Conference hydra::dejavu

1578.0. "Graves Desecrated in What May be a Diabolic Rite" by HELIX::KALLIS (Pumpkins -- Nature's greatest gift) Fri Nov 15 1991 14:08

Note:

I've been asked to post the following as an anonymous entry.

Steve Kallis, Jr.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The following incident was reported in the November 10, 1991 issue of
the Tacoma News Tribune.  What are your interpretations of the facts
as described ?  What could (or should) be done about this matter ?
 
  **********************************************************************
  GRAVE, BELIEFS DESECRATED
  Indian Woman's resting place disturbed in Leschi Cemetery.

  By Debby Abe
  The News Tribune [Tacoma, Washington]
  ***********************************************************************

  It could have been the work of devil worshipers, a cruel Halloween
  hoax, or perhaps the doing of a demented person.

  No one, save those responsible, knows for sure.

  But to Angeline Tobin Frank's friends and relatives, the recent
  disturbance of her grave was a devastating assault against a loved one
  and against closely held Indian spiritual beliefs.

  A person or group of people recently dug up [Angeline] Frank's
  five-year old resting place in the remote Leschi Cemetery on the
  Nisqually Reservation  The cemetery lies about halfway between Yelm
  and Nisqually.

  Scattered about the ground were some of the items that accompanied
  Frank's body to here grave: parts of her "Next World" dress, a shawl,
  and a "Long Journey" blanket.

  The body was mostly intact except for one leg that had been broken,
  said Hank Adams, a close family friend and spokesman.  The one item
  missing from the jewelry and other belongings with which Frank was
  buried, was a small crucifix, he said.

  A dozen partly burned candles were found inside the coffin.

  A woman planning a relative's burial discovered the disturbed grave
  - the only one in the cemetery to be molested - last Monday [November
  4, 1991]

  Adams called the desecration among the most heinous and heartless
  crimes that can be committed against an Indian family.

  He wrote U.S Senator Daniel Inouye, chair of the Senate Select
  committee on Indian affairs, last week, asking him to ensure the
  U.S. Justice Department investigates the incident.

  "It is an assault against several of the most profound and strongly
  held spiritual values and beliefs of the Pacific Northwest Indian
  people", Adams wrote.

  Andrew McCloud, Frank's 69-year-old son, couldn't agree more.  "That's
  your mother you know", said McCloud, his voice heavy with sadness.
  "Them people are crazy that do that, They're the scum of the earth".

  "If I'd ever caught them doing that, I don't know what I'd do."

  Angeline Frank, who died in 1986, was the anchor of a faimily that has
  distinguished itself both in state and Northwest Indian affairs for
  decades.  She was married to Billy Frank Sr., a Nisqually tribal
  leader.  Her son, Bill Frank Jr., is chairman of the Northwest Indian
  Fisheries Comission.

  Ironically, Frank Jr. has testified before Congress and the state
  Legislature about the importance of protecting ancestral and modern-day
  burial sites.

  "Desecration of Indian burials is all too common", said Steve Robinson,
  spokesman for the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.  "People
  seeking treasures, seeking artifacts, have done it a lot, and it hurts
  every time", Robinson said.  This is particularly close. People knew her
  very well.  She just died five years ago.  It's a horrible thing".

  The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Nisqually Tribal Police, who are
  investigating the case do not have suspects, said Nisqually Tribal
  Police Sgt. Janet Storey.

  Adams suspects devil worshipers disturbed the grave because of the
  burned candles in the coffin, a carefully arranged fire pit near the
  cemetery entrance, and the timing of the incident.

  The grave disturbance was discovered Monday after what he said was
  a satanic observance weekend.

  However, Storey discounted that theory.  She confirmed authorities
  found the candle wax, but said there was nothing to indicate
  involvement by satanic worshipers.

 "So far what was discovered doesn't follow the normal pattern of cults"
  , she said, declining to elaborate.

  And although authorities believe the grave was disturbed November
  1 or 2, she declined to say whether it had anything to do with Halloween.

  Adams is dissatisfied with the tribal police and BIA investigation,
  saying they failed to secure the crime scene as soon as the case was
  reported, and did not do a thorough job of examining the grave.

  "Everyone's being told the tribal police and BIA are investigating",
  he said.  "However it's unworthy of the term investigation".

  Storey would not comment on his allegations, noting the case is still
  under investigation.

  In his letter to Inouye, Adams charged that the various law enforcement
  agencies reluctance to take on the case added to the family's emotional
  trauma.

  "Neither the FBI, nor the local county and state police agencies have
  shown any disposition whatever to act as if any crime has been
  committed at all in this unspeakable act of desecration", he wrote.

  Adams said Thurston County sheriff's deputies turned down his request
  to investigate the case, saying they had jurisdiction, but would not
  act until requested by the Nisqually Tribal Police or Bureau of Indian
  Affairs.

  Thurston County Sheriff Gary Edwards could not be reached for comment.

  Confusion over whether special forms were needed to disinter the grave
  delayed the episode even longer, Adams said.  "You had this grave
  opened for parts of four days after the initial discovery, and it was
  all delayed on the basis of non-existent forms and bureaucracy, and
  failure to do anything on the part of police agencies", Adams said.

  At long last, Frank was reburied Thursday [November 7, 1991].
  Relatives and friends said their final goodbyes in Indian Shaker
  services that followed at Frank's Landing that evening and the next
  morning.
[EOB]

    What a disgrace. These persons must be seriously ill...
    
    Laurie.

Was there any mention, or does anyone know, of what the affects to the spirit
or ancestors of the desecrated grave are believed to be?  Or is there supposed
to be an affect on the desecrators?  I agree with Laurie that these people, 
whoever they are, are ill in some way.

Beth

    This really disgusted me. White people have systemmaticatly (sp?)
    destroyed Native American Spirtuality for the last 500 years.
    
    Sam
    

Re .3 (Sam):

    >This really disgusted me. White people have systemmaticatly (sp?)
    >destroyed Native American Spirtuality for the last 500 years.

Please note the report

From .0:

  >The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Nisqually Tribal Police, who are
  >investigating the case do not have suspects, said Nisqually Tribal
  >Police Sgt. Janet Storey.
  >
  >Adams suspects devil worshipers disturbed the grave because of the
  >burned candles in the coffin, a carefully arranged fire pit near the
  >cemetery entrance, and the timing of the incident.
  > ...
  >"So far what was discovered doesn't follow the normal pattern of cults"
  >, she said, declining to elaborate.
  >
  >And although authorities believe the grave was disturbed November
  >1 or 2, she declined to say whether it had anything to do with Halloween.
  > ...

Nobody's sure who did it, or what was done.  So, whether or not one ethnicity
or race has had a bad history with respect to another, we cannot be sure
just who was involved in this one.

This teeters on the brink of being a "valuing differences" problem.  So be
careful not to jump to conclusions in this case. 

Steve Kallis, Jr.

    The conclusion I jumped to was that it was some deranged Redskins fans. 
    There's a conflict going on, with Native Americans demanding that the
    team change its name because of the ethnic slur.