La Paz, Bolovia - Three delegates from the Indigenous Peoples Caucus of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Working Group to prepare a draft Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, were honored to present sacred gifts for President Evo Morales Ayma on Friday April 27th 2007.
In a special meeting that took place at the Presidential Palace, hereditary Chief Damon Gerard Corrie of Barbados, presented a wood sculpture of a Paramount Chief created by master carver Foster Owen Simon of Pakuri Arawak Territory in Guyana - on behalf of the Taino-Arawak and Kalinago-Carib People of the Caribbean and the Lokono-Arawak People of South America. Ronald Lameman of Canada, presented a soap-stone carving of a Thunderbird created by a master sculptor of the Cree Nation of Canada on behalf of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations of Canada. Elder Stuart Jamieson of the powerful Six Nations Iroqouis Confederacy of North America offered a sacred prayer blessing for the historic occasion.
For the delegates the gifts represented the status of President Morales Ayma - who is the first Native American in the Western Hemisphere to have democratically attained this high office in the entire post-contact history of the Americas – and his strength and fortitude in creating the first internationally recognised and truly Native Government in over five centuries of European Colonial and subsequent Neo-Colonial occupation of the 'New World'. The gifts also represented the spiritual blessings directed from the hearts of all those who are truly loyal to their Indigenous identities - to the new, free and just Bolivia President Morales and the Native Ministers of this peaceful revolution have created; which is a light of hope to all Indigenous Peoples the world over.
Bolivia's Ambassador to the OAS, His Excellency Reynaldo Cuadros, received the gifts on behalf of the President who was in an emergency meeting due to a natural disaster, which had occurred that day. Ambassador Cuadros was recognized by the delegates as having worked tirelessly on behalf of the Indigenous Caucus during their stay in Bolivia.
In a special meeting that took place at the Presidential Palace, hereditary Chief Damon Gerard Corrie of Barbados, presented a wood sculpture of a Paramount Chief created by master carver Foster Owen Simon of Pakuri Arawak Territory in Guyana - on behalf of the Taino-Arawak and Kalinago-Carib People of the Caribbean and the Lokono-Arawak People of South America. Ronald Lameman of Canada, presented a soap-stone carving of a Thunderbird created by a master sculptor of the Cree Nation of Canada on behalf of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations of Canada. Elder Stuart Jamieson of the powerful Six Nations Iroqouis Confederacy of North America offered a sacred prayer blessing for the historic occasion.
For the delegates the gifts represented the status of President Morales Ayma - who is the first Native American in the Western Hemisphere to have democratically attained this high office in the entire post-contact history of the Americas – and his strength and fortitude in creating the first internationally recognised and truly Native Government in over five centuries of European Colonial and subsequent Neo-Colonial occupation of the 'New World'. The gifts also represented the spiritual blessings directed from the hearts of all those who are truly loyal to their Indigenous identities - to the new, free and just Bolivia President Morales and the Native Ministers of this peaceful revolution have created; which is a light of hope to all Indigenous Peoples the world over.
Bolivia's Ambassador to the OAS, His Excellency Reynaldo Cuadros, received the gifts on behalf of the President who was in an emergency meeting due to a natural disaster, which had occurred that day. Ambassador Cuadros was recognized by the delegates as having worked tirelessly on behalf of the Indigenous Caucus during their stay in Bolivia.
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