Moccasins on the Ground Tour of Resistance Cheyenne River

Photo by Natalie Hand

Resister Sisters Photo by Natalie Hand

Moccasins on the Ground – Tour of Resistance to Protect Sacred Water

Cheyenne River Lakota Homelands, Dupree, South Dakota

By Natalie Hand

Lakota Media Project

Owe Aku International
Censored News
English/Dutch

The Moccasins on the Ground (MOTG) training camp opened on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe homelands on a cold February night.  The Lakota people there put out a call for this non-violent direct action (NVDA) training to help them prepare themselves to defend their treaty territory from the potential construction of the Trans Canada KXL pipeline.

The event kicked off Friday evening with opening prayers for the sacred water and encouragement for the Cheyenne River Lakota people and the non-native allies from the surrounding area.

The training consists of an intensive 3-day curriculum that teaches community building; action strategizing; street medic training; media messaging; and identifying roles for direct action.  The trainers came from all over Turtle Island to offer their expertise including members of the Indigenous Environmental Network, Ruckus Society, Tar Sands Resistance, Utah Tar Sands, Native Youth Movement, Warriors Alliance, Street Medic, Owe Aku, Lakota Media Project, Clean Water Alliance, Media Collective and Idle No More.

Trainers shared their experiences ranging from forming a blockade to washing mace from their eyes, to effective use of social media and knowing your legal rights.  The participants included interveners in the South Dakota Public Utility Commission’s renewed application process by TransCanada, which has been scheduled for hearing in May, 2015.

Discussions at the training included understanding what kind of mischief is going on in Washington D.C. to get the KXL pipeline approved.

The frenzied pace at which the oil and mining industry is destroying this planet has caused native peoples and non-native allies to rise up and fight these corporations in a unified front.  Presentations included the destruction of the boreal forest and Athabascan River Basin in Alberta Canada.  Kandi Mossett of IEN presented on the devastation of the land, air and water in her homeland of the Arikira, Hidatsa, Mandan tribe in the Bakken oil fields.  Updates on the uranium mining case against Cameco at Crawford, NE and an update on the proposed uranium mining in the Black Hills was presented by Debra White Plume of Owe Aku and Carla Marshall of Clean Water Alliance.

Bold Nebraska volunteer Doug Grandt of Lincoln NE is a retired engineer and one-time employee of Exxon has pledged the rest of his days to “retire oil refineries”.  “My mother and grandmother were born and raised in northeast Nebraska, so I was motivated to fight to protect the land and water.” stated Grandt.

The effects of the tar sands mining in Alberta, Canada are evident and far-reaching.  Indigenous Athabascan peoples whose homelands have been irrevocably altered by the tar sands mines can no longer practice their sustenance hunting and fishing due to the contaminated waterways.

Nina Waste’ Wilson, Nakota/Dakota/Nehiyawan, co-founder of the Idle No More movement in Canada stated, “To me, water is the most powerful medicine.  We are water. As a woman, I have a spiritual duty to protect it! I love the Moccasins on the Ground training. It is the war horse for Mother Earth’s Army!”

During the camp, Dallas Goldtooth of IEN facilitated the Cheyenne River Lakota people through a consensus decision-making training session.

Jo Seenie, Anishinabe-Wolf Clan, of Warriors Alliance from Roseau River, Manitoba Canada said, “As a woman, I have a responsibility to defend the water.  Babies growing in our wombs need the water, their first medicine, to live.  I love the true warrior spirit here and am inspired that our nations are coming together!”

Sedona Film Fest bound!

Joseph White Eyes, Joye Braun and TJ Afraid of Hawk of the Cheyenne River organizers were present throughout the 3 day training and other organizers including Robin LeBeau and Wanikiya Win Cetan Hotanka were able to participate in some of the training.  Elizabeth Lone Eagle could not attend due to illness.  Paul Seamens, president of Dakota Rural Action was also in attendance for some of the training.  Many elders from the surrounding communities attended and gave and received encouragement.  Community members brought food to the resistance training throughout the weekend.  Social and ceremony songs were offered by Oyuhpe Singers of Manderson, South Dakota.

Vivian High Elk, Minnecojou/Itazipco Lakota elder assisted Ivan Looking Horse with a water ceremony to conclude this 14th and final Moccasins on the Ground training camp.

The Tour of Resistance continues to Arizona for the premiere of the documentary “Crying Earth Rise Up” on February 28, 2015 at the Sedona International Film Festival.

