patth (Patt Haring) (08/16/89)
Ported from PeaceNET's General.NativeAmericans Conference:
/* Written 9:14 pm Aug 15, 1989 by jdmann in cdp:gen.nativeam */
/* Written 8/15/89 by jdmann(David Yarrow) in gen.nativeam */
/* ---------- ONONDAGA LAKE TO BE IMORTALIZED ------------ */
Source: Syr Herald, Monday, July 14 by Gary Gerew staff writer
Lake to be immortalized
SYRACUSE, NY - If you couldn't smell the chemicals, you wouldn't know
it was Onondaga Lake. But these chemicals are pastel paints and brush
cleaners. And this Onondaga Lake is going on a wall.
"I decided I wanted to do something that was regionally relevant and
make an image that deals with Syracuse," said artist Corky Goss. "That's
why I decided on this."
This is "Salt Spring," a 2,160 square foot mural spread across the
northern exterior of Robert Hood's offices at 100 Clinton Square. Over
the next eight weeks Goss plans on changing the flat white cruface into a
vision of salt crystals and a pristine view of the tree-lined shores of
Onondaga Lake.
Hood, the head of his own real estate consulting firm, said he
decided to put a mural on the wall as a way of adding to the city's
picture of itself.
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COMMENTARY: Onondaga Lake was once as naturally salty as the ocean.
In the 1790 Salt Treaty Onondaga Nation agreed to share their Salt Lake
with the State of NY's Gov. Clinton, who was quite a greedy square in
his day. Two hundred years later, Syracuse is the Salt City, and the
opening paragraph of the evening paper says it all: North America's most
polluted incland body of water. And across the street from Hood is a
corporation named Pyramid which is building a shopping mall at The Place
of Beginning of the 1790 Salt Treaty. Pyramid's lawyers know Onondaga
Nation has a land claim; so do the City, County and State.
In discussing the present fierce competition among Hollywood film
producers for rights to the story of Brazilian rubber tappers organizer
Chico Mendes, who was murdered late last year by cattle ranchers,
(cowboys and Indians in the rainforest) veteran macrobiotic journalist
William Dufty observes, "The media wait until you're dead before they
canonize you."
It seems Bill's right as far as Amazon eco-activists and Onondaga
Lake are concerned. Chico is gone, although his spirit remains an
inspiration to his people.
But Onondaga Lake can be reborn.
Then again, maybe Chico, too........
Then there's this Legend of the Peacemaker - a virgin-born messenger
from Creator who made Onondaga Nation the capitol of the oldest democracy
in North America.....
At the end of the Legend, his work done, peace established, social
order inaugurated, confederacy formed, he disappeared. But he promised to
return if the great peace was ever threatened.....
There are too many peculiar things about this situation. Keep an eye
on it. I'll do my best from here to keep you posted.
***** David Yarrow {turtle} for SOLSTICE magazine.
***** SOLSTICE, devoted to Perspectives on Health and Environment, is
published bimonthly at 200 E. Main St Suite H, Charlottesville, VA 22901
804-979-0189/4427. Subscriptions: $18/yr.
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Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations
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