Episode 1: Standing Rock Women Speak | Prayers
The first episode of the video series “Standing Rock Women Speak” shares an interview with Melanie and her sister, Jacinda Begay, speaking about how prayers have always been part of their practice to create a change in people’s minds and the world.
“Mni Wiconi (pronounces: mini we-choh-nee)!” The sound of the collective voice of 108 women went straight up to the women’s teepee, out to the sky, to the Big Dipper. It means “water is life” or “water is sacred” in the Lakota language. When a silence returned, Melanie Stoneman, a Lakota woman leader and facilitator of the women’s gathering, said, “The power of the breath, the power of prayers of 108 women under one thought is powerful. You just made a movement.”
This Thanksgiving, Eiko and I joined the Standing Rock Sioux Nation at Cannon Ball in North Dakota to stand with their effort to protect their ancestral land and water from the Dakota Access Pipeline. It would cut across their sacred and burial sites and pass under the Missouri River just a half a mile upstream of the tribe’s reservation boundary. Not only would the pipeline violate the treaty and the rights of indigenous people, but any spill would be culturally, economically, and environmentally catastrophic for anyone who relies on this river.
On the first morning at Standing Rock, we went to the Oceti Sakowin camp, or Seven Council Fires camp, for the orientation and learned about seven Lakota values. They are prayer, respect, compassion, honesty, generosity, humility, and wisdom. The first value is prayer. They reminded us that this is an indigenous-centered movement at a ceremonial camp that is in prayer at all times.
At the women’s gathering at Rosebud camp, Melanie said, ” The power of prayers will change the minds of people who bring us harm. When you go home, keep praying because it reaches here and it’s very important.”
Before going to Standing Rock, praying wasn’t part of my everyday practice to change the world. But since I have returned to my home, praying has become a ritual in my life. I saw the power of prayers and how that has been a core of the indigenous-led movement. I understand that praying and giving thanks to the creator is what sustains the indigenous resistance to colonization and where their resilience comes from. I pray for the safety of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, their allies, and for the miracle that would stop the Dakota Access pipeline.
On Sunday, December 4th, my friends and I went up to a hill in our community at sunrise to pray. The Army Corps of Engineers has declared protestors at Oceti Sakowin camp must leave by Dec. 5th. I knew that people would reject the order. I was concerned about another militarized police attack to remove people from the camp on December 5th. So I left home in the dark, watched the beautiful sunrise with friends, shared stories from Standing Rock while I kept them in my thoughts.
That afternoon, a miracle happened. A historic moment of victory for Standing Rock and indigenous people around the world emerged. The Obama administration halted the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a full environmental assessment that includes public input.
This indigenous-centered movement was supported by millions of people around the globe. Some went to Standing Rock to participate in direct action and behind-the-scenes work at the camp. Some made phone calls to Obama, asking him to stop the DAPL. Some called on other government authorities, such as the Army Corps of Engineers, to reject the permit and conduct a full environmental assessment. Some called and marched in front of Wells Fargo, Citibank, and other major financial institutions to divest from the DAPL. Millions of dollars were raised to bail water protectors out of jail and to support the movement. Tens of thousands of clothing items and sleeping bags, and thousands of pounds of firewood and food were delivered to the camps. Last week, up to 2,000 veterans showed up to create a human shield at the frontline to protect the water protectors from police. These people are ordinary people showing extraordinary support. And of course, millions prayed and prayed in solidarity.
The power of the breath of millions, the power of the prayers of million people’s thoughts is indeed powerful. We just made a movement – a movement that changed the narrative of history with Native Americans. We now have a greater responsibility to transform the world that respects all indigenous communities and communities that suffer from systematic oppression around the world.
So let’s keep praying.
Let’s keep moving.
