Chili Yazzie -- Beyond the Pipeline, Standing Rock is Ultimate Stand for Earth Mother

'The confrontation is beyond the pipeline, it is a battle over the waters and earth that will sustain the life of our children into future times. It is an ultimate stand that may determine the future of life on the Earth Mother.' -- Chili Yazzie

By Chili Yazzie, Dine'

Letter to the Editor, Censored News

In struggles throughout history there is a positive and negative side, justice versus injustice, good against evil. The standoff at Standing Rock is such a story. The Energy Transfer Partners with its Dakota Access Pipeline and supporters on one side; the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and supporters on the other.  

Standing Rock and multitudes of people oppose inflicting more damage to the earth. The pipeline will destroy waters of life and further contaminate the environment. The permanent consequences of climate change will be inherited by our grandchildren.    

In this confrontation between the Destroyers and the Protectors; the Destroyers have the power of physical advantage and the Protectors have the power of spiritual advantage. The spiritual always prevails over the physical.   

The only recourse the Destroyers have is to exert more brute force which has its raw limitations. The arrogant taunting with massive and lethal physical force can do two things; intimidate its target into submission or provoke injury and possible loss of life. The show of force has failed in its intent, as the Protectors are not intimidated.      

It is clear who will prevail and who must back off. We want life; DAPL and such ‘developments’ across the world threatens all life. The confrontation is beyond the pipeline, it is a battle over the waters and earth that will sustain the life of our children into future times. It is an ultimate stand that may determine the future of life on the Earth Mother.

  The Legacy of XIT: Sounding out the Movement in the Beginning

This is XIT II composed of RC Gariss - rebel white brother, lead guitar; Tyrone King - Diné from Shiprock, percussionist; Lee Herrera – part Santo Domingo, drums; Tom Bee – Santee Lakota, lead vocals; Jomac Suazo – half Taos, bass guitar; Obie Sullivan – Muskogee Creek, piano and Chili Yazzie – Rez boy from south side, percussionist/roadie. A. Michael Martinez, lead vocals from Plight of the Redman had left XIT to pursue other music interest; RC, Lee, Tom Bee, Jomac are from ABQ, Obie is from Broken Arrow, outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, me I’m still in Shibrock and we lost my Brother Tyrone in 1995. Tyrone is on the Silent Warrior album recorded at Motown Studios in Hollywood, you can hear his bells.

Other XIT members were Bruce Davis, Apache/Samoan, 6’5” ex-Lobo wrestler (didn’t wear a shirt, just brown buckskin pants with fringes), he walked on to the next world. There were also JW King, road manager extraordinaire, Diné from Shiprock and Ed Johns, Diné, my roadie Brother from Crystal, Navajo Nation. With XIT II, there were 4 of us Diné on the road, they all passed on. I am the surviving member. -- Chili Yazzie (lower right in photo.)