomeportionsoftheKeystoneXLrouteDerangeradded.Thoughtheeventisat-tractingpeoplefromaroundtheworldDerangersaidtheenhancedfocusoninvitingCanadianelectedofcialstocometothewalk.Indi-vidualswereencouragedtosendemailstofederalNaturalResourcesMinis-terJoeOliverandAlbertaPremierAlisonRedfordtojointhewalkthoughDerangersaidsheunder-standsfloodinginsouthernAlbertaislikelyofmoreconcerntoRedfordatthemoment.Drivingpastitflyingoveritisonethingbutwalkingandstandingthereintheimmensityofititsanentirelyvisceralexperi-ence.Yousmellityouseeityouhearit.Youcantasteitinyourmouth.AllofasuddenthegravityofthesituationstartstosetinalittlebitmoreDerangersaidoftheoilsands.Andhavingofficialscometonotonlymeetthosepeoplethataredealingwithitandhaveissueswiththetarsandsbuttoexperiencewalkingthroughthatzoneandhavethatvisceralex-perienceisalittlebitlife-changing.Manyofourparticipantsfrompreviousyearshavesaidthehealingwalkwasalife-changingexperienceforthem.TheHealingWalkbeginsFridaymorningwithregis-trationatIndianLakecamp-ground.Formoreinforma-tiononthewalkvisitwww.healingwalk.org.Tovolun-teercontactAnnieBanksatanniembanksgmail.com.morestructureontheFri-day.Sowedecidedtojustgoallout.NotonlythatbutwegotalotofpeoplewhosaidtheywantedtopresentissuesattheHeal-ingWalk.Wewereget-tingfloodedwithemailsofpeoplewithvariousgroupswhowouldreallylovetodoapresentation...Soitturnedintoareallyfantasticschedule.Alsobiggeratthisyearswalkistheprofileofsomeofitsparticipants.JoiningthewalkwillbeNaomi