Water Protectors Resilience Tour in Paris by Christine Prat

WATER PROTECTORS' 'RESILIENCE TOUR' IN EUROPE: THE STRUGGLE AGAINST PIPELINES GOES ON

By Christine Prat in Paris
Censored News
In French at:
http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=4713

Two Water Protectors, who have been fighting and suffering a lot in Standing Rock, Nataanii Means and Tufawon, are now back to Europe for a "Resilience Tour". In Paris, they took part in several events, to celebrate AIM's 50^th Anniversary, and CSIA's (Committee in Solidarity with Indians in the Americas) 40^th Anniversary.

On October 12^th, in the afternoon, a gathering took place to honor the AIM and pay a tribute to the leaders who have passed to the Spirit World, and, in the evening, Raye Zaragoza (Akimel O'odham/Xicana), Nataanii Means and Tufawon had a show.

The evening started with beautiful songs by Raye Zaragoza.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/296193009?quality=720p " 

Then, Nataanii and Tufawon started with their hip-hop show. Nataanii presented himself and delivered a speech about the AIM leaders who left us, explained how complicated it was without the Elders, and said that their struggle to protect water is still going, now against the pipeline Line 3 of Enbridge.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/296205497?quality=720p " 

Nataanii Means presented himself, saying that he came from three different Nations: Oglala Lakota, Omaha and Dineh (Dineh being often known as Navajos).

Then Nataanii talked about the AIM:

"My father fought for a long time, alongside my auntie and my uncle here, Jimbo and Jean. They all worked together for a long time. Jimbo talked about how our past leaders are past away now, no matter whoever they grouped with. Jean said it too. Everyone they grouped with in the movement, they are gone now.

"I am a product of what they built. One day, I shall be an ancestor to one of my people. So are you. That's why we have to start thinking collectively as conscious people.

"We are fighting another pipeline, in Minnesota." It's called Line 3, and you can look it up on the Internet, at www.stopline3.org. On Facebook, look up Ginew Collective, g, i, n, e, w. [https://www.facebook.com/ginewcollective/] Look that up.

Nataanii said, "But a few weeks ago, me and Tufawon, we just came from that camp. "We're fighting that billionaire company, and I was sitting there, in a meeting, and I looked around, because a question came up. It was a really hard question, and I expected somebody else to answer it. I expected one of my Elders to be there to answer it. But they were not there, there was nobody there. There was us. And that was a new feeling for me, to be there without these people. But that's how life is, you understand that.

"You know, it's hard for me and Rafa [Tufawon] to both be here. You know that, leave those guys behind to do a lot of work.

"So, the least we can do for them is to ask you to go home and look up stopline3.org and Ginew Collective, and share with your circle, donate and spread the word," Nataanii said.

Excerpt from the info page of stopline3, there is much more info on this site – among others, several video interviews of Winona La Duke – thus look it up:

The existing Line 3 is an Enbridge pipeline that ships crude oil from Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin. It spans northern Minnesota, crossing the Leech Lake and Fond du Lac reservations and the l855, 1854, and l842 treaty areas.  And it is a ticking time bomb. It was built with defective steel in l96l, has had numerous ruptures and spills, and is running at half pressure because of severe corrosion.  Instead of cleaning up this liability, Enbridge wants to simply leave it in the ground forever, and cut a brand new energy corridor through our best lakes, wetlands, and wild rice beds, and the heart of Ojibwe treaty territory.  They first proposed this new route for the Sandpiper pipeline in 2013, but years of fierce resistance in Minnesota drove them to cancel that project and buy a share of the Dakota Access pipeline instead. At $7.5 billion, the proposed new Line 3 would be the largest project in Enbridge's history and one of the largest crude oil pipelines in the continent, carrying up to 915,000 barrels per day of one of the dirtiest fuels on earth, tar sands crude. They call it a "replacement" but it is larger, with higher volume, in a new corridor.  First Nations, tribal governments, landowners, environmental groups, and communities across the Great Lakes have been fighting for 5 years now to stop this new corridor and #StopLine3.  We are here to protect the water and our future generations.

