Stand Up for Your People

Prison officials in the Arizona Department of Corrections actively oppress Native American religious exercise. A high ranking religious administrator uses prison policy like a weapon against our people. With their policy, they desecrate our sweat lodge and religious items, force us to prove our race to practice, deny equal access to religious ceremonies, deny the use of ceremonial kinni-kinnick, deny the use of a kettle drum, prevent us from purchasing firewood for our sweat lodge ceremony, and have removed provisions that allow food during our Pow wow ceremony. Several Native American prisoners have gathered and share these experiences here to educate the world about religious oppression happening today in the heartbeat of America. Only with education, courage, and the power of the Great Spirit will we be able to stand up for the Red Nation.