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MATTHEW CORDES VS FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES January 22, 2005

My name is Matthew Cordes and my spirit name is Black Eagle Man. I was born on Long Plain Indian Reserve in Manitoba, Canada and I am a full blooded Dakota Ojibwe. I was adopted at the age of 9 and raised here in the states. I became a naturalized citizen in 1980. Like many native children that were taken away from their people, I grew up trapped in the white society and was forbidden to seek out my traditional ways. I was even beaten when my biological mother tried to contact me, forbidden to speak my own language and was made to cut my hair and keep it short. I was told anything I needed to know could be found in the history books. I believe that in order for any person to reach their full potential they must first know and understand where they came from, especially where your roots are. These are issues that I have dealt with in my life and these issues have made me stronger and have helped to prepare me for the fight ahead of me. I am being charged with a federal crime for picking up a dead Great Horned Owl that Creator put into my path. I found it on the side of the road last July 2004 on my way to ceremony. The owl is a symbol of change. A lot of people believe that change to mean death and though death is change, it is not the only change that it represents. This owl still had a mouse in its talons and the message given to me was that my family would always be taken care of. The owl itself is a night watcher and I knew that he would always protect and watch over my alter while my family and I slept. This was the message I received when I found it and this is consistent with messages I received while on Vision Quest and during other ceremonial times. I found the owl in Knox Co. Indiana, but I live in Kentucky. I wanted to honor the governments' law by applying for a permit because I knew that if I tried to take the feathers back home to Canada for ceremony, I would have a hard time coming back into the states without a permit for them. I was 100 miles away from home, so I took the owl to the nearest taxidermist so it would not spoil, showed him my treaty card and he had me fill out paper work for it. He was delighted that I had a treaty card, otherwise he would not be able to touch it, he said. He also said he would have to notify Fish and Wildlife Services and I encouraged him to do so because I wanted to apply for a permit anyway. About 6 weeks later, around Sept. 2, I got a phone call from an agent named Paul Baringer. He told me he had to check out my status and verify the details of who I was, where I was born, what my tribal affiliation was and what my reasons for wanting the owl were. Then he told me that he saw no reason why I would not be issued a permit for the owl. On December 1, 2004, I got a FedEx package delivered to me from Fish and Wildlife. I thought I had finally gotten my permit only to open it up and find a citation for the amount of $1000.00 for possession of a Great Horned Owl. The agent that wrote the ticket is named Buddy Shapp. I called him up right then and asked him what the deal was. He said that because I was born in Canada and because I am not a member of a federally recognized tribe, I have no rights here in the states. He then told me that he thought my reasons for wanting the owl were bogus because he is part Cherokee and they don't want anything to do with the owl. I told him I was not going to pay the fine and that I would see him in court. My court date is set for January 20, 2005 at Crane Naval Base in Crane, Indiana. This is a maximum security naval base and I am limited as to who I can bring. They have told me that I can't bring any more than 5 people. My attorney spoke to the prosecutor and he said he is going full force with prosecuting me; that I broke the law by even touching that owl. This hearing on the 20th will only be a few minutes long with me entering a not guilty plea. The trial date will be set for mid March and is also to be held at Crane Naval Base. Again, I am limited to who can come with me. My attorney is going to ask for a change of venue, but if we can't get it, whoever comes to the trial is at risk of being arrested outside the gates of this high security compound. I feel the government is holding my hearing and trial here on purpose because they don't want hundreds of Indians flooding the courtroom. It would look bad on them. So all I can do now is to try to get this out to the media as far and wide as I can. The United States government is still dictating our spiritual way of life by making us get a permit for something that is supposed to be a given and received as an honor. Eagle feathers, hawk feathers, owl feathers, and any part thereof, crow feathers, blue jay feathers, the list goes on and on. I have the backing of several Spiritual Leaders, Medicine Men, and Chiefs from all over the U.S. and Canada who are willing to testify for me. We are going to have to subpoena all of them just for them to be able to come to court. My family and I are outraged and ask any of you reading this to please spread this story far and wide. I am including my phone number if anyone wants to check the validity of this story. The U.S. government has no right to dictate our religious beliefs or our sacred items and I should not have to wait on any kind of permit from a government that is trying to kick God out of every school and public building across this land. How can they continue to cry and scream separation of church and state? This is OUR church that is being controlled and dictated and I say it's time to put a stop to it. Mitakuye Oyasin, Matthew Cordes <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> I spoke with Mr. Cordes and he told me the charges against him had been dropped. He was told by the head of Fish and Wild Life in Washington D.C. that it was their policy not to take action against members of federally recognized tribes. . Mr. Cordes will probably have to go to court to get his owl back. At present, there are no permits issued to cover birds other than eagles. You can reach Matthew Cordes at 270-351-6398.

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