Target: Oklahoma Governor Fallin
Goal: Stop the destruction of Longhorn Mountain, a sacred site to local Indian tribes
Longhorn Mountain is sacred to a large number of Indian tribes in the Oklahoma area. However, a rock crushing company is planning on stripping the mountain down to make gravel for highways. Demand Governor Fallin protect this sacred area, one of the only spiritually significant places for Native Americans left in Oklahoma.
The Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, and other Plains Indian tribes use Longhorn Mountain for many religious events, most notably the Kiowa’s and other’s vision quest. Native people also use the mountain to fast in a four day event, and pray for their families in times of illness and death. Cedar from the mountain is cut and dried for religious ceremonies and for purification in the Kiowa people’s homes. The religious significance is still very much alive and strong.
The surrounding area has already been heavily altered, with wind turbines covering many of the hills. West of Longhorn a mountain has been mined bare by a completely different rock crushing company. Longhorn is one of the few sites located in Oklahoma with the spiritual significance necessary for Native Americans to participate in their vision quest; to get rid of it would be making it extremely difficult for tribes to practice their religion’s.
A rock crushing company called Stewart Stone of Cushing Oklahoma wants to strip the Kiowa tribe’s sacred mountain down into gravel for highways. Considering the fact that Longhorn Mountain is the most sacred of all places for the Kiowa tribe, this would be a significant and tragic loss. The mountain’s destruction would not only be a loss to the Kiowa tribe, but all other neighboring tribes and the state of Oklahoma itself.
By signing the petition below, you will help urge Governor Fallin to protect Longhorn Mountain as the sacred land it is. Another form of cultural destruction against Native Americans is unacceptable.
Dear Governor Fallin,
Longhorn Mountain is sacred to the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, and other tribes in Oklahoma. Yet a rock crushing company wants to strip down the mountain to make gravel for highways. This sacred area must be protected, as it is one of the only spiritually significant places left for Native Americans in Oklahoma.
A large number of Native American tribes use Longhorn mountain for religious events, such as vision quests, fasts, and prayer for their families in times of illness and death. The mountain’s cedar is used both for religious ceremonies and in the Kiowa people’s homes. Because of the fact that surrounding areas have already been heavily affected by other companies, getting rid of the mountain would make it extremely difficult for tribes to practice their religions.
The rock crushing company Stewart Stone of Cushing Oklahoma plans on stripping Longhorn Mountain down into gravel for highways. Considering that Longhorn is the most sacred of all places for the Kiowa tribe, its destruction would be particularly tragic.
Please take action to protect this sacred mountain and stop Stewart Stone of Cushing Oklahoma from destroying it and its resources.
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: jonathanw100 via Flickr