Hi folks, .. So, caving in before the election results were finally in last night (or this morning), woke up to the shock heard round the world and still reverberating... Beautiful, clear, unseasonably warm day. Could hit 70 degrees. Drove north on Rt 24 toward the Standing Rock Camps. Before we came to the camps we turned off on the road to Cannonball and drove around the community. Where we turned off was also a sign to the Sacred Stone Spirit Camp, so we continued driving, ending up at the camp. Parked our car outside the check point, where we were welcomed but asked not to take pictures. We walked down a hill and walked around the camp--various kinds of teepees, tents, yerts, vans, etc. People were very friendly and welcoming. There was a white board in the cooking area with news updates written on it, including the election results. A new, more permanent kitchen is being built there. There is a teepee section of the camp where the Pipe Holder will stay, when it is finished. We talked to a couple of Native Americans who have been on the front lines of the Water Protecting Prayer Actions. A straw bale school is also being built. This is a "presence" camp and not an activist camp. Sacred Stone Camp began April 1 when Lakota Sioux LaDonna Brave Bull Allard called for other Native Americans to come to her land in Standing Rock in support of the Water Protectors who were trying to protect the water from the encroaching oil pipeline. She thought maybe 40 would come. The camp started with just a couple of teepees. It continued to expand as other non Native Americans came to support the effort. Soon a second camp was started across the river on Army Corps of Engineers land. It continues to grow. Returned by the same road to the entrance of the road to Cannonball to the Pit Stop, a small general store which is now doing a lot of business due to the camps. Looked at the historic interest markers about the history of Cannonball, and the big round stones that used to be created by the whirlpool at the convergence of the Cannonball River and the Missouri River. After the area was flooded by the placement of 5 dams upstream, the cannonballs or sacred stones were no longer created.
From there we drove to a dirt drive just before the bridge over the Cannonball River to the Sicangu Camp, mostly Rosebud Sioux, but others can stay there as well. This is where Salvatore and Dianne camped in support of Rosebud families they know. We around the camp for a while. Across the river we could see a prayer group by the water's edge.
We left Sicangu, crossed the bridge and soon were again at Oceti Sakowin. The area of the camp is vast. Hard to tell how many are there, as people come and go and numbers grow during the weekends. We went to the center camp fire and eventually connected with Salvatore and Dianne again. Then we walked around, took some photos, and tried to find Shiela but she was in Mandan getting supplies. We returned to the camp fire which is burning all the time. A man under a shed at one end makes announcements from time to time: keeping traffic flowing, sharing Native American wisdom and telling Native American jokes, announcing the arrival of mail and lost and found items, announcing events coming up. Today: 4 sweat lodges and an afternoon "action". Food used to be prepared and distributed and the main campfire used to be a very active place. Now, smaller groups have their own campfires and cooking areas so as to distribute the burden of feeding such large numbers of people. All are invited to eat whatever is prepared. People can come up to the mike and make announcements, sing, introduce themselves, make comments. That happens from time to time. The camp fire is also where dancing and various ceremonies take place. There is a 9am orientation for those coming to the camp and a 2pm mandatory training for anyone who plans to participate in any of the "actions". There is Facebook Hill which is the best receiving area for internet, also the site of the charging station, the Indian Environmental Network, and also the legal aid station. Great overview of the whole camp, the river and the camps on the other side. We connected again with Salvatore and Dianne at the campfire and also finally found Shiela Johnson who is coordinating meals for the Medic Camp. As we walk around, it is a very peaceful camp or self-organization. Areas are designated for chopping wood, various camps, medics, supplies, counseling, etc. Native Americans exercise their horses. Porta Johns are strategically placed in various locations and are serviced regularly by the rental company. The camps are clean and not littered, and garbage is regularly collected and hauled out of camp. The word around camp is that the pipeline is going to be put under the river sometime in the next two weeks whether they get the permit or not. We'll see... As we were preparing to leave there was a large group of people on the main dirt road, some on horses and a leader with a megaphone. It turned out to be a "shaming ceremony". From what we could understand, evidently a man had or had attempted to sexually abuse a girt/lady and he was being held accountable publicly, his name called out as he stood their surrounded by the crowd. His punishment was to be banished from the camp, never to return. The crowd and men on horses accompanied along the flag-marked road to the entrance of the camp, and down route 24 beyond the entrance to the next camp until he was out of the area. Then the crowd returned to camp. We were leaving about the same time and as we were headed south, saw the man walking along the highway by himself. Also as were leaving, a young man from the Red Warrior Camp next to Oceti Sakowin camp asked us for a ride to the hotel where we were staying. He was from Tampa and had crowd funded to get there. During that short ride he told us about the Red Warrior Camp and that he had been involved in several actions. The Red Warrior Camp is mostly young activists who want to be on the front lines. Didn't get much sleep last night due to the election. Time to hit the hay. Below is the song "Victory's Cry" to the tune of the Dakota Hymn/Lacquiparle that was sung in Cannonball. Grace and peace~ Ellie elliestock@aol.com VICTORY’SCRY (Tune: Dakota Hymn/Lacquiparle) Beneaththe swirl of winds and old worlds Stillcurrents stir life’s sleep Outof the chaos eyes open wide, Mergein the silence and beckon new life Plungedin night’s well, the Sun Star appears Wakingthe earth and sea. Dancingour dreams and singing our times Newbeings build new lives Teamedin the bond of Mystery’s love Transformingsouls untouched by hope’s trust Innoontide heat, communities appear Movingthe earth and sea Agelessand sweeping as fire through the lands Newspirit burns new paths Soaringas eagles, nameless we rise Steadfastlyleagued in victory’s cry Dusk’sglory comes as rivers of care Coverthe earth and sea ejhs 7/23/76