World Peace and Prayer Day: The Power of Spirit
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| Sarah James, Gwich'in, sends a message to World Peace and Prayer Day of love from the far north, with a prayer for the caribou and the hope of an end to all wars. |
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| Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Lakota, speaking at World Peace and Prayer Day 2026 |
Article by Brenda Norrell, Censored News, noon, June 21, 2026
(Above) As World Peace and Prayer Day begins, an elder from Alaska offers her peoples' prayer. She speaks on the impact of Typhoon Halong in October of last year, which hit southwestern Alaska and Hooper Bay, where her family is from. There were 100 miles per hour winds, and that had never happened before. The people gathered and formed a circle and prayed with one mind at the water, they prayed for protection, here, where the people have lived here before contact with outsiders. "The prayers protected them." The typhoon hit other communities. "Their homes are totally destroyed." Now, the federal government is withholding funds to help them. She said that when the people of Hooper Bay prayed with one mind, one spirit, they changed the force of nature.
Paiute Josh Dini and youth honor Myron Dewey, Paiute, and his efforts at Standing Rock. They are sharing what is happening at Thacker Pass, where the lithium mining continues to mine at the massacre sites in northern Nevada.
On the ride, now from Green Grass in South Dakota, Josh said they are able to share what is happening at Thacker Pass, as they head on horseback for Greasy Grass. The open pit mining continues throughout the region of Thacker Pass.
Josh said the A.I., artificial intelligence, data centers are being pushed without the proper consultation with the tribes. The data centers are taking the land and water, even now during a drought, the data centers are coming for the water.
Dr. Valeriah BigEagle, Nakota/Hunkpati Dakota, speaks on the power of prayer and protection of the land and water. BigEagle shared how youth and elders organized before the action to protect Sacred Pe'sla in the Black Hills in May.
iktomi describes the efforts to protect Pipestone, where Native people have quarried stone for sacred pipes for thousands of years. There is now the threat of a proposed petroleum pipeline project, a possible reroute, by Magellan Pipeline Company.
Mathó Pahá (Bear Butte) South Dakota -- Chief Arvol Looking Horse began by recognizing Crazy Horse, and saying the horseback riders are coming from Green Grass and will proceed to Greasy Grass, the Little Big Horn, for the 150th Anniversary.
"Mother Earth is sick, and we are sick, because we nourish from Mother Earth," Chief Looking Horse said as World Peace and Prayer Day began at Bear Butte.
With a message of hope, Chief Looking Horse said his people are a people of peace and harmony, and more than ever, the youths are singing their songs and are running, walking, and on horseback, on the ride from Green Grass.
Speaking on the prophecy, Chief Looking Horse spoke of the time when his people followed the buffalo.
"Today we are coming back spiritually strong."
As World Peace and Prayer Day began, now in its thirtieth year, Chief Looking Horse spoke of the sacred, "Pipestone is the Blood of our People."
"We need peace in this world more than ever."
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| Paiute speak at World Peace and Prayer Day (Minute 33 on livestream) |
They shared a video of Paiute battling the loss of their land, and the poisoning of the water, land and air by the lithium mining. Speaking of his brother Myron Dewey, Josh shares a tribute to Myron, whose media reports and drone actions at Standing Rock are now part of history. Myron was killed in 2021.
On the ride, now from Green Grass in South Dakota, Josh said they are able to share what is happening at Thacker Pass, as they head on horseback for Greasy Grass. The open pit mining continues throughout the region of Thacker Pass.
The water was already poisoned by Anaconda's copper mining, which poisoned the water of his people downstream at Walker River Paiute Nation in Nevada.
Josh said the A.I., artificial intelligence, data centers are being pushed without the proper consultation with the tribes. The data centers are taking the land and water, even now during a drought, the data centers are coming for the water.
"We are Agaipaninadökadö, 'Trout Eaters,' but we have no more trout."
"What is going to happen when they take all of our water? What does than mean for us? What does that mean for future generations," Josh asks. "I'm thankful for these young men coming up, learning the prayers and songs and their ways of life."
"We use the horses to carry the prayers across the Nevada desert."
