R.I.P. Mickey Gemmill

[blackcrowheart]

Loss of A Leader (passing)



A Native Rights and Traditional Leader in California Passes On
by Mark LeBeau

In the early morning of May 24, 2006, Mickey Gemmill, long time Native
rights and traditional leader, passed on to the other side and now
walks, dances, and sings with the ancestors of the Pitt River and Wintu
Nations. Throughout his lifetime on Mother Earth, Mickey consistently
fought for the needs and rights of Native Peoples against encroaching
and foreign social, economic, and political forces. When he was coming
of age, he was one of the few people in his generation and in the Pitt
River Nation to have the opportunity to learn about life and leadership
from the traditional council of leaders and elders of the Nation. This
ancient knowledge invariably helped him in his unwavering commitment to
take care of the people and the Earth in contemporary times while
fulfilling his personal traditional roles and responsibilities.

In the 1970’s Mickey helped lead the movement to establish the Native
American Studies Department at S.F. State University that provided an
educational program for students to receive accurate knowledge about
Natives. During this time period, he also helped lead the occupation of
a U.S. military facility that became known as D.Q. University and pave
the way for Native students and communities to have an educational
institution of their own in which to receive a higher education without
having to relinquish their traditions and beliefs. He also helped to
lead the takeover of Alcatraz for the benefit of all Native Peoples.
Among Mickey’s many accomplishments and good deeds, he is highly revered
for helping to lead the occupation and holding of traditional Pitt River
Territory for Pitt River People. This territory was illegally taken by
the U.S. and he is well known for stating that America has no right
claiming, taking or keeping this land, as Pitt River People never sold
or relinquished their title to the land. On June 5, 1970, Mickey issued
the "Proclamation: To the President and the American People" that
stated: "We are the rightful and legal owner of the land. . .No amount
of money can buy the Mother Earth; therefore, the California Indian Land
Claims Commission has no meaning. The Earth is our Mother and we cannot
sell her." Since then, the Pitt River Indians have successfully
reoccupied a number of areas of land. Numerous books and documentaries
have been produced on the Pitt River struggle to regain their land and
Mickey is often cited as being a major leader in this movement. He was
elected as Chairman of the Pit River Tribe for two terms and served as a
primary writer of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Mickey also spent some
time in Alaska helping the Alaska Natives protect their ancestral
rights, including claims to their land.

Later in life Mickey helped to bring Ishi’s ashes and brain home to bury
his remains in the traditional territory of the Yahi. Upon Ishi’s
passing, his brain was taken from his skull and examined in the name of
western science and his body burned to grey dust. Of this situation
Mickey said he felt morally, legally, and spiritually obligated to help
return Ishi so that his spirit could finally go home. In Mickey’s long
standing role as a Board Member of the International Indian Treaty
Council, he traveled throughout the U.S. and as far away as China to
advocate for the protection of Native sacred places and the
self-determination rights of the Indigenous Peoples of the western
hemisphere. During this time he also helped to convene the sacred and
annual Ancestral Run in Traditional Pitt River Country and later became
involved in leading the Bear dance ceremonies. Mickey influenced and
guided many Natives and non-Natives across the world to not be afraid to
stand up for the rights of Natives. All of Mickey’s family and friends
love and will miss him dearly. His immediate family includes his wife
Valerie and children Michelle, Faith, Michael, Victoria, Mickey, Jr.,
Nichelle, Brandy, Shasta, Honor, and grandchildren Derek, Levi, Desiree,
Camille, Daniel, and Joseph, and mother Irene, and father Jake, and
brothers Steven, Arnold, Ira, and sister Sonja. For information on the
funeral services call the family at [phone].

The photograph of Mickey above was taken 1/27/06 at the protest against
Calpine Energy Corporation in San Jose, CA. On this day and in front of
250 Native and non-Native protestors he spoke eloquently and urgently
about the need to protect the sacred Medicine Lake Highlands from all
energy development activities.

Mark LeBeau, M.S., is a citizen of the Pitt River Nation. LeBeau can be
reached via email at: [e-mail]