The Quileute Nation needs your help with trying to obtain tsunami legislation, something that is in all of our minds with the tragedy in Japan.  Twilight Lexicon has a great report on the subject, which you can read in its entirety, below.

The first time we went to La Push the one thing that struck us were all the tsunami escape route signs that you see. We often think of Tsunamis as something affecting Asia, but they are a very real danger to those living on the Pacific Coast. Residents in California experienced destruction of property from the recent Tsunami as seen in this video. Imagine what would have happened if the quake was in North America and people didn’t have hours to prepare, and the relatively insignificant destruction of property was instead lost human life. In fact, in the year 1700 there was a major quake in the Canadian/US border( estimated 8.0) resulting in a Tsunami that caused mass destruction across the Pacific.

The Quileuete Nation needs your help. They have made a video and have pending legislation to allow them to better defend themselves against threats of nature. Please call your senators and tell them that you support this legislation.

The Quileute Tribe is utilizing a newly released video to assist in educating the public about the tsunami and flooding dangers facing the tribe. Situated along the Pacific Ocean and bordering the Olympic National Park, the members of the tiny one square mile fishing village are placing their hopes of moving to higher ground on the recently filed Quileute Tsunami Protection legislation (HR 1162) introduced on March 17, 2011 by Congressman Norm Dicks and Senator Maria Cantwell (D).

The video is posted on the Quileute Nation website at http://www.quileutenation.org/ and on the tribe’s Youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYksWOoP9pU.

Chairwoman Bonita Cleveland states, “This video is a very important educational tool for us to share with the public because it shows the urgency and need for the passage of this newly introduced legislation. It will explain the importance of us being able to relocate to higher ground the entire lower village which houses our administrative offices, tribal school, senior center, churches and the US Coast Guard Station that protects Tribal fishermen. It demonstrates the need for the safety of all our tribal members. The only hope the Tribe has to increase the amount of land available for traditional, religious and cultural use, housing and education is for historic Quileute lands held by the federal government to be transferred back to the Tribe.”

The video also shares footage of the Japanese tsunami. Cleveland shares, “Like everyone around the world watching the images on television, it is heart wrenching to see the loss of life and devastation, and the Quileute people’s thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in Japan. We continue to send prayers to everyone impacted by this catastrophe. Sadly, it also emphasizes the urgent and immediate need for the Quileute Tribe to move to higher ground, so we are grateful for the introduction of this critical legislation by Congressman Dicks and Senator Cantwell.”

The video provides significant insight into the many years the tribe has devoted to the quest to attain the lands needed to move to higher ground.

Cleveland says, “The introduction of the legislation is just the first step. We need the support of the American public to get this legislation passed. Please watch these videos and share them with your friends and family and then contact your legislators and ask them to support the Quileute Tsunami Protection legislation. The Quileute Tribe is grateful for your support.”