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We will be posting these photos in a series. This first page will deal with the period between 1985-1989.  

These photos were taken when several Indian Rights organizations (including Colorado AIM) traveled to Nicaragua as part of a fact finding mission. There, they visited the Indian Nations on the Atlantic Coast. The Indians of the Atlantic Coast were waging an armed struggle against the Sandinista Government. Colorado AIM had initially supported the Sandinista Revolution and was surprised to see that the Indian people had taken up arms against the Sandinistas. In fact, Brooklyn Rivera, who is in many of the photos, led the organization of Miskito, Sumo and Rama indians that had the acronym of MISURASATA. This stood for Miskito, Sumo, Rama, SANDANISTA WORKING TOGETHER. After the revolution, the Atlantic Coast Indians were not given the right to self-determination and, having no other viable alternative, took up arms against the Government. After their visits to the Atlantic Coast, Colorado AIM announced that they would stand in solidarity with the Indian Peoples of the Atlantic Coast.  For more background, click here 

 

#1nicaraguayatamagirl.jpg (107803 bytes) #2 Nicarrussell&miskitofighter.jpg (102804 bytes) #3 nicrussell&Hanklilndngirls.jpg (64297 bytes) 

#1. Little Miskito Girl and her mother.

#2. Russell Means and Miskito fighters. 

#3. Russell Means, Hank Adams visiting with Miskito family


#4 nicanaya&riveraonplane.jpg (51502 bytes) #5 nicdetainedatairport.jpg (41667 bytes) #6 nicmediathrongatairport.jpg (65283 bytes) 

#4. Jim Anaya(National Indian Youth Council) and Brooklyn         Rivera(YATAMA delegation) visit on the plane ride into Managua, Nicaragua

#5. Upon arriving in Managua, the YATAMA delegation is met at the airport and ordered to go to the Ministry of Interior. YATAMA refuses and their passports are confiscated and they are taken into custody

#6. After 30 minutes in custody, the delegation is released. It's believed that the ensuing media storm was partly responsible.

#7 nicBrookgreetselder.jpg (71273 bytes) #8 nicBrooklyn1.jpg (103075 bytes) # 9 nicbrooklyn2.jpg (125168 bytes) 

#7. The following day, a Sumo Indian Elder greets Brooklyn Rivera.

#8. Brooklyn Rivera walks into the village of Puerto Cabezas.

#9. The villagers are excited and gather in the baseball field to hear Brooklyn Rivera speak.

#10 nicbrooklynbaseballfield1.jpg (122978 bytes) #11 nicbabywaitsforbrooklyn.jpg (84666 bytes) #12 nicbrooklynbaseballfield2.jpg (81437 bytes)     

#10. A shot from inside the Baseball field.    

#11. A mother and her baby waiting at the field for Brooklyn to arrive 

#12. Brooklyn arrives and speaks to his people.

#13 nicbrooklyn&clem.jpg (76669 bytes) #14 nicglennrussellbrooklyntalk.jpg (63738 bytes) #15 nicmiskitoskilledbysandinis.jpg (77349 bytes) 

#13. This is a photo of Brooklyn Rivera and Clem Chartier(World Council of Indigenous Peoples) and Miskito Indians. 

#14. Russell Means, Glenn Morris, and Brooklyn Rivera speak at a conference on the University of Colorado. 

#15. Miskito Indians killed in an air bombing by the Sandinista Government

#16 nicrussbrookchauncey.jpg (67346 bytes)  #17 nicmiskitomanandbaby.jpg (72090 bytes) #18 niccanoesplit.jpg (53594 bytes) 

#16. Brooklyn Rivera, Russell Means and Chauncey Whitwright

#17. Miskito man and his baby

#18. When Glenn Morris, Jim Anaya, Russell Means and other Indians traveled to Nicaragua, they had to first go through Costa Rica and then travel to Nicaragua by canoe. They also had to build their own canoe. This is a photo of the first canoe they attempted to build in Costa Rica. It split when they were finished and they had to rebuild another one.

 

#19 nicfinishedcanoe.jpg (87935 bytes) #20 nickidsreggaeband.jpg (44765 bytes)

#19. This is a photo of the second canoe. This is the one they traveled in.

#20. These are 4 kids they met on the Coast of Costa Rica while traveling to Nicaragua. The kids put seaweed on their heads and entertained the group by acting like a reggae group. 

1988-1992 photos

 

© 2004-2005 Colorado AIM      Contact us at denveraim@coloradoaim.org or 303-832-2544