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| Valeriah BigEagle speaks on the protection of Pe'sla, with Martell Hesketh. (Minute 44 on the livestream.) |
At Sacred Pe'sla, two drill rigs were stopped from going in.
"Sometimes we have to meet the Creator half way -- and that means we had to have action."
An injunction, and preliminary injunction was filed to stop the drilling for graphite. Then, the company started drilling around the clock before the court hearing.
"We were out there scouting every day," she said. "We knew it took the prayers of our Ancestors to do that."
On May 8, the company rescinded the permit.
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| Video: Protecting Pe'sla, World Peace and Prayer Day |
"That was amazing."
There were drones and helicopters overhead, but the occupation went forward with prayer. The protectors had their own drone as well, for security.
"We felt safe there, we knew we were protected," BigEagle said, describing how they expected to be attacked.
She said it was an honor to be a part of this.
"The only weapons we had were our prayers," she said, describing the lockdowns and occupation to equipment to halt the drilling.
"When we are in solidarity and unity, we can make things happen," BigEagle said, speaking on ongoing efforts to protect the Sacred Black Hills.
Martell Hesketh, co-presenter, is a member of the Michel First Nation -- Mohawk and Plains Cree -- from Treaty 6 territory in Canada. She grew up on Coast Salish land.
Martell said they shared the truth and their own narrative, after law enforcement created rumors and falsely claimed that they had weapons there.
Now, Martell said they want others to know why they were putting their bodies on the line.
"In order to win these fights, we must unify and stand together," Martell said.
"Let's be inherently who we are," BigEagle said.
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| Listen (hour 1:04 on the livestream) |
Iktomi Waste Winyan Favel
Growing up in Pipestone
She grew up with her father protecting Pipestone, at a time when the kids spent their days looking for wild turnips, in the town of Pipestone, a racist town in Minnesota, near the South Dakota border.
Iktomi moved with her family to Pipestone at the age of two, to protect the sacred site and the quarry from abuse and exploitation.
"Always remember that your life matters, and you are here for a reason."
With inspiration to hold on to hope, she said decisions must be made for the future seven generations.
"Bad things happen when we don't listen."
One of those bad things was the Dust Bowl.
Iktomi said that when the U.S. government established control of the monument at Pipestone there was a big change in the environment.
It was called the Dust Bowl, and it started when the government took over the monument. The Dust Bowl started in the west, and rolled all across Turtle Island.
When the U.S. abused this sacred place, the people suffered, Iktomi said, revealing that the U.S. government took control of the Pipestone site in 1928, and the beginning of the Dust Bowl followed in 1930.
Iktomi describes how the sacred Pipestone is used for tourism in ways that hurt her heart.
"The Blood of our People is not for sale."
"Everyone has a role to play."
Listen to iktomi as she shares the sacred stories, the stories of the elders, and how the lack of respect endangers girls and women.
Listen to her words at hour 1:06 on the livestream:
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| Listen to the Survivors She came to understand how to become a teacher and a warrior. She took back her power. Growing up on Akwesasne Mohawk, she tells her story. In the Mohawk way, she was told not to whisper or yell, but to "make sure people hear you when you talk." She grew up with Ceremony and describes her own journey of "releasing the shame." Describing the abuse, she said Nathan was not a medicine man and does not represent the Lakota way. Nathan is in jail now because of the voices of the women -- the survivors of sexual assaults. "We spoke out, we prayed, we sacrificed." At first, she was terrified to tell others what happened to her. She came to understand that there are predators who look for vulnerable people. She came to understand how to become a teacher and a warrior. She took back her power. "Everything comes back," she said, recalling how women learned to question and to hold people accountable for abuse. "Always remember to listen when people come forward to tell their story." "I now have a voice." Listen to her words (hour 1:30 on the livestream) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhzYmFvavdA  |
Recently, she supported the efforts to halt the production of plastics, which took her to Korea. Micro-plastics are now invading our bodies, said Bellanger, born in Cass Lake, Minnesota on the Leech Lake Nation in Minnesota.
Listen to her words.