Then, Nataanii and Tufawon went back to playing music.
(Watch videos)

https://player.vimeo.com/video/295437726?quality=720p  
and

https://player.vimeo.com/video/295053817?quality=720p 

http://www.chrisp.lautre.net

Nataanii Means in Paris 'Learning to Be a Human Being at Standing Rock'

Nataanii Means Photo by Christine Prat in Paris

Words of Nataanii Means in Paris
Recorded and transcribed by Christine Prat in Paris
Censored News
French translation by Christine Prat
http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=4243

PARIS -- Nataanii Means was one of the speakers during the 37th Annual Day of Solidarity with Indians of the Americas organized by the CSIA-nitassinan. He talked about his experience in Standing Rock, during the struggle against the Dakota Access Pipeline, DAPL, commented on the documentary “Rise," by Michelle Latimer, produced by Viceland.
After presenting himself, as Lakota, Omaha and Dineh, and thanked the people in the audience for having taken time from their Saturday in order to be there, Nataanii talked about what he had been going through last year.
"For the past two years, the CSIA has brought me out to perform, to speak, and last year I was living at the camps, I was living in a Teepee with my friend Tyler, in the Camp Red Warrior. I took time to fly over here and then I went back. The tension had grown a lot and I ended up being arrested, on November 27th. It was the day we called ‘The Treaty Camp Raid’. I think our initial charges were a felony charge and three misdemeanor.
Just watching that film brought back a lot of memories, a lot of good memories, a lot of bad memories, a lot of regret, a lot of pain, and a lot of anger.
You know, a lot of us, we gave up a lot to go out there and our whole lives changed after that. The film was very beautiful, the pictures are very beautiful, of my people, and I don’t want you to keep that in your head as how we are all the time. Because we come from very hard circumstances. Our biggest fight, our whole fight, was with each other. I have to tell you straight away, because we fought each other hard.
And it was really a struggle to even go on, like to physically stop the pipeline, we were fighting eternally just to do that. Because a lot of people in the camps did not respect the diversity of tactics. 
A lot of people gained a lot of things from this fight, you know, as far as eagle boots, as far as money... For me, I gained a lot of regret. I was just talking to Tara [Houska], right there, we were watching the end of that video... F--k that, man! It ends so badly! And all those veterans coming, it did not help anything. From the beginning of the camps - you have to understand - our people have been oppressed for so long, that we have just not gained the knowledge and the just understanding of what matriarchy is. But ideas of patriarchy are so implemented into older people, they have suffered through the system, it has just been in them, for generations. It was really hard to work in that camp because of those ideas of patriarchy, they kind of reign supreme, even though we were trying to stay true to ourselves.
Myself and a few of my friends, we stayed through the winter, after we were ended, we stayed three months after that. And that’s when we’ve really seen the corruption of Standing Rock Sioux Tribe [council], of IRA [Indian Reorganization Act] governments. We’ve seen how those veterans showed up, ended up infiltrating into certain groups and dividing the people. Later on we found out that those infiltrating groups were bringing drugs in. And the winter was really hard, one of the hardest we’d been through, we got four blizzards. And that’s when I learned how to be, it was one of the hardest times of my life. It was how I learned to be a human being, I think.
Because we had to care for each other, we had to watch out for each other. It was not about any kind of groups in the camp, it was about who is living there. And it was about not freezing to death. And that kind of detoured us from thinking about the pipeline. During that time, the work was presumably halted. But they were drilling underneath the river the whole time they were not supposed to be working. We did not have the numbers, we did not have the support, and we did not have the energy to even carry out any kind of action to stop the drilling.
I tell you the story because I thought it would help, but I don’t want to keep these guys [other speakers] waiting because I tell a long story. I tell you the story on this one:
There is one point in February when with Witko and Tufawon, we got back from a trip [to call banks to disinvestment], and our friends Yazz and Sage, and a few other people said “we have an idea”. They had this paper, it was divided in three sections and one said ‘weeks’, the other said ‘months’ and the other said ‘years’. I said ‘what is this?’ And they told me ‘if you had to do time, how much do you wanna do, to stop this pipeline?’ I just looked at it and I thought ‘no time’. We were suffering of severe paranoia, and we were tired all the time, and it was cold, and there are a lot of things that are not seen on camera: we fought the cops many times on the bridge, the National Guard... and by that time we got arrested most of the time, so I looked at that paper and I said ‘years’.
And that’s not to brag, that’s not to be seen as this much of a warrior, I don’t think of myself as a warrior. I mean, I would have preferred it to be weeks, but I looked at it, ‘if I want to do this, it is when I want to sacrifice’. And it was only me and Sage that picked years. And each category had a role to play in our plan, Anyway, they had a women gathering a couple of days after that, a few of my aunts came to share wisdom with those young women and they got some power in camps, it was really good to see. When I say ‘my aunts’, it’s Madonna Thunderhawk and Marbella Philips.
They were part of that women’s camp. We went to them with the plans to ask their advice, because those women were at Wounded Knee in 1973 and since that tie they’ve done so much work for the movement. So I asked them what they thought. And they told me ‘you’re too young, we don’t need you in prison yet. There are already enough of us in prison’. And it confused me. I did not know how to feel about that.
And they really did not want us to do it. So we listened to them. For we value them, we value their opinions, their wisdom. So we did not go through with the plan, we went through with another one, which did not even work. The cops had finally found out about it. That’s the end of February, that’s when they closed the camps. And they had done drilling in March. But ever since that decision, everyday I think about that.
What remain is torment and regret. I don’t think we won. I think we lost, we lost our fight. And I know about losing fights!
I don’t know what the answer is, I don’t want to pretend to know what the answers are. I know what I have to do as an indigenous young man. I am honored to be up here, with these people, I am honored to be here with you and I am honored to represent my Nation, and I just came to the realization a while ago, that we’re gonna have to fight every single day in our life and that’s something I don’t expect you to understand, I don’t think you will understand it, but that’s what we do, that’s who we are.
And I think that balances my torment, because I am so proud to be this person I am, so proud to have my ancestors running through my veins. So I am going to honor them the best way I can, every single day of my life.
And I’ll continue to fight, whether that be through music, through art, through court systems, through frontline work, for community development or with the youth.
------------
Copyright Nataanii Means, Christine Prat, Censored News
No potion may be reproduced without permission of Nataanii Means

