Laura Furtman: Questions from a camper at Eagle Rock

Laura Furtman, far left, formerly of Wisconsin and now of Duluth, Minn., sits around the campfire at Eagle Rock on May 5, 2010, with other campers, from left, Billy Michaelson of Ishpeming; Chalsea Smith of KBIC; Kristin Hilts (standing) of Chassell; and E Halvorson of KBIC, cooking salmon over the fire. (File photo by Keweenaw Now)

By Laura Furtman

I spent most of the month of May at Eagle Rock in the Yellow Dog Plains of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Yes, I am one of the people who was camped there in an effort to save Eagle Rock, a sacred site to the Native American community, from the grip of Kennecott Minerals Company. The site is about 25 miles from Marquette and 45 miles from the reservation of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), but what happens there has serious consequences for anyone living in the Lake Superior region.

My job at camp was to help prepare and serve up the meals. Just like in most homes, our kitchen was a place where people liked to congregate and talk. As a result, I heard all kinds of things about what was going on and I have a number of questions that need to be answered, especially since our camp was shut down by the police on May 27. Read more ...