Support Moccasins on the Ground Resistance Tour: Donate to PayPal on Owe Aku International: http://oweakuinternational.org/

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More photos of Moccasins on the Ground at Cheyenne River 
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Dutch translation by Alice Holemans, NAIS

MOCCASINS ON TE GROUND: GROTE TOURNEE VAN HET VERZET

CHEYENNE RIVIER

Door Nathalie Hand – Lakota Media Project

Bron: Censored News: www.bsnorell.blogspot.com

Vertaald door NAIS: www.denaisgazet.be

Zusters in het verzet- foto: Nathalie Hand

Het trainingkamp van Moccasins on the Ground (MOTG) werd op een koude februariavond geopend op het Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe thuisland.

Het Lakota -volk heeft daar opgeroepen voor de geweldloze directe actie (NVDA) training om hen te helpen zich voor te bereiden om hun treaty- gebied te verdedigen tegen de mogelijke constructie van de Trans Canada KXL pijplijn.

Het evenement opende vrijdagavond met ‘opening- prayers’ voor het sacrale water en aanmoediging voor het Cheyenne River Lakota- volk en de niet-indiaanse bondgenoten van het omliggende gebied.

De 3-daagse intensieve training omvatte het aanleren van gemeenschapsopbouw; actiestrategieën, ‘street medic’ opleiding; media berichtgeving; en strategiën voor directe actie.

De lesgevers komen van uit heel Turtle Island om hun ervaringen en deskundigheid te delen.

Leden van het Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), Ruckus Society, Tar Sands Resistance, Utah Tar Sands, Native Youth Movement, Warriors Alliance, Street Medic, Owe Aku, Lakota Media Project, Clean Water Alliance, Media Collective en Idle No More.

De ervaringen die door de instructeurs gedeeld worden gaan van het vormen van een blokkade tot het uitwassen van hun ogen waarin gesprayd werd, tot een doeltreffend gebruik van sociale media en het kennen van uw rechten.

Onder de deelnemers bevinden zich ook interveniënten in het hernieuwde vergunningsproces door TransCanadabij bij de commissie van openbare nutsvoorzieningen, Zuid Dakota, die gehoord zullen worden in mei 2015.

De lage praktijken die in Washington DC plaats grijpen om groen licht te verkrijgen voor de KXL pijplijn worden besproken.

Het koortsachtige tempo waaraan de olie en mijn -industrie de planeet aan het verwoesten is was er de oorzaak van dat natives en niet- native bondgenoten één front vormden om op te staan tegen deze corporaties te bevechten.

Presentaties toonden de vernietiging van het boreaal woud en het Athabascan River basin in Alberta, Canada.

De presentatie van Kandi Mossett van IEN ging over de verwoesting van het land, lucht en water in haar thuisland van de Arikira, Hidatsa, Mandan Tribe in de Bakken olie velden.

Updates van de zaak van uranium ontginning door Cameco bij Crawford, NE en een update over de geplande uranium ontginning in de Black Hills werden gebracht door Debra White Plume van Owe Aku en Carla Marshall van Clean Water Alliance.

Doug Grandt, vrijwilliger van Bold Nebraska uit Lincoln NE, die een op rust gestelde ingenieur is en eens in dienst was van Exxon heeft de belofte gegeven dat hij zich voor de rest van zijn leven zal inzetten tegen de olie raffinaderijen.

“Mijn Moeder en mijn grootmoeder zijn geboren en getogen in noordoost Nebraska, en dat motiveerde mij om het land en het water te beschermen,” aldus Grandt.

De effecten van de teerzanden -ontginningen in Alberta, Canada zijn evident en verstrekkend.

Athabascan volk wiens thuislanden onherroepelijk veranderd zijn door de teerzanden- mijnen kunnen niet langer hun levensonderhoudende jacht en visvangst uitoefenen vanwege de vergiftigde waterwegen.

Nina Waste’Wilson, Nakota/Dakota/ Nehiyawan, mede oprichtster van de Idle No More Movementin Canada verklaarde: “Voor mij is water het meest krachtige medicijn. Wij zijn water. Als vrouw heb ik de spirituele plicht om het te beschermen! Ik hou van de Moccassins on the Ground training. Het is het oorlogspaard van het leger van Moeder Aarde!”

Tijdens het kamp gaf Dallas Goldtooth van IEN de mensen van de Cheyenne River Lakota door een training sessie de hulpmiddelen om een besluitvorming bij consensus na te streven.

Jo Seenie, Anishinabe- Wolf Clan, van de Warriors Alliance van Roseau River, Manitoba, Canada zei: “ als vrouw heb ik de verantwoordelijkheid om het water te beschermen. Baby’s die in onze baarmoeder groeien hebben water nodig, hun eerste medicijn om te leven. Ik hou van de ware warrior spirit die hier heerst en dat onze naties hier samen komen is bezielend.!”