Resist! Nataanii Means tells Supporters in Spain

Photos: Nataanii Means with water protectors shutting down Credit Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland, before continuing to Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, on the 11 country tour of Europe.

Resist! Nataanii Means tells Supporters in Spain: The Legacy of Resistance, Standing Rock and Genocide

Article by Brenda Norrell
Recorded by Pascal Gregis in Madrid
Censored News
June 9, 2017
Audio is available for radio stations
brendanorrell@gmail.com

MADRID, Spain -- Nataanii Means, Dine' Omaha and Lakota, described being in Standing Rock Camp for seven months, resisting Dakota Access Pipeline, as Standing Rock Water Protectors concluded their 11 country tour in Europe.

Describing the Native American resistance in Standing Rock, he said, "This wasn't the first one, and it isn't the last."

"As Indigenous People we grow up in this, because we know nothing else."

"From the time we are born, we are fighting something."

Nataanii, who grew up in Chinle, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, told of the open uranium mines on his homeland, and how radioactivity leaked into Navajos ground water and water sources. Now, the people are dying from cancer. He said this could happen to him.

Nataanii described the large open pit coal mine on the Navajo Nation.

"It is one thing to hear it, it is another thing to live it, it is another thing to die from it."

Nataanii said North Dakota is an oil boom state and the Dakota Access Pipeline was originally supposed to go through Bismarck.

Describing the suicide, and the violence inflicted on Native people, he said this oil boom is contributing to the violence against Native people. He said the violence has resulted in sex trafficking and murdered and missing Native women.

Dakota Access Pipeline did not pass through Bismarck, because the route was moved to 1851 Treaty land, he said.

The 1851 Treaty was the first of two treaties. A Peace Treaty followed because the U.S. wanted its wagons to pass through the land.

"We gave them peace. But the Treaty was never honored."

Treaties are the Supreme Law of the Land, but the U.S. has never honored the Treaties, he said.

Describing the manipulations of the law and permitting that resulted in DAPL receiving a permit, he said, "They fast tracked this pipeline to go through."

Nataanii described how the resistance movement and camp was started by youths and women of Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Tribes.

The youths ran from Standing Rock to Washington D.C. Then, in August, DAPL came in with their bulldozers and they struck artifacts.

Nataanii said he arrived the next day.

From that point on, he joined those who fought the pipeline, in a peaceful way. Resisting in a peaceful way was requested by the elders and it was honored.

Dakota Access Pipeline hired TigerSwan, former Blackwater, mercenaries, as private security.

"On our first encounter, they sicced dogs on us."

"They came out with huge dogs, and they released dogs on us."

Nataanii said the dogs took one woman down by her breast and the security guards laughed.

Nataanii also described meeting with Credit Suisse in Geneva, Switzerland.

"We told them they are investing in the Genocide of our People."

Nataanii described the heartless reaction of Credit Suisse. The bank's sustainability officer denied the genocide of Native Americans.

Nataanii said the fact is that American Indians were reduced to about 200,000 through genocide.

This genocide continues.

"Almost everything was destroyed. That is genocide."

"Now I watch my people die from cancer."

"I watched my dad die of cancer, my grandpa, my friends."

The militarization of the police grew worse at Standing Rock.

