United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (Day 1)

United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Fifth Session

Day 1, Monday, May 15, 2006

On Monday, May 15, the Fifth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues opened at the United Nations in New York City. This year, over 2000 Indigenous Peoples, their organizations, and representatives registered to attend the gathering. The UNPFII meetings will adjourn on Friday, May 26.

I am attending the UNPFII on behalf of the International Indian Treaty Council to document the proceedings of the meeting for the organization. IITC is the first organization of Indigenous Peoples to be recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1977. Their work focuses on “building Indigenous Peoples’ participation in key U.N. fora.

The UNPFII is not a conference! Rather, the UNPFII is a standing UN organ, made of experts whose main responsibility is to advise the UN system through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on issues “related to the situation of Indigenous Peoples’, to promote cooperation and coordination and indigenous issues and to raise awareness about individual issues.” Indigenous participation is central to the UNPFII as they bring the voices of Indigenous Peoples’ worldwide to Nation-States and the United Nations.

Monday was a busy day for delegates. In addition to rainy weather conditions, there were long lines in the morning for delegates to pick up required credentials and gathering UN background documents. It was also a time to reconnect with friends and colleagues from around the world. I ran into several people that I had met at the Working Group on Indigenous Populations at the United Nations in Geneva a few years ago and had finally met several individuals that I’ve only corresponded via email. It was also great to connect with mentors and colleagues from the Treaty Council. It is not often that I get to spend time with them.

The Fifth Session of UNPFII was opened on Monday morning with a prayer from Traditional Haudenosaunee Chief (People of the Long House), followed by statements from high-level UN officials and cultural presentations from Indigenous Peoples from throughout the world. Mililani Trask, a Native Hawaiian attorney and Pacific representative to UNPFII, made opening statements on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus. The opening was also the launch of the Programme of Action for the Second Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.

|| Opening Prayer ||

In the early 1990’s, the UN adopted the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People to coincide with the 500 year anniversary of contact with Indigenous Peoples in the Americas. The first Decade of the World’s Indigenous People ended in 2004 but because of recommendations of the UNPFII, the General Assembly adopted a resolution that created the Second Decade. Also in 1994, the UN also adopted a resolution in support of an International Day of the World's Indigenous People that is celebrated annually on August 9 throughout the world.

Following are a few pictures from the opening ceremonies of the UNPFII. I will uploading photos, accompanied by updates of the proceedings, during the duration of the gathering.

|| P-Town Boyz from the Ponemah Community on the Red Lake Nation ||
Standing in front in the headdress is Wilton Littlechild (Cree Nation), Indigenous Independent Expert Member from North America on the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

|| Kamchatka Group of Ethnic Dance ||
Representing Indigenous Peoples of Russia

|| Joiking by Sami Representative ||
For more info on the Sami, visit the Resource Centre for Rights of Indigenous Peoples

|| Cheyenne River Youth ||

|| Descendance Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Dance Theatre ||

Every time I have attended an international Indigenous gathering, I am always overwhelmed by the beauty and breadth of Indigenous People. My participation in these gatherings has had a profound impact on my own personal identity and my dedication to the global Indigenous movement. Thank you for stopping by and if you not subscribed to my blog, please do so as older blogs “disappear” from general public but subscribers have access to all of them.

Peace and Blessings!