On Saturday, April 11, 2015, Peace Walkers, organized by Nekanęhsakt: Friends of Ękwehęwę, will be convening at Niagara Square (8am), before setting out on a ‘day of walking’ that will take protesters on a 16 mile journey to Hamburg by way of South Park Avenue. See Facebook event.
The following article was written by Agnes F Williams (Seneca), Indigenous Women’s Initiatives. The piece expresses her thoughts and concerns pertaining to nuclear waste that is buried at the West Valley site:
2015 marks 70 years since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Join thousands of others as they head to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations in New York City. Protesters and supporters will pass through Native Americans lands, where people continue to suffer from all stages of the nuclear cycle. We will carry a prayer and a pledge that, in keeping with the wisdom of Indigenous people, we will create a sustainable society where we can live in harmony with Mother Earth. Our peace walkers from Japan will report on situation of the ongoing Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, from which we must conclude that there can be no “peaceful use of nuclear technology.” – ekanęhsakt: Friends of Ękwehęwę
Friday April 10 3-6pm WNY Peace Center invites you to a POTLUCK to greet and meet the Japanese NNPT Walkers at the Foundry info@thefoundrybuffalo.org , 298 Northampton St near Jefferson in Buffalo NY. Public Invited. For more information contact victoryross9@gmail.com
Saturday April 11 8 AM RALLY at Buffalo NY City Hall at Niagara Square sending the NNPT off on their 16 mile walk to through downtown Buffalo to South Park Avenue all the way to Hamburg NY. Bring your prayers for peace, banners, flyers to hear Jules Orkin julesorkin@yahoo.com with the NPT walkers, Diane D’Arrigo with Nuclear Resource Center 301-270-6477 Public Invited. For more information contact Nate Buckley natebuckley1@gmail.com
Sunday April 12 8 AM NPT walkers begin their 12 mile walk from Hamburg to Boston NY where they will need transportation to the 37 North Buffalo Street in Springville NY 14141 PUBLIC EVENT at the Springville Cultural Arts Theater. Ayumi Temlock from NYC ayumitemlock@gmail.com will talk about the Unite Nations Non nuclear Proliferation Treaty Review Conference with Native American High School Students from Salamanca NY who are going to the United Nations this month. For more information contact Seth Wochensky scaeth@gmail.com
Monday April 13 8 AM NPT Walk 12 miles from Boston to West Valley Demonstration Project where the NPT Walkers will chant and pray.
Tuesday April 14 SUNRISE 5:30AM Interfaith Prayer Ceremony outside the West Valley Demonstration Project. 6:00 AM NPT and Water is Life walkers walk to Springville on old Rt 219, then route 39 to Route 62 to Peter Cooper Waste Site in Gowanda NY mariamaybee96@gmail.com . Walkers will be transported to the Cattaraugus Community Center on Rt 438 near Irving NY for a Community Social. Public invited. For more information contact Agnes Williams nyawehskanoh@gmail.com
Wednesday April 15 7:30 AM NPT walkers will be transported back to Gowanda New York and walk through the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation down Route 438 to Sunset Bay, Irving NY at the mouth of the Cattaraugus Creek for a closing Water Ceremony (public invited) For more information contact Maria Maybee mariamaybee96@gmail.com The NPT Walkers will then be shuttled to Gahadago on Route 20 in East Irving, NY 14081 lodge, pipe and feast ceremonies.
Thursday April 16 at 11 AM NPT walkers will be transported to Depew NY to the AMTRAC train station to continue on to the Grafton Peace Pagoda, 85 Crandall Rd, Petersburg NY 14138 Phone: 518-658-9301 cheythiya@gmail.com or hricks09@gmail.com to rest then walk to NYC for the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Talks in the United Nations where they will fast and pray for peace.