Dine' answer call to Standing Rock with N'aa'baahii and K'e, Warriors and Kinship

Photos copyright by Kodee Artis, Dine'

Photos copyright by Kodee Artis, Dine'

Photos copyright by Kodee Artis, Dine'

Dine' answer the nationwide call to action in Standing Rock

By Brenda Norrell

Censored News

Dine' continue to unite with Dakota, Lakota and Nakota in the struggle to protect the water of the Missouri River and burial places at Standing Rock. Kodee Artis is among the Dine' who answered the call to come to Standing Rock following the recent brutal vicious attacks by police.
Artis, Dine' from Iyanbito, New Mexico, said he came with the Red Nation, who answered the nationwide call to action, and found the meaning of N'daa'baahii and K'e.
"We stayed for a day and two nights. We witnessed many people who taught the meaning of N'daa'baahii (Warrior) and K'e (Kinship). Whether it is cooking for the whole community, giving wisdom, or staring the invaders in the face, they are our warriors. Warriors for our people of all nations, life, water, and our generations. They are fighting for our existence, our livelihood, that is at risk of destruction by settler-colonialism, capitalism, and the American government. Wherever you are pray, donate, and support our resistance," Artis said.
Artis, a student at the University of New Mexico, is studying philosophy and "conducting research on Navajo and its applications in a colonial world."
Living in the time of monsters
Now, Artis describes seeing the Dakota Access Pipeline and coming back home to the Piñon Pipeline.
"The Black Snake and The Gambler it seems these are the two of the same species. The Gambler (who lived in Chaco) once told us that he would come back to enslave our people. Now is the time he has come back in the shape of a settler-colonial power. He is alive and well living amongst us like the Black Snake. The stories told us that once we unite we have the ability to defeat these monsters. Our prayers, our weapons and ourselves were able to send him away. We must realize that we are facing the monsters here and now. We are living the stories that our ancestors once told us. Like our ancestors We can defeat these monsters. We have the ability to succeed, remember that," Artis said today.
The Oceti Sakowin Camp has grown to about 5,000 water protectors with the recent call to action. Delegations are responding after police fired teargas, pepper spray and rubber bullets into crowds of unarmed water protectors. Along with the largest camp, Oceti Sakown Camp, there is the original camp, Camp of the Sacred Stones, and Sicangu Lakota Oyate (Rosebud) Camp.
Dine' runners arrive
AJ+ (Digital Al Jazeera on Facebook) shares this video of the Dine' runners to Standing Rock.
AJ Plus says, "We're at Standing Rock with a 26-year-old Navajo runner who just arrived with a group who made a 1,000+ mile long journey running here from Arizona & New Mexico."
Watch video interview:

Article copyright Brenda Norrell, Censored News. Photo copyrights Kodee Artis and Osprey Orielle Lake.