I was walking by when that happened, so I got scared and left. Please tell what this is I dont understand.

It means the settlers' children still carry the burden and fear of their history and treatment of the indigenous people's land in which you occupy by colonial military force. Still afraid of native people, our songs, the truth. www.idlenomore1.blogspot.ca/?m=1

Julia B this is happening all around the US and Canada. Banning together for our rights, even though the battle is in Canada, but many of us are afraid if it happens there it will happen here as well. As many of us have family in Canada too. There is nothing to be scared of, it is peaceful no one will get hurt. If they ask us to leave we will leave. It has happened at the south center mall and many other malls as well. As for Tacoma Mall they have been rude and banned Natives for 24 hours, it is not the amount of time that a race is banned that a race has been banned. It is freedom of speech and a public area. The police even threatened to tear gas people. We mean no harm, and no one will be harmed ever.

I missed it by an hour.. I was so proud and touched . Seen some I knew there. Please keep all our Canadian Native Brothers and Sisters in deep prayer. Many will suffer if that monster gets what he wants...

When stores in a mall close their doors , for fear of protestors, it is no longer peaceful, and arrests and eviction should ensue.

strongly disagree with you there Dr. jonboy. I think it's a load of crap to be threatened with forceful and harmful tactics just because some store owners caught a case of "fear of the unknown." Idle No More! much love and prayers to all my natives everywhere.

My Auntie rounded me up and we went to the Tacoma Mall Flash! It was good, several folks asked us what was happening, and we were able to share what is happening with Chief Spencer, the Tar Sands, the XL Pipeline, etc. Some folks just overreacted to the crowd...

Oh, I wish I could have been there! I know that every inch of land I walk on every day is stolen. The wetiko see everything as a transaction- the First People see their place as a relationship. The wetiko(people with the cannibal sickness, or what we now call sociopaths) view the earth as a commodity. The First People view the Earth as our Mother. She sells us nothing- but gives freely out of love. We need the wisdom of the First Peoples. The trajectory of this culture is painfully clear and headed for more suffering. My heart goes out to them and the Lummi who stand against the coal train.

Blessings to all my relations in the North! People who got scared of drumming and singing should NOT go to powwows, then you'll really be afraid for your life. (More fry bread for us!)

I wish I had been able to participate. To the non-Natives - Native people are trying to waken non-Natives to the crimes committed by our government and, in this case, the Canadian government. Non-natives need to learn about the horrors and murders committed by our government. Can you imagine being part of 300 men,women, and children being surrounded by armed soldiers and murdered for merely doing a dance our Government outlawed? www.essortment.com/native-american-ghost-dance-63695.html

I just missed the gathering by about 20 minutes. Wish I had known it was going to happen, I would have stayed and enjoyed the performance.

As it is with so many things these days, people only know what the tv tells them to know. Chief Theresa Spence is on a hunger strike, over two weeks now. Mato posted an idol link above.

Anyone that would be afraid of prayer songs, the heartbeat of mother earth and some round dancing all I have to say on that is I am sorry for those that live small lives with closed hearts.

The shops closing their doors is a silly response to native people gathering peacefully to draw attention to issues that are generally ignored by the rest of the world. Why on earth would there be arrests or evictions as a result of store owners overreacting? This was a brilliantly planned and executed moment of illumination. Well done, to those who planned and participated.

The bigger question now is: is it now a policy that when a flash mob dance begins...that the stores in closest proximatey have to close in fear of them being robbed? Or did they do it as an act of discrimination? I have to agree...if it were a group of teenagers, young/old adults, majority of them being white....and the stores didn't lock down...that it is a form of discrimination. I would be asking to take a look at their policy. Didn't look disruptful to me....looked more educational. Nicely put together; hooray for those who continue to stand their ground in a dignified manner.

I was singing with all my relations from the North. Not only was this peaceful but very spiritual. I felt proud the be involved even in a small way. I think it is absolutely silly that those jewelry stores and other felt threatened. They watch too much Fox news. Had this been a flash mob of carolers, or people yelling words from the Bible, they would have been given free coffee. Goof thing people from MY tribe (Blackfeet) weren't singing their songs, they scare the HELL out of white people. 20 people? Really?

had they stayed open, they would of tripled or quadrupled their business in a very short time...

Why would people be afraid of such a joyful event? If a little drumming and singing - if the presence of the people who have lived here since the beginning of recorded time - scares you so much; you've got a bad case of bad conscience, there, partner.

go back to your CASINOS and keep reaping the benifits and quit being so hypicritical. you do live and do as the white man does dont you, cell phones MONEY, the like ,talking about wanting it the way it was, hardly

Tacoma is a city one generation removed from becoming a large city, and its full of super paranoid people who run shops and spend the holiday season telling retail employees to follow "the black guy in the hat". Not a surprise a bunch of brown people would terrify the people who work at the sunglass hut.

LOL! "Shop owners who immediately closed" --what? singing and dancing scares them that much? Dang! We should sing and dance everywhere and they'll surrender from pure fear!

The shop owners were told by the police to close their stores for the safety of their customers. The police also threatened us with being arrested and tear gas...

Good lord we have found some sober natives... shocking.

I see women and children with the group of natives that were drumming and singing
and the caucasians were afraid. LOL!! Oh and the natives were sober, like the white
people don't drink alcohol!!

thats right theres alot of us sober natives out there what are you so scared of our singing and dancing fighting for our rights as people. i see flash mobs places I go, I dont hide and its sad to know alot of our tribal people use to shop here and spend lots of money, but we'll never be back they just lost my business. Its time for our tribes to stop dumbing money to help the city of tacoma and open our own malls and take back our land..

Thats okay no more natives at the prejudice mall and for you pilgrim man you have no class what so ever you people are the ones who introduced alcohol to the natives

There are scores of 'flashmobs' around the U.S. and to the best of my knowledge, no other shopowners closed their doors because they were frightened. Take time to learn about those indigeneous peoples who were here long before your ancestors came through Ellis Island.....(or illegally/undocumented). These people were trying to make a peaceful statement in solidarity with other ingdigeneous peoples who continue to be exploited. This is all part of the HOPI Prophecy.

I would like to say to my fellow Native brothers and sisters; though I am not Native, while at the mall in Olympia, I was invited to go and to drum with a proud and loving people. I was welcomed in to the circle by two Native women and they welcomed me with a warm heart and told me that I was one with them, as all of creation is one with each other. I was also welcomed and thanked by an Elder for coming to join them. I was proud to be a part of the time; to use the drum that was gifted to me, for the first time! I will not forget!
I have often wanted to know so much more of the rich culture, the chants, the deep ways...I often go to the Pow Wows to enjoy the Spirit that I personally sense in the talks and the drumming. Thanks to all for this time to celebrate with you. Woody