Native Americans sacred run comes to Ireland
By Mick Naughton
The more athletic members of the republican family joined in with
Native Americans in a spiritual run around Ireland which ended
last week.
Dennis Banks, a native American leader and founder of the
American Indian Movement AIM (whose native American name is
Nowacumig) revived the idea of spiritual running in 1978. It has
since become a multi-cultural, international event with
participants joining Native American runners to carry the message
of the sacredness of life and our relationship with our planet.
This month's Sacred Run took place for the first time ever in
Ireland. The Run began in Dublin on 3 September with halts in
Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Cork, Clare, Galway, Sligo, Donegal
and Derry.
From there it went to Antrim, Belfast, Armagh, Dundalk, Slane and
finished in Dublin again on 19 September leaving the weary
runners and participants ``fulfilled with hope'' according to Banks
who in 1973 was on trial with 300 others for his involvement in
the Wounded Knee rising in South Dakota. He had to go on the run
after this, before being granted an amnesty in California by the
then Governor Jerry Brown.
Banks is also famous for his acting roles in The Last of the
Mohicans, Thunderheart and War Party.
While the runners were in Belfast an evening of `Irish and Native
American Cultural Exchange' was organised in the New Lodge Road
area. Organisers said they ``were honoured to host the runners in
an area which sees so much oppression.''
Wishing the runners, Native American or Irish, well, Sinn Fein
North Belfast elected peace delegate Gerry Kelly issued a warm
welcome:
``During the 71 day siege at Wounded Knee we in Ireland drew
strength. The knowledge that despite centuries of oppression
Native Americans still held onto their culture, language and
traditions lit a path from a flickering flame.
``After they finish the Run, they will be going to Newgrange and
the Hill of Tara, also sacred places, and I would extend Sinn
Fein's warmest invitation for another run in the future, one
without British involvement in Irish affairs.''.
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