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Standing Down at Standing Rock
Mother Earth needs no protection; we need to protect each other from those who do us harm
How to keep up? Today I’ve had the pleasure of the company of my erstwhile colleague, Jenni Monet, whom we at ICMN lost track of for a while until I was able to scrounge up $500 in bail money last night. She had been thrown in stir for what we see as a patently unlawful arrest after being caught in a police sweep two days ago. At about 5 p.m. on February 1, 2017 approximately 75 Water Protectors, under the direction of Chase Iron Eyes, the failed contender for a North Dakota state congressional seat and a possible contender for Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, were arrested and jailed at the N.D. Morton County Correctional Center in Mandan. Ms. Monet, a practitioner of the journalistic arts of the highest order, was wrongly snared in the chaos, but I’ll let her tell her own story.
The group she was reporting on was the latest batch of Water Protectors to be arrested in this lengthy struggle with Dakota Access Pipeline companies and investors (President Trump having been one of the investors). The arrested are considered to be a rogue faction of the Oceti Sakowin camp that is now in the middle of dismantling as negotiations and court battles have become the new front line.
Against the wishes of the tribe’s members in the Cannonball district, the rogue camp was set up on private property much to the surprise of the owner. The rogue group formed after the Canonball district, home to the Oceti Sakowin camp, asked to have the camp dissolved or moved due to hardships endured by membership following the closure of Route 1806 by the Morton County Sheriff. The road intersects the district and provides the fastest route to hospitals, stores and the rest of Standing Rock territory. The district members used the tribal governance system to petition their government for relief from the camp and police presence.
Going against the wishes of his own people, Chase Iron Eyes organized a rogue faction and moved camp onto higher ground. Named The Last Child Camp, its organizers camp initiated fund raising efforts before it was even located and erected.
Meanwhile a small army of people is cleaning Oceti Sakowin with the intention that everybody will be gone or relocated by February 20, 2017. Friday, January 27, state Governor Doug Burgum met with camp leaders and Chairman David Archambault II. The five-hour meeting went well. Good feelings were felt that a resolution is in sight, distant maybe, but it can be seen.
More good news, someone or some group (maybe Camp Security) finally got a handle on the people instigating violence on the prayer lines recently (such as the clash on January 18) that resulted in innocent people getting hurt.
The bad news, there are fewer prayer lines.
Unfortunately, there has been no lack of trouble stirred up by the soon-to-be broke 501 c (3)’s with nothing to use or purpose to fund raise with. Anticipating the Chairman election run, a few hints of financial impropriety are being manufactured against the current Chairman. Which, if you know the current Chairman you would know those accusations to be disgruntled hogwash. Hmmmm, chin rubbing interesting. These two trains are never late in occupations like these.
It’s ugly, but to ignore it is to ignore reality. Every protest I have been involved in, from the first Longest Walk in 1978 and three Mohawk encampments, this always happens. Over speculation, sour grapes, call it want you want, there is always that ten percent that just can’t get those snakes out of their hair. And, they are not happy until everyone is miserable.
I have heard many culture-based stories and prophecies at my father’s side and on my travels beginning in 1964 when I was 8 years old. Not long after that period a great shift took place in Indian country. Our people began to move about like the dandelion seeds on the winds of change. Sounds poetic doesn’t it? Well, it is not meant to be, it is the truth. We took broken down vehicles, fixed them. Collected our change and dollars and set about in caravans, Trail of Broken Treaties, the White Roots of Peace and many other such forays by and among Native peoples, into communities both urban and educational to reservations and ceremonies.
In that time the elders and thinkers shared collective thoughts, values, visions and prophecies; they looked ahead to what would come so that we may be able to formulate a way to survive.
I never, however, heard of stories where we sat and strategized or even considered how we would set about protecting Mother Earth. We did discuss and remember how we, as a clear, distinct and independent people would survive the depravities of men not like our own. These are two different goals; one, living with natural change, and the other, preventing harm to us by man.
