TRIBES IN TROUBLE - Introduction The Tribes in Trouble project was conceived from the urgent necessity to fund & support Native American communities who are struggling for survival. We are initially focusing on The Dineh Navajo, the Western Shoshone and the Lakota - they struggle daily to hold onto their life, land and religion in the land of their ancestors. We want to spread awareness of their struggles & hardships, so that others will join with them to work on strategies & solutions that will help them back to a vibrant & sustainable community. It is Earth Rhythm's goal to raise awareness & funds for these communities. There are many issues that scream for our attention, as the daily struggle of living can be overwhelming. Who has time to save the Native Americans? and Why should we care? We must care because traditional native people through their culture, traditions, and ceremonies have an understanding of the fundamental interconnectedness between people and all of creation - a key to the future survival of all life on Earth. Together we can create a peaceful & ecological world for our children. All Our Relations... The Dineh Navajo of Big Mountain/Black Mesa in NE Arizona, are a community of traditional people who live off the land, speak their native language, and practice their own religion. Their lives and land are threatened because they live on top of billions of dollars worth of fossil fuels. Forced to live as trespassers on their ancestral land, their self-sustaining sheep are impounded and water is stolen and contaminated. It is against the law to hold outdoor religious ceremonies or collect firewood. The Western Shoshone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, ancestral lands are sites for Nuclear Testing, and Yucca Mountain will be the future site of America's largest nuclear waste dump. Yucca Mountain is a sacred mountain to the Western Shoshone people. It is also known to be sitting on top of several fault lines, and atomic waste that will be stored there could leak into the groundwater in the surrounding farm lands. The nuclear waste that will be transported to Yucca Mountain will arrive via railway & truck, after traveling through America's neighborhoods. The Lakota of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, live in the poorest community in the US. They struggle daily to hold onto their life, land and religion in the land of their ancestors. Native Peoples should be honored and protected. Instead they are abused and ignored. There are many more Native communities, cultures and tribes that are endangered as well. Let us know about their struggles! If you can help in any way, please contact us: contact@earthrhythm.org