Joseph White Eyes, Joye Braun en TJ Afraid of Hawk van de Cheyenne organisatoren waren aanwezig op de volle 3 dagen en andere organisatoren waaronder Robin LeBeau en Wanikiya Win Cetan Hotanka konden enkele trainingen meemaken.

Vele ‘Elders’ van de omliggende gemeenschappen namen deel en gaven en kregen aanmoediging.

Leden van de gemeenschap brachten het hele weekend door eten naar de verzet- trainingen.

Sociale en ceremoniële liederen werden gebracht door Oyuhpe Singers, van Manderson, Zuid Dakota.

Vivian High Elk, Minnecojou/Itazipco Lakota elder assisteerde Looking Horse met een water ceremonie als afsluiting van dit 14° en laatste Mocassins on the Ground training kamp.

De tour van het verzet trekt verder naar Arizona voor de première van de documentaire “Crying Earth Rise Up” op het Sedona international Film Festival, dat op 28 februari plaatsheeft. Sedona International Film Festival.

Meer foto’s: http://bsnorrell.blogspot.be/2015/02/moccasins-on-ground-tour-of-resistance.html

Photos Remembering Friends on Longest Walk 2 across America

Long Walk 2 in Denver and Western Shoshone land. Photo 1: Protesting Newmont gold mining in Denver, at the drum is Western Shoshone Carl 'Bad Bear' Sampson. Photo 2 Daniel, Miwok, and Kenzie, Dine' at Denver powwow. Photo 3 Govinda's Earthcycles radio broadcasting bus, live with Long Talk Radio at the Denver Capitol. Photo 4: The wonderful Miwok youth singers, and long walkers, on Western Shoshone land.

Native youth long walkers Lisa and Sage being honored at the end of Long Walk 2
on the National Mall in DC.

Photo set 2: Long Walk 2 at Ben and Cat Carnes home in southern Colorado in 2008. The powerful interviews on Earthcycles Long Talk radio with Ben Carnes led to a series of dramatic events.

During the Longest Walk 2 across America, Govinda of Earthcycles and I had the honor of hosting the five-month live Long Talk Radio. Broadcasting from the Earthcycles radio bus, with solar and a satellite, we shared stories from California to DC in 2008. In these photos are a few of the extraordinary Native American youth walkers who walked across America, and friends we met along the way. In memorial, we remember Willie Lonewolf and Tomas Reyes -- Brenda, Censored News

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Remembering our friends on Western Shoshone and Northern Paiute lands from Long Walk 2: Photo 1: Calvin Magpie, Cheyenne Arapahoe, runs across Western Shoshone land; Japanese long walker Yukio with Wesley Dick, Northern Paiute; Wesley with drum at home; Darlene and Jan in DC at the end of the Longest Walk. Photos by Brenda Norrell.

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After the Longest Walk 2: Political Prisoners Rally, outside

Denver National Convention Denver. Ben Carnes, Choctaw,

speaking. Photo Brenda Norrell

Denver Swat team facing Ben Carnes as he spoke

at Political Prisoners Rally

Courageous resisters to US torture, at a time when this was not

a common sight. Democratic National Convention 2008 Denver.

Photo Brenda Norrell

In memorial, long walker Tomas Reyes (on left.)

In memorial Willie Lonewolf, Ute and Dine' (on right)
with Luv the Messenger. 
Long walkers on Colorado Rockies summit.
Photo Courtesy of Joerael Julian Elliott.

Photo Oscar Honoree Harry Belafonte: Earthcycles Bus on Long Walk 2

Govinda's Earthcycles radio bus
on the National Mall in DC
at end of Long Walk 2.
Photo Brenda Norrell

Oscar Honoree Harry Belafonte joined Native American long walkers at the end of the Longest Walk 2 in DC

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Feb. 23, 2015

Harry Belafonte was honored at the Oscars last night for his activism. At the end of the Longest Walk 2 across America, Belafonte was onboard the Earthcycles bus in DC in July of 2008. 
At the conclusion of the live five-month Long Talk Radio across America, Govinda and I interviewed Belafonte, and Danny Glover, about racism in America. Congratulations to Harry Belafonte for making a difference.

Lakota Media Project Video 'Who will protect Cheyenne River? I will'

Watch Lakota Media Project Video: 

'Who will protect Cheyenne River? I will'

Moccasins on the Ground, Dupree, South Dakota, Feb. 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvYmnMIPi7o