The Gwich’in people have call the northeast lands of Alaska that spill into Canada place for more than 40,000 geezerhood . These land are still theirs , except today they ’re being threatened by oil and petrol drilling .
The ANWR , the gravid wildlife recourse in the United States , stretch roughly 19 million acre and hugs the land of the Gwich’in First Nation . Its 1.5 - million - Acre coastal field may hold7.7 billionbarrels of oil . That ’s why President Donald Trump is keen on drilling it . ( Well , in reality , he wants to because his friend severalize him to , but that ’s aseparate tarradiddle . )
For the Gwich’in , however , no amount of oil or money is worth mess up with these lands . They ’re too sacred , Bernadette Dementieff , the executive director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee , tell Earther . You see , the Porcupine Caribou Herd calve here , and local autochthonous multitude swear on this ruck for food ( for80 percentof the Gwich’in diet , actually ) , as well as a part of their long - bear cultural identity .
“ All our communities are on its migratory route , ” Dementieff suppose . “ Our ancestors settle us that agency so that we can continue to live off the caribou . All our tale and vocal and dances are link to the caribou herd . They are a part of our identity element , and our identity is not up for talks . ”
Unfortunately , the Trump administration is n’t paying much mind to those who oppose drilling in the resort — even though that includes 70 percentage of U.S. voter , according to a survey from Yale University . Congress took action last year tosqueezean ANWR boring article into the GOP taxation bill , andit stimulate through . Alaskan Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who like to blow about her“environmental”agenda , was the driving force behindthe move .
“ the right way now , we feel attack by this giving medication , and an attack on the Arctic refuge is an attempt on the Gwich’in people , ” Dementieff said .
In fact , Dementieff will be making this precise argument subsequently Thursday to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues , which istaking placein New York City until April 27 . “ We ’re going to take this scrap to every level of government potential , ” she read .
Dementieff does n’t know whether her testimony will amount to much , but she have intercourse she has to keep try . As her vox start up to break , she explained that she needs to fight for future generation , and for her grandchild .
“ I ’m going where I need to go in hopes that somebody will take heed , ” she cried , “ but we will never give up , and we will not provide them into the Arctic refuge . ”
ANWR
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