A herd of 11 caribou migrated to OfficeMax in San Francisco today in search of their destroyed forest habitat and demanded that OfficeMax executives support the Grassy Narrows First Nation’s call for a logging moratorium on their traditional territory.

The caribou began their visit to OfficeMax by continuing their migration inside the store, to the paper aisle, looking OfficeMax brand paper products that used to be the habitat that they depend on. The caribou circled around reams of paper made from trees clear cut from Grassy Narrows and cried out, “I remember this tree! This tree was my home!” OfficeMax employees soon shooed the animals out of the store and to the front entrance, though they said that they intended to alert the store manager of the many concerns about habitat destruction and disregard for Indigenous land rights in Grassy Narrows.

On the sidewalk outside of OfficeMax, the caribou educated passers-by about the controversy in Grassy Narrows:

The caribou were sure to email OfficeMax CEO Sam Duncan photo-petitions of concerned OfficeMax shoppers who support the Grassy Narrows community’s demand for a moratorium on their land:

And of course, what’s a caribou protest without a song?
To the music of Home, Home on the Range:
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the caribou play
Where seldom is heard, a Boreal songbird
And the chainsaws are buzzing all day

The afternoon was quite a success, the caribou were able to talk to a lot of OfficeMax employees and customers about the importance of respecting Indigenous rights in Grassy Narrows and left hoping that more caribou would feel inspired to migrate to an OfficeMax location near them.

RAN’s Old Growth Campaign is planning an international day of action on January 30th, 2008 against OfficeMax and their Canadian subsidiary, Grand & Toy to put pressure on them to publicly support a logging moratorium in Grassy Narrows. OfficeMax and Grand & Toy paper products are made from trees taken from the Grassy Narrows traditional territory against the wishes of the community. Join RAN activists all over the continent on January 30th and pay a visit to your local OfficeMax or Grand & Toy location, and demanding that OfficeMax and Grand & Toy publicly support a moratorium in Grassy Narrows.

Contact Annie for more information, and to get involved with the day of action on Jan 30th.