Macaoz'alus (HuckleberryEyes) Jackie Andrew of Lil'wat, St'at'imc Nation, Interior Salish. Stepping up to protect the water and land in B.C., Andrew said her people never gave up their land. listen to her words.
 Cedric and his wife Sissy Good House at World Peace and Prayer Day |
Cedric and Sissy Good House: The Long Battle for the Water at Standing Rock Faced with the pipeline coming through near Cannonball, Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault told the pipeline that he couldn't agree to this. "We were never involved from the beginning," Cedric Good House, Hunkpapa Lakota of Standing Rock, said today during World Peace and Prayer Day. There was no free, prior and informed consent. "We were shocked," Good House said, remembering that LaDonna Brave Bull said they must inform the people what is happening. Good House remembers when Energy Transfer's attorneys first brought the proposal for the Dakota Access Pipeline to Standing Rock, and he found out that the pipeline was planned north of the Cannonball River. In Standing Rock, Lakota, Dakota and Nakota responded with prayer and ceremony when they first heard of the pipeline coming through their homeland. "We asked for help." "We asked for help because we were fighting this billion dollar multi-billion dollar company." Good House said they prayed for help, and for the Spirits to help their governing body to make the right decisions. After prayer and ceremony, they shared the message of Mni Wiconi, Water is Life. Today, new legislation is being considered, Good House said, and pointed out that the EIS, Environmental Impact Statement, was just issued in March. "They've been operating for close to ten years illegally." "That's not dead," he said of the movement to protect the water. He said the people will never stop defending the water. "We're going to fight for water until the end of time."  Sissy Good House, from Cannonball, praised the strong women in this movement. "We have to be those women." She also thanked former Chairman Dave Archambault for bringing a program for youths. Now there are youth craft nights, and gatherings for Lakota language, and songs. "He did something after Oceti Sakowin." Sissy remembered telling her sons to feed the people first at Standing Rock camp. One night she drove through camp late and found her sons and nephew butchering and frying buffalo for the people. Sissy said that what began at Standing Rock camps continues today. "That gives me strength," Sissy said. During lunch at World Peace and Prayer Day today, videos will be shared. Gwich'in Sarah James will be offering a prayer.  In Fort Peck, Montana, they're working to protect Yellowstone's buffalo. Listen as he shares the work started by Rosalie Little Thunder, Lakota, to protect Yellowstone's wild buffalo herd.  Dënesųłiné Elder François PauletteChief Francois Paulette speaks on gaining aboriginal rights in what is called Canada "Protecting the Earth was the most important thing," he said during his address to World Peace and Prayer Day."Water is all life. Water is the center of all life." At the age of 21, he became Chief of his tribe, with the goal of protecting his people, the women and Mother Earth. As Chief, he filed major lawsuits which resulted in the recognition of aboriginal rights and titles. He battled oil companies, and the damning of the beautiful river that he lives by, a river that has sustained his people for thousands of years. Chief Paulette, Smith's Landing Treaty 8 First Nation in Northwest Territories, speaks on protecting the rivers. There were rivers where you could drink pure water with a cup. Now, the tarsands has contaminated the water. Smith's Landing is downriver from industries that are using up all the water before the river arrives there. "The water is the lowest I've ever seen." "There's less of everything, less buffalo, less caribou, less moose."  Chief Pauletee shared scenes from the rivers, suffering from the industries taking all the water upstream before they reach his people. Speaking on wildfires, he said, "Fire is a living Spirit, and we need to know how to deal with it." Chief Paulette lives by the big river, in the bush, not in town, and tells his grandchildren stories. "I come from the buffalo country." Speaking on the sources of life, he said there are ceremonies to understand the buffalo and all living things, in the living world. "My grandchildren are trying to instill hope, if we stay together, if we share the prophecies." Sharing prophecy, he said, that people from the deep south will begin to move north, and that is happening. The prophecy foretold that the 'Stone' people would come for gold and oil. They are going to make their money and they are going to leave. But when the tough times come, they will return, looking for water and food. "Right now we are preparing," he said, as he builds his food shelter. Food must be put aside for up to two years. "These prophecies are coming true." Smith's Landing First Nation (Chipewyan: Tthëbátthı́ dënesųłı̨ne) is headquartered at Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada. Members call themselves, in the Dene Suline language, the Thebati Dene Suhne. Listen to Chief Paulette at hour 3 on the livestream.  