This spring, in April, to protest an oil mega-pipeline running through their waters and a general politics of disrespect for both the Earth and for Indigenous peoples, a group of Lakota Sioux women from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe established the Sacred Stones Camp as a prayer that the waters remain pure. That began as a small group, which now numbers in the thousands, with solidarity actions across the country, from other Native Tribes as well as other supporters. When it looked like the construction of the pipeline might not be stopped, Lakota women jumped over the barriers and put their bodies in the way and on the line. This summer, Lakota Sioux women are making sure Spring doesn’t end early this year.
In January, with no consultation with the residents of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, North Dakota approved the Dakota Access Pipeline. Residents of the Reservation immediately petitioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deny a final permit. In April, the women set up the camp, as a monitor, because, despite lack of formal approval, construction on the pipeline had begun. In July, a group of Lakota youth ran from North Dakota to Washington to deliver a petition to stop the pipeline … to no avail. The Corps approved the permit … or so everyone thought. This week, it turns out that the pipeline developer actually does not have a written easement to build on corps property.
Nevertheless, construction began in earnest in August, and Native protector protesters launched the next phase of their campaign, which included peaceful road blockades. Then, on Monday, August 15, Native women stormed the pipeline and stopped construction. Since then, the numbers of water protectors on site and of solidarity actions around the world have grown.
From the beginning, the Lakota women, men and children have said they are not so much protesters as water protectors. As Iyuskin American Horse explained, “ From all across the country, tribes are bringing us shelter, food and most importantly, prayers. To have all this unity of tribes standing together in solidarity before my eyes is a beautiful sight. Our tribes now live together, eat together, and pray together on the front lines. We are not protesters. We are protectors. We are peacefully defending our land and our ways of life. We are standing together in prayer, and fighting for what is right. We are making history here. We invite you to stand with us in defiance of the black snake.”
Sarah Sunshine Manning added, “When I close my eyes, I can still see the mist in the camp in the morning and feel the power in the shaking voices of the women who stormed in front of moving machinery to stop the pipeline construction as they told their stories late into the night. Standing Rock has changed us forever. Our hearts are with the water, the land, and with each other. Today, we stand armed with the medicine of unity and prayer, and the strength of our ancestors. Still standing for water. Still standing for life. In so many ways, we have already won.”
Joye Braun has been in the Sacred Stones Camp since April 1 “when there was still snow on the ground. Now we’re getting ready for winter again. We’re not going anywhere.” While the women of Sacred Stones Camp, and the women who are coming from Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and those coming in support, prepare for winter, they are also preparing us for Spring. Still standing for water. Still standing for life. In so many ways, we have already won.
If interested, you can donate to the Sacred Stone Camp fund at https://www.gofundme.com/sacredstonecamp. There’s a petition to stop the pipeline here www.change.org/RezpectOurWater
#RezpectOurWater #StandWithStandingRock #NODAPL
(Photo Credit: Unicorn Riot)
Standing Rock women plead for help as eviction looms http://www.dailydot.com/irl/standing-rock-women-eviction-video/
‘I Was Born to Be Here’: One of the Last Standing Rock Protesters Speaks Out https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/i-was-born-to-be-here-one-of-the-last-standing-rock-protesters-speaks-out
Water is life: The story of Standing Rock won’t go away http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/water-is-life-the-story-of-standing-rock-wont-go-away-20170224
We need to stand united with our sisters, female veterans join the fight.
This pipeline makes no sense. They are burning off the natural gas at the derricks. It looks like dawn is coming in the middle of the night.Why are they burning off the gas instead of building a pipeline for that? Instead they want to pipe this sludge? Why are they burning off the more valuable gas a better cleaner fuel for the environment!
The Standing Rock Sioux could still beat the Dakota Access Pipeline — in court http://grist.org/climate-energy/the-standing-rock-sioux-could-still-beat-the-dakota-access-pipeline-in-court/
After the Razing at Standing Rock https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/native-news/razing-standing-rock-oceti-sakowin/
How Contaminating the Water at Standing Rock Threatens Women’s Reproductive Rights http://www.teenvogue.com/story/water-standing-rock-womens-reproductive-rights
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Historian LaDonna Brave Bull Allard on DAPL Protests and Seventh Generation Activists http://www.teenvogue.com/story/standing-rock-sioux-tribe-ladonna-brave-bull-allard-interview-dapl-protests
Dakota Access pipeline and a feeder line leaked more than 100 gallons in March https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/22/dakota-access-pipeline-oil-leak-energy-transfer-partners
The Dakota Access Pipeline Has Sprung Two Leaks – And It Hasn’t Even Started Operating Yet https://www.sciencealert.com/the-dakota-access-pipeline-has-sprung-two-leaks-and-it-hasn-t-even-started-operating-yet
Judge Clears Pipeline Protester Charged in Drone Incident https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota/articles/2017-05-26/judge-clears-pipeline-protester-charged-in-drone-incident
Self-represented protester acquitted midway through trial http://bismarcktribune.com/self-represented-protester-acquitted-midway-through-trial/article_d01df282-12c2-54e3-80fe-e94879548365.html
Federal judge orders environmental review of Dakota Access pipeline https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/federal-judge-orders-environmental-review-of-dakota-access-pipeline/2017/06/14/6de94c98-5152-11e7-b064-828ba60fbb98_story.html
What Anti-Pipeline Warriors Have Learned from Standing Rock https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pad7zz/what-anti-pipeline-warriors-have-learned-from-standing-rock
Native Women’s Walk for Missouri River Reaches ND http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2017-08-25/environment/native-womens-walk-for-missouri-river-reaches-nd/a59143-1
A Standing Rock Activist on the Power of Reconnecting With Her Native Roots https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/zmymj4/a-standing-rock-activist-on-the-power-of-reconnecting-with-her-native-roots
Cannibal Economics: Why the Black Snake Will Eventually Eat Itself http://inthesetimes.com/rural-america/entry/20758/black-snake-wiindigo-economics-keystone-xl-pipeline-winona-laduke
Indigenous social movements: journalism versus activism in times of resistance https://www.opendemocracy.net/protest/jenni-monet-journalism-vs-activism
A judge just dealt a potentially fatal blow to Keystone XL https://www.hcn.org/articles/oil-a-judge-just-dealt-a-potentially-fatal-blow-to-keystone-xl
Standing Rock inspired Ocasio-Cortez to run. That’s the power of protest | Rebecca Solnit https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/14/standing-rock-ocasio-cortez-protest-climate-activism
Federal judge orders Dakota Access Pipeline shut down https://bismarcktribune.com/bakken/federal-judge-orders-dakota-access-pipeline-shut-down/article_2cc387a3-f003-5557-b356-4063123a62ad.html
‘No more broken treaties’: indigenous leaders urge Biden to shut down Dakota Access pipeline https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/21/dakota-access-pipeline-joe-biden-indigenous-environment
Standing Rock withdraws from ongoing environmental assessment of Dakota Access Pipeline https://news.mongabay.com/2022/02/standing-rock-withdraws-from-ongoing-environmental-assessment-of-dakota-access-pipeline/