ACQTC Photo
Little Owl in 2002.
While Iron Thunderhorse, imprisoned in Texas, hasn’t yet made a decision on whether his tribe will stand with Occupy New Haven in federal court, his wife Little Owl is already making plans for the Quinnipiac to sign a “Sacred Bond of the Covenant” with the occupiers.
Little Owl, also known as Ruth Thunderhorse, said as much in an email Monday.
She was responding to a request for comment submitted on the Algonquian Confederacy of the Quinnipiac Tribal Council website following news that members of Occupy New Haven are reaching out to descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of Connecticut in their quest to remain on the Green.
Occupy has held a portion of the upper Green for over five months. It’s the last standing encampment in New England of those that sprang up last fall as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement against corporate greed and income inequality.
The settlement’s fate will be decided this week in a Wednesday hearing in federal court. Occupiers are seeking to bring members of the Quinnipiac tribe — New Haven’s first inhabitants — into its lawsuit against the city, which argues that the camp’s tents amount to protected free speech. The complaint also challenges the validity of the Proprietors of the Green, the self-perpetuating group that technically owns the Green.
Little Owl, who lives in Indiana, said she has put the question of joining the occupiers’ legal battle to Iron Thunderhorse, the leader of the Quinnipiac tribe. Thunderhorse has been in prison since 1977 on charges of rape, kidnapping, and robbery and has not yet responded to the query.
On Sunday, occupiers were visited by Quinnipiac Bear Clan Medicine Chief Fox Running, who said the charges against Iron Thunderhorse are bogus.
“Arumshemocke (Thank you kindly) for your email and your interest in the Occupy New Haven Green Movement,” Little Owl wrote on Monday. “Your questions have been forwarded to Iron. The Quinnipiac Grand Sachem and Legal Sovereign is Iron Thunderhorse and it will be his decision as to whether or not we will be able to help with the litigation on behalf of the Occupiers.”
Little Owl continued: “You might be interested in knowing that the Quinnipiac plan a Gathering on May 25, 26, 27 at the Green, at which time we, hopefully, will sign an agreement with the Occupiers called a Sacred Bond of the Covenant — sort of a solidarity agreement to protect our planet and preserve human rights. At least that is the way I envision the event. … Wanishi, Little Owl.”
Little Owl’s plans assume, of course, that occupiers are still on the Green in May.