Standing Rock Diary
Diné Warriors for Standing Rock
Dec 5, 2016, Cannon Ball, ND
At 1300 hours on 5 December 2016, we filed out of the large green domed Hogan from the Southwest Sheep Camp, a sub camp of the larger Oceti Sakowin Camp, near Cannonball, North Dakota. It was a cold winter blizzard that hit us from all directions. I had to dust off snow from my glasses and from the lenses of my cameras constantly. My eyeglasses fogged up seconds after I placed the mask over my nose to keep warm. I had to pull my mask down every few minutes. I had warm thermal underwear under my BDUs (battle dress uniform) which I had from my military days as a USAF Officer and Flight Nurse. A winter face mask, a Gore Tex Parka, and brand new large steel toe boots which I had to get because of my swollen ankle and leg from a fracture, completed my gear. Oh, and I had a backpack with cameras and lenses, and survival gear such as snacks, flash light, emergency space blanket, water, etc. So I had a lot to carry besides myself with an unstable leg. I had difficulty trekking up the hill to the frontlines. As I walked, I imagined that this must have been what the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Sioux people had experienced with winter wars, massacres, and struggles in the 1800s/early 1900s. Images of the Diné people trekking through a harsh winter during the forced 300-mile Long Walk or Hweeldi, entered my mind. I asked why must we endure such tragedies for so long. This march was no different in our fight against the oppression. I continued up the hill on snow and ice at a snail’s pace. It was a feeling of ‘this is it or never.’ I had to do this. I tell myself that I will defend a people that I have so much in common with – struggles that we’ve endured through hundreds of years for land, clean air, and clean water. Tó̔ éí ííná. Mni Wicon. Water is Life. This was a war but with new weapons – peacefulness, prayer and commitment to the cause.
I represented as a Veteran from the Diné Nation with a group of about 60 Diné Veterans to march and stand together as a human shield with the Veterans Stand with Standing Rock group at the frontlines near the closed Back Water Bridge. I came with others to look at the faces of the aggressors up close, the so-called law enforcers who had viciously attacked the unarmed “Water Protectors,” so-called “agitators” two weeks before. The enforcers reportedly used pepper spray, rubber bullets, water cannons, and other lethal means of attack. Why was it necessary to use this kind of attack? I also wanted to see the Lake Oahe and the brave people of Oceti Sakowin camp with my own eyes. Lake Oahe on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation is threatened with the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, the “Black Snake.” The pipeline would carry crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The Standing Rock Sioux did not agree with the construction of the pipeline under Lake Oahe and Missouri River. This lake and river carry the precious water that the local tribes use for drinking and other clean water uses. They feel that any break in a pipeline, if it was built, would contaminate the water. The Sioux also state that this pipeline would disrupt the sacred burial grounds as well as cultural artifacts.
Well, on that day I saw a lot and felt many emotions as I trekked and photographed. I did not make it to the front of the crowds nor the hill across from where the masses were. It was icy and slippery. I felt defeated somewhat. No one that I talked to ever saw the opposition. The whiteout made it almost impossible to see the “other side.” I did not get shot at, I did not come face to face with the opposition. I suppose I felt relief as I was alive and not injured. It seemed like a relatively short time that we were there and then we were told by security to “move back.” I looked up when I could to photograph or to look at what was going on around me. There were people of every color in winter gear, all fighting the war against greed and the “black snake.” Some carried signs and flags with “Protect the Sacred,” “Water is Life,” “We are Here to Protect,” and other messages. Native women with skirts braved the cold and shouted out messages to protect the water and sacredness of the land. Some protectors were on horseback and others climbed vehicles to be seen and to be heard. As a Veteran and a Native American female warrior, I felt proud to be there amongst people with the same sentiments and fight for earth from being injured, raped, and tortured. I sensed the strong connection with our land and water, like an umbilical cord from a newborn to a mother. I asked how anyone or any organization could have no connection to the earth, the air, and the water as sacred and respected elements. How can these people who tortured our Native people and supporters two weeks before look at themselves and be normal human beings? It didn’t make any sense.
Returning back to Camp, I was tired and beaten by the wintry elements. I could fall any minute with an unstable gait and face damaging consequences. I wavered as the fierce blizzard pushed me side to side and forward. The blizzard seemed to be against us. Maybe it told us something we didn’t know yet. Why on this day was it so miserable? I hung onto my camera, I had managed to put my heavy pieces in my backpack. As I continued walking back, I heard faintly, “left, left, left right left…” from behind. I suddenly straightened up and knew Veterans were behind me. I was sort of embarrassed at this point. I came to be in the frontlines and here I was feeling out of sorts. My hips were burning with pain, my achilles tendon hurt and my ankle hurt. Surprisingly, though I was not cold. All of a sudden, two men scooped me up with one under my arm on each side and we marched to cadence. I was alive. Then they let me go as I stabilized and returned to the Southwest Camp Hogan where Vets were recuperating and others still in the blizzard working. The Native people are so resilient and tough I thought. As I entered the Hogan, I saw my husband standing in the distance having a hot cocoa drink. I was so glad to see him. We had separated early on as he walked fast and I couldn’t keep up with him. I told him to go and he took off on his journey to the frontlines. We united in the warm hogan. I took off all the accumulated snow on my jacket, cap, and backpack. I had completed my mission standing up with other Veterans in support of the Standing Rock Sioux. I also documented with my camera. This was an unforgettable day! Was this day as I expected? Not really, but I would do this all over again to support a people protecting the sacred elements.
Ruth Kawano, MSN, RN, Retired
US Air Force – (03) Capt, Flight Nurse
US Public Health Service – (06) CAPT, CNE, RN, Retired
Bazhnibah (Navajo name), Bazhnibah Photography
Message to the U.N. Special Rapporteur
Feb 24, 2017, Window Rock, AZ
Standing Rock Water Warriors stand unmoved in epic battle of eons old war that rages
Armed with a feather and sacred vow to protect the earth against a force set to destroy
Our Indigenous prayer for justice confronts the unquenchable gold lust burning for ages
Spiritual reverence for life of earth in perpetual clash with ones always craving for more
Indigenous Caretakers care for the Earth and waters as decreed by Original Instructions
The Great Creator made all of Earth to be in equilibrium for continued life sustainability
The equilibrium of Earth is out of balance caused by unrelenting exploitation destruction
Earth cries with pain with the gouging out of her insides and climate change insensibility
Our Indigenous worldview remains true to Creator God’s Original Intent for His creation
The spiritual and physical are of one essence; we feel our Earth Mother live and breathe
Western thought long ago abandoned this basic truth and lost its roots by dispossession
They see our Earth not alive and exact systematic destruction, making us hurt and grieve
The heartless rampant exploitation is causing irreparable harm to Earth’s systems of life
No living being can preserve its life with such unrelenting violation; we stand for her life
As children of Earth Mother, we hear her cries, our struggle is for her life, as it is our life
The pipeline will accelerate the killing of Earth forcing a time when life will have no life
Our Standing Rock message to all humanity is for all to feel the Earth’s fragile condition
The heart of our advocacy is beyond DAPL, treaty rights, protection of water and nature
Our ultimate stand is to defend the life of our Earth and stop the cruel, killing violation
Our stand at Standing Rock is a fight for all life, so our grandchildren may have a future
Chili Yazzie
Shiprock SW Diné