The Earth, a Mother, will do what all living things do, fight to live. The way I understand this life, our Mother (the Earth) will always watch out for those who know how to live with her. This does not mean those who would fight for her, or fight for their own survival. The Earth understands Machiavelli; the Earth witnessed the birth and times of Machiavelli.
We are just humans. Trying to get along with each other, to learn how to live without hurting that which sustains us, to learn how to be decent human beings. Pretty simple, wouldn’t you think? But, some knuckleheads just don’t get it. Enter European Americans.
I look around the Standing Rock camps. I see the camps’ “leadership” meeting, devising ways to “save the earth.” I see the hungry Native Machiavellis bite at the bit and stumble for the crown of leadership, rallying the people to sacrifice even more of their lives…to protect. Protect what? The earth? What a joke, when all the Earth needs of you is proof that you as an individual know her sacrifice and gift to you.
Let loose the mad woman the earth can be, let her clean herself of the harm mere man would attempt to do her. Let her shake her fur like a dog would wet fleas.
I look around from Facebook Hill and see two people. Those that accept the reality that they have proven themselves loyal to the Earth and those that feel they have not done enough to prove themselves (the weak). The first group knows how they helped and what they accomplished. The second group just doesn’t know yet their accomplishments or ignore them because they have a higher goal than that of honor for the earth.
The prayer that we see everyone make on “The Line” at Standing Rock is this, or it should be. “Great Mystery, that which we no need to understand but know is there. Help the weak to see the good, and help the good to assist the weak. The world we walk on is tender, strong, nourishing, vengeful and full of love. Help us not to fuck that up.”
So far, all I have seen is severe sacrifice. Long-term sacrifice that no person should have to tolerate. I know there are families being weakened over this struggle (one of many such battles), struggles in the northern hemisphere meager in number compared to elsewhere around the world. People at camp now look at each other in a hierarchical way. “I have been here longer than you, what gives you the right to have a say?” I see husbands and wives relationships, hundreds of miles distant, falling apart.
We are not going to change the mind of the criminals. They are ready to kill, maim and jail all involved. The next logical question is, if we all become Leonard Peltiers, who will be left to protect our families and ways that protect us from the anger of the Mother and the criminals? Who will carry on the ceremonies that separate us from the savages and ignorant?
We have lost something here at Standing Stone in the last few weeks. It has been replaced with recalcitrance, ignorance and political opportunity. And no, I am not talking about David A.
Myself, I am pulling the plug. I did all I could do here for my friends, my family, my allies and myself. And, so have a many other good people.
I approve of vengeance. I believe we should litigate and bleed the state of North Dakota and the County of Morton back into the stone age of all the wealth these greed-heads have taken from a country they never deserved nor earned or appreciate. They are stubborn and spoiled children and should be treated as such. Bad dogs, no bones.
The best we can do now is fall back, strengthen our own communities and families and continue living on the Red Path to what ever comes after. Our best revenge is to live and prosper.
We are but humble people wishing to never overstep our intent or abilities.
The Earth knows who her children are, and she knows who her enemies are. You can trust her on that.
As for the humans from DAPL, North Dakota. and so on? Well, like Noah learned, when it rains, it pours. As a Marine I see it this way, you made your bed, have at it.
I like to keep it simple. My warrior prayer is this, “Peace to my friends…confusion to my enemies.” That, to this Mohawk is a peaceful prayer. You do not want to bring this kind of crap to our territories. We don’t need no stinking EIS, to know what keeps our water clean.*
by Ray Cook, Opinions Editor.
CHUEN
Kin 151: Blue Galactic Monkey
I harmonize in order to play
Modeling illusion
I seal the process of magic
With the galactic ton of integrity
I am guided by the power of vision
I am a galactic activation portal
Enter me.
The creation is what experiences history; the Absolute does not experience history.*
*Star Traveler's 13 Moon Almanac of Synchronicity, Galactic Research Institute, Law of Time Press, Ashland, Oregon, 2016-2017.
The Sacred Tzolk'in
Svadhistana Chakra (Kali Plasma)
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