| The eagle feathers symbolize our Native American heritage,
of which our ancestors,
their burials, and our sacred sites are an inseparable
part.
The white
tomahawk, unstained by blood, symbolizes using the appropriate
non-violent weapons, with dedicated effort, to peacefully
achieve our purposes. The days of physical warfare and bloodshed
are finished, but our battles for equality, justice, freedom,
and democracy—and even our rights as human beings—are far from finished and are just as fierce. We will continue to use
every peaceful means at our disposal to successfully achieve our
goals.
The
crossed pipe and tomahawk represent our desire for peace and
good will toward all through Creator's spiritual guidance and
our determination to continue the fight to preserve our cultures
and achieve our goals with Creator's guidance.
Fire can
be a destroyer or a purifying, tempering force. In our logo, the
council fire, with seven tongues of flame, fueled by seven types
of wood, represents our ancestors' and our own trial by fire and
our victory over adversity through its purifying and tempering
powers.
Both the
bear claw and the color red symbolize strength and success. The
red bear claw on our logo represents the strength of the
Southeastern Native American Alliance.
Turquoise
blue is the color of the sky and of pure water in abundance;
two vital sustaining forces symbolic of freedom and spiritual
renewal: the water and breath of life.
The white
medicine wheel frame of the shield represents continuity and
peaceful unity. The cardinal points are marked with the colors
that Tsa-La-Gi tradition associates with each direction.
Together
these symbols represent our determination to confront and deal
with the needs of and issues that face our people and to defend
our rights, whether on an individual or collective basis; the
preservation of our heritage and cultural identity; and our
strength through spiritual unity and trust in Creator's guidance
and protection.
OUR
PURPOSE (Mission Statement)
SENAA
International is a nonprofit, Indigenous American cultural and
advocacy organization.
SENAA
exists to address specific Native American concerns and to
foster harmony between Native Americans and other races through
cultural education and good will.
SENAA was
founded by Indigenous Americans for the purpose of doing our
part to
protect and preserve the cultures, heritage, and religious
liberty of all Indigenous American nations and individuals. SENAA also advocates the
human rights and recognition of
Indigenous people throughout Mother Earth.
Briefly
stated, our purposes are to:
-
Be a
voice (one of many) for Native Americans and Native American
concerns outside tribal boundaries;
-
Do
our part to secure
for Native Americans of all nations the same human rights
and religious liberty enjoyed by other races under the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the U.S. Constitution, the Equal
Rights Amendment, and state and local laws;
-
Raise
funds, when necessary, to help Native American individuals, families, and
communities; and for special restoration, preservation, and
reburial projects.
-
Provide
a Native American voice in social and environmental issues
that impact all Indigenous American people and First
Nations;
-
Locate
Native American burial sites and secure the same protection
for them that the law provides for the graves of other
races; returning them, where possible, to the care of their
tribal descendants;
-
Invoke,
where applicable, the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA); and
-
Advocate
and defend the sovereignty of North America's First
Nations.
SENAA is
proud to be of service to the people it was created to benefit.
We welcome the help and participation of
dedicated people and organizations worldwide who advocate the
human, civil, and constitutional rights of Indigenous Americans.
SENAA's
DIVISIONS
SENAA
International, In
addition to being our original chapter, it is now worldwide
headquarters for the following three divisions:
SENAA
Europe, our European Division, is headed by Division
Director Fred Buma in Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
SENAA
West, based in Los Angeles and headed by
Division Director Sara Hayes. Former director Matt Davison
continues to hold an honored place on SENAA's Executive Council
and serves as advisor to SENAA West;
SENAA
Sweden, is a division of SENAA Europe, based in
Tidaholm, Sweden, under the direction of Carina Gustafsson, with
the
invaluable assistance of Eva Egelmyr and Eva Goes.
Each
chapter, is headed by a competent SENAA member who has proven
himself or herself to be a true warrior with the determination and
dedication that epitomize SENAA's purposes.
SENAA MEMBERSHIP
SENAA
membership is by invitation only. This is to prevent uninformed
or covert infiltration of SENAA by malevolent influences whose
purpose is to destroy Indigenous American organizations from
within.
EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL OFFICERS
Al
Swilling, Tsa-La-Gi, Founder; SENAA International (World
Headquarters)
Sara
Hayes, Division Director; SENAA West; Los Angeles,
California
Matt
Davison, Division Co-director; SENAA West; Los Angeles,
California
Fred
Buma, Division Director; SENAA Europe, Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Carina
Gustafsson, Chapter Director, SENAA Sweden
Julian
Harper,
World Religions Consultant, SENAA International
Mignonne
Swilling, Secretary/Treasurer, SENAA International
Valerie
Scott, Canadian Liaison, SENAA International, British
Columbia, Canada
Brigitte
Thimiakis, Greek/French Liaison, SENAA International,
Greece
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