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| Robert Gopher, Listening Thunder |
Robert Gopher was a lifelong advocate for the oppressed, marginalized and voiceless. His life experience began as a child following his father around to various sundances (thirst lodge). He became proficient in the traditional wisdom of his elders at an early age. This was good preparation; as the youngest of 5 brothers, he lost his father to cancer, Robert was just a youth of 16 years. The elders of the thirst lodges, continued to provide him guidance throughout his youth and adult life--and stepped up to fill the gap. Never one to be discouraged by disadvantages, he devoted his life to the concept of an equal and just society.
He founded many social, economic, cultural, educational and environmental endeavors. He was a kind person, but a stern father. He fathered eight children, and lost a son, Gerald, in infancy, he raised his sons to be powwow singers, and he continued with a lifetime commitment of living the example "one person can make a difference." To honor his vision, we are kicking off a fund-raising effort to build an on-going Listening Thunder Spirit Fellowship program, which will be a permanent feature of our organization. We want to build direct action in all communities of need to honor the spirit of our late father and organization's founder.
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| Robert Gopher, with Sgt. Schriver, 1965, Great Falls |
He would want to know there are committed people addressing the most pressing issues of our time, from tar sands, unequal energy/resource development policies that strip poor and tribal communities of their voice, to climate change, to a broad array of environmental issues. Here in the United States, there is a need for a renewed effort to preserve and enhance individual civil rights. We need committed people to mount community challenges to the many onslaughts we are facing; we want to build our fellowship program as the vital cultural bridge that he believed was needed.
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