Treaty Awareness Walk to D.C. to reach Lansing Oct. 6 for march near Michigan Capitol

Poster for Treaty Awareness Walk courtesy Joseph Hock.

LANSING -- Michigan Idle No More members and friends have been walking from Rexton, Mich., to Lansing since Sept. 19 and expect to arrive in Lansing tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 6, for a march near the Capitol to mark the first leg of their Treaty Awareness Walk to Washington, D.C.

Walkers from Idle No More Michigan are on their way from Rexton to Lansing and Washington, D.C. to call attention to Treaty Rights issues. Pictured here during their walk in late September are, from left, Steven Perry, LTBB (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians); Evelyn Rose, GTB (Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians); Angeline OzhaashkweBiik Antoine, GTB; Terry Antoine, GTB. (Photo © and courtesy Angeline OzhaashkweBiik Antoine)

The walkers hope to raise awareness of the 1836 Treaty of Washington between the United States and representatives of the Ottawa and Chippewa nations of Michigan -- which was done to avoid forced removal of the indigenous people living in Michigan and which guaranteed rights of hunting, fishing and gathering in the ceded territories. These rights are threatened by the State of Michigan's projected land sale/exchange of about 10,000 acres to Graymont, a Canadian mining company, for limestone mining in the eastern Upper Peninsula.*

They are also marching to show their concerns about Enbridge's Line 5, a 62-year-old oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac which many have asked to be shut down because of the threat of a potential oil spill.**

Supporters of the walk are invited to join it for varied periods of time. Pictured here in northern Michigan are Angeline OzhaashkweBiik Antoine, GTB; Evelyn Rose, GTB; Lucius Antoine, GTB; and Elijah Boomer. (Photo © and courtesy Angeline OzhaashkweBiik Antoine)

Anyone who wishes to join the walkers in Lansing should meet them in front of the Lansing Center, 333 E Michigan Ave., at 3 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 6 (see star on map below).

This map shows the route for the Treaty Awareness Walk near the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. Click on map for larger version. (Map courtesy Angeline OzhaashkweBiik Antoine of Idle No More Michigan).

Supporters of the Walk can make donations on line to help the walkers with their 900-mile journey. Visit treatyawareness.com to learn more. Follow the Walk on Facebook here.

Editor's Notes:

* To learn more about the Graymont issue, see our Feb. 22, 2015, article, "DNR Chief approves mineral rights exchange with Graymont but delays decision on 10,000-acre land transaction; residents, groups express opposition to Graymont project."

** See also our most recent article on the Graymont and Line 5 protests: "Two protests near Mackinac Bridge defend Native treaty rights, oppose UP mining projects and Enbridge Line 5: Videos, photos."