North Camp Continues to Grow
by Benita Moore
Just 12 days ago, the Oceti Sakowin, the Great Sioux Nation, united for the first time in 140 years since their victorious defeat of Custer at the Battle of the Greasy Grass.
This is history in the making. There are whispers of allies from distant lands such as Brazil and New Zealand making their way to North Dakota to join the movement to ‘Stand with Standing Rock’ against the menacing Dakota Access Pipeline, the ‘black snake’ that threatens the water source of millions.
The determination and righteousness of this stand-off is palpable, a force that cannot be denied.
Camp
Amidst the rolling hills and flowing rivers, a beacon of resistance rises. ‘Overflow’, ‘Spirit’, ‘Oceti Sakowin’, a camp of many names, housing many smaller camps, each bearing its own significance, be it tribal affiliation, organization, or purpose. Here, tribal members and allies from across the nation gather, and more arrive every day, drawn by the powerful energy that fills the air.
Newcomers gaze in wonder, as they are welcomed into a community united in purpose, bound by ceremony and spiritual devotion. The elders and spiritual leaders take their role in maintaining the sanctity of the grounds with utmost seriousness, as they guide the camp in walking the good way.
As the days pass and the resistance grows, the story of this camp becomes more and more epic. History will remember April 1st, 2016, as the day the Sacred Stone Camp was established on the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. Future generations will hear of the youth who first led the movement, running to DC in April, and of the council of elders who met in the lodge, praying and holding faith in the Canupa.
All who have and will play a part in this story will be forever changed, as they become a part of a legacy that will be passed down through the ages.
We are all related
As the winds of change sweep across the land, a sense of destiny fills the air. Many believe that this stand is a divine answer to prayer, the fulfillment of a prophecy that has been passed down through generations. A prophecy of a day when the nations would rise again, united in their stand against the black snake, and the water of life would be protected for future generations.
This stand against the Dakota Access Pipeline is a momentous event, one that will be remembered in history as a defining moment in the struggle for indigenous rights.
As the camp grows, a sense of unity and connection pervades. The Lakota saying “Mitakuye Oyasin” echoes through the camp, meaning “We are All Related.” An elder said that it has never felt truer than right now, at the Oceti Sakowin Spirit camp, where people from all walks of life gather to stand in solidarity, united in their common cause.
