Don’t Forget The Ceremony – It Is Why We Stand
by Benita Moore and Darren Moore
The Puyallup Water Warriors recently concluded a powerful ceremony that they hope will signal the start of a new period of prayer and spiritual reflection. In indigenous culture, prayer and ceremony are a way of life and are considered to be the most powerful of tools in protecting those things.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency recently announced their approval of the final permit for Puget Sound Energy’s Fracked Gas plant (LNG) in an area protected by the Medicine Creek Treaty, just outside the boundaries of the Puyallup Tribe’s reservation. This has sparked the tribe’s long-standing tradition of fighting against injustice, which they have proven to be successful when they stand together as a unified force. The tribe’s rich history of resistance has been revitalized with legends such as Ramona Bennett, a prominent figure who provides a bridge between the past and present, offering invaluable experience and counsel.
The Puyallup Tribe’s stand against the LNG facility is a treaty fight, as the facility sits within their protected treaty fishing area and fishing is at the core of their way of life. Their estuary was once a lush paradise where crustaceans and fish flourished. In 1989, the tribe agreed to a compensation package with the Port of Tacoma, but the area where the LNG plant now sits is outside of the reservation boundaries and on land created by the Port with arsenic-laden slag. Despite this, it is still covered under the Medicine Creek Treaty as a gathering area for fish, and the Land Claims Settlement had provisions for the Port to protect the health of the salmon.
The treaties signed between the United States and the tribes were never about hunting or land rights, but rather, to ensure that their relatives could continue their way of life in perpetuity, as their ancestors had always done. The tribes have had to fight to protect these treaties, even to the highest courts, as the colonial courts have often viewed these treaties as mere business documents and have broken every single one of them.
This bold and powerful ceremony held by the Puyallup Water Warriors was just the start of their period of prayer. Dakota, an organizer with the Water Warriors, began his period of fasting on August 2nd and entered the tipi, where he lived until Wednesday, in prayer and reflection. Inipi (Sweat Lodge) ceremonies were held to prepare Dakota spiritually and to pray for Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth) and all life-givers. Patricia, another organizer, blessed the ground with the Mothers Prayer Song. Patricia describes the song as “more than a mother’s love for her child.” She told us that “this is a song for mothers coming together to strengthen their prayers. Mothers from different generations and mothers of all life forms. Praying as life-givers for the life we’ve created.” The song (above) was originally shared by her mother, Dayleann Hawks who has given Patricia permission to share it with the world.
The Water Warriors have asked for continued support and prayer, wherever you may be, to help them in their stand against the LNG facility and to protect their way of life.
Additional Information: Link to Ancestral Waters Documentary
First appearing on August 12, 2019, this article is part of an ongoing series documenting the Indigenous-led campaign against the Tacoma LNG facility.
The article has since been edited to remove time-sensitive elements, such as calls to action, in order to serve as an historical and educational resource. You can also explore other related articles and resources on the Ancestral Waters page for a more contextual understanding of the issues and events.
While the full “Ancestral Waters” documentary is available for screenings, we invite you to watch the trailer for a glimpse into the comprehensive story of resiliency and activism told in the film.