Gwich'in Sarah James grew up speaking her language, with nine children in her family. Listen as she shares her story, and her journey protecting the caribou, during World Peace and Prayer Day. Sarah speaks on the importance of protecting the wild from oil drilling in her homeland, in the far north, in her message shared by video. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is for the Gwich'in, the Place Where Life Begins, the birthing grounds of the caribou. "If we didn't have anything else to live, we would live off fish," James said, remembering her childhood during her video address to World Peace and Prayer Day. "We all can pray for peace. English is my second language, my first language is Gwich'in, and I'm proud of it." "I was raised on the land, maybe fifty miles from my nearest neighbors." She said the people burn daylight to make a living. "We were not rich, and we were not poor, but we were good." There are 15 Gwich'in villages in the United States and Canada. "We are united protecting the caribou." They grew up rationing food out, and her father was a trapper. Sarah said she could go into the bush with just a knife and survive. They always prayed for the caribou to protect their way of life. "Gwich'in people are committed to being united," Sarah said, adding that her people need prayers to continue in a good way. "Climate change is real in Alaska. We have to do our part to pray for climate change. And now with the whole world, we have to do our part and pray." Alaska is still wild, Sarah said, Yukon is still wild. In her statement to World Peace and Prayer Day, "We pray for all wars to stop. We pray for our friends and we pray for our enemies." Sarah thanked the people across the world for their prayers. The Gwich'in are united against oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They care for the land and their tribal way of life, she said. "We pray for the air to be clean, water to be clean, land to be clean, and all life to be clean. Without that, there will be no peace among us. Let's go pray. Let's go pray to go for alternative energy and use less oil until we don't have to," she said, urging everyone to pray for climate change because everybody needs to change their ways for protection of the land, water and air, and for world peace.  Guy Jones, Hunkpapa Lakota of Standing Rock, describes the extermination of his people, how the people fled to Canada, and Sitting Bull became the leader. "I'm Lakota." he says, it is a way of living. "Embrace those teachings." It is now 150 years after the Battle of Little Big Horn at Greasy Grass. During those years, the U.S. military, the U.S. government, and a society of people, came and killed the women, children and elderly. Speaking of Greasy Grass, he said, "It was a great victory" Jones says the balance and creativity can be obtained by talking with one another and living the Lakota way of life. (Listen to his words on his video message at hour 4:45 on the livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhzYmFvavdA The World Peace and Prayer Day continues: Listen as Ed Manuel, Secwepemc, is honored. During lunch break, watch the video from Bad River, Ojibwe in northern Wisconsin, on the opposition to Enbridge's Line 5. (Hour 4 on the livestream.)  Joseph White Eyes, Cheyenne River Lakota, speaks on the harm of data collection and A.I., artificial intelligence. "The moment we engage with them, the information no longer belongs to us," White Eyes says and describes the danger of searches on A.I. companies search engines and chat boxes. "Generative AI wouldn't be nothing without human interaction. So, when we say, I want to see a picture of a Sundance, what is generative AI going to do? They're going to go onto the web. They're going to search all the they're going to search trees. They're going to search Indians. They're going to have to conceptualize what a Sundance is. And it builds that model based off of what they look at. And then we start seeing things like pan-indianism show up on Facebook." The multi-billion dollar data companies are not only seizing everyone's data, but the data centers are using enormous amounts of water, polluting the land, water and air, and resulting in the demands for the mining of more critical minerals. Listen to his words at hour 6:20 on the livestream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhzYmFvavdA  Carla Rae Marshall, Lakota, speaks on the attacks on the sacred Black Hills. "We are fighting monsters." Carla Rae Marshall and Duane Two Bulls, Lakota, describe the gold and lithium mining, and the threats to the streams, rivers and aquifer. Listen to all of the speakers at World Peace and Prayer Day at: https://www.youtube.com/watch? |
