Here’s the latest from David Sone, on the road with Maria, Gloria and Warren from Grassy Narrows First Nation. More on their tour at FreeGrassy.org.

After spending a week in the prairie provinces we are now making our way through the mountains, headed for the coast. The prairie winds certainly do blow cold in February, but the warm welcome we received in every city kept our spirits high.

Maria, Gloria, and Warren spoke softly but powerfully about their first hand experiences growing up on the land in Grassy Narrows. The large crowds sat in silence as they heard about the devastating impacts of the clearcut logging on the waters and forests on which the people of Grassy Narrows depend. People looked shocked as they heard about the loss of culture and the damage to the social fabric brought about by decades of attacks on the land base that once allowed Grassy Narrows to be self sufficient. Then the mood shifted to hope as Warren talked about how the blockade, now in its fifth year, has given hope to the community and strength to the youth as a catalyst for the revival of the culture and a site for telling traditional teachings and learning about how to live responsibly on the land.

In each venue – classrooms, libraries, lecture halls, and even Propagandhi punk concerts – large numbers of people stopped to sign our petition, take information pamphlets and DVD’s, and ask how they could support Grassy Narrows and defend the forests in their communities.

What has been most gratifying for me, has been the many warm and welcoming people we have met who have taken us into their homes, fed us, shared stories with us, and housed us for the night. It is great to see that there is a network of people in each city who share our values and commitment to fight for the earth and the rights of her peoples. Every place we go we meet new allies and become stronger as we journey towards Seattle knowing that we have the support of thousands of people across the county.