"It was hard to remain unarmed."

He said they remained peaceful because there were children in camp. They did not stand a chance against the militarized police and guns.

Standing Rock was not the beginning, and will not be the end.

The resistance continues in New Mexico, and elsewhere, as Keystone XL is also being revived, and the fight continues against Enbridge in Canada.

"We've won before, it is possible to win again," Nataanii said, describing some of those victories.

"I have faith we can stop this pipeline through divestment."

Nataanii described the Tour to Europe, and how Water Protector Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot, worked hard in Seattle for Wells Fargo to divest in DAPL.

As for Credit Suisse in Geneva, he said, "They are heartless. They have no soul." He said the bank's sustainability officer flew in from Zurich.

Nataanii asked for help in this fight.

"You have voices and can go places we can't."

Urging people to struggle to save this Planet, he also urged the people here not to let it get to the point where the water is flammable.

Due to imminent domain, the people didn't even have a chance to say 'No' and stop DAPL.

Nataanii said the Earth will heal itself, but the people must be humbled.

"Keep fighting, keep up the resistance."

Nataanii told the people here, to keep up the resistance, and the knowledge, because it is helping.
Nataanii Means joined Water Protectors from Standing Rock Camp, Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot from Washington State; Waste Win Young, Dakota Lakota from Standing Rock; and Rafael Gonzalez, Dakota from Minneapolis. The Tour concluded in Spain and Italy, and included 11 countries in Europe.

Nataanii Means Meets with Spain's Parliament as Water Protectors Urge Divestment

Nataanii Means meeting with members of Spain's Parliament. Photo courtesy Nataanii Means

Nataanii Means, Dine' Lakota from Chinle on the Navajo Nation, met with members of Parliament in Spain, as Water Protectors from Standing Rock camps concluded their 11 Country Tour of Europe

By Nataanii Nez Means, Dine' Lakota

Censored News

Today we met with MP's from Spanish parliament, asking that they take action with BBVA, a Spanish bank that is invested in fossil fuel extraction on Turtle Island (DAPL and other pipelines). We asked that regulations be made for free and prior informed consent with indigenous nations and also transparency with their investments. I can say that this specific party in Spanish parliament, from my understanding is very new, but is also very progressive with stopping fracking and other destructions of Mother Earth. This isn't my normal course of taking action but I'm learning a lot and education is key in these fights.
So yeah. That was my day. Now I'm in Barcelona, two more days, one more show, and I'm heading home.
I ain't gonna lie, it's was very difficult being in the Spanish Congress knowing the history that has happened in the southwest, and all the other invaded territories they occupied, also the doctrine of discovery. But I've had good conversations with everyone I've talked with. Still, it's difficult.

-- June 12, 2017

Celebrating Water Protectors from Standing Rock Camps in Barcelona, Spain
Photo by Rachel Heaton, Muckleshoot

Nataanii Nez Means on European Tour

Nataanii Nez Means, son of Gloria Grant Means of Chinle on the Navajo Nation and Lakota activist Russell Means, performed as a Hip Hop artist on the 11 country tour of Europe, with Rafael Gonzalez, Dakota from Minneapolis. With Waste Win Young, Dakota Lakota from Standing Rock, and Rachael Heaton, Muckleshoot from Washington State, water protectors from Standing Rock camps, urged divestment in Dakota Access Pipeline and fossil fuel extraction, investing in clean energy, and respect for Indigenous rights. While meeting with members of Spain's Parliament, Means urged respect and compliance with the U.N. Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples, which requires free, prior and informed consent before entering the territories of Indigenous Peoples for development.

Congress of Deputies of Spain

The Congress of Deputies of Spain, commonly referred to as simply the Congress of Deputies (Spanish: Congreso de los Diputados; Basque: Diputatuen Kongresua; Catalan: Congrés dels Diputats; Galician: Congreso dos Deputados) is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain's legislative branch. It is located in the Palace of the Parliament (Plaza de las Cortes, Madrid).

It has 350 members elected by constituencies (matching Spanish provinces) by proportional representation using the D'Hondt method. Congressmen serve four-year terms. The President of the Congress of Deputies is the analogue to a speaker and presides over debates.

In the Congress, members of the Parliament from the political parties, or groups of parties, form parliamentary groups. Groups must be formed by at least 15 MPs, but a group can also be formed with only five MPs if the parties got at least 5% of the nationwide vote, or 15% of the votes in the constituencies in which they ran. The MPs belonging to parties who cannot create their own parliamentary group form the Mixed Group. -- Wikipedia