I just wanted to give a head’s up that I corrected the website address for the Seven Council Fires Camp, which is Oceti Sakowin, in the post below.

So I heard through the camp grapevine that a radio station and local news outlets were broadcasting false stories (okay, let’s call them lies) about the water protectors and protests.

They were saying that protectors were killing livestock of the ranchers  around here.

Nope.

They were saying that the protests were violent.

Again, nope.

I was there yesterday at a protest where the protectors briefly blocked a bridge into Bismarck and at a protest/rally at the courthouse where the judge was considering the charges against Amy Goodman.

The bridge protest was peaceful with protectors blocking access briefly to say “hey, we’re here and we’re peaceful”  We prayed the Native American way with drums and singing.  Intimidating, eh? /snark

The group moved over to the courthouse in Mandan, a city that has been described as the “bedroom” of Bismarck.

Amy Goodman was inside awaiting the judge’s decision while the protectors chanted “water is life” and “Mini Wiconi”  which is the same in Lakota language.

The police and sheriff deputies were there, again dressing in riot gear.  There is no rioting, so it makes one wonder why they would use scarce resources for paying all the extra hours for officers?

The Native Americans were singing and praying and it was the most moving, positive experience.  There was nothing but positive energy emanating from them as they sang and prayed.  They pray for the Earth and water, and even for the officers standing across from them with helmets and billy clubs.

As the drumming became intense, I felt such a connection that it is hard to put into words.  I looked across to the courthouse and see an eagle on the side of the building.  I wondered “do the officers see that eagle?”  “Do they know we are trying to protect that eagle, and all the winged/ four-legged/creepy-crawley animals?”

Some protectors tried to talk to the officers — asking them if they wanted a glass of oil or water?  Or if they realized that we were here for their children, as well?

I am told that after a protest on Saturday, five officers turned in their badges, because they see what is happening with peaceful protectors and they don’t want any part of it.

Wisconsin officers who were called to North Dakota actually turned around and went back after they saw that the protests were peaceful.

Again, the media is being controlled and manipulated by those who benefit financially.

Here is Democracy Now’s report:

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/10/18/were_going_to_call_that_a

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**EDITED:  Web addy was wrong.**

The camp is working on getting a website together and it should go live today or in the next couple of days:   http://www.ocetisakowincamp.org and the email is: ocetisakowincamp at gmail.  Please put who or what you want it to go to in the subject line.

There will be a p.o. box for anyone wanting to send donations.  Right now, folks have been sending donations to Standing Rock Sioux, but it does not come to the camp unless earmarked for that purpose.  So the website will give the address, plus have a paypal account for folks wanting to contribute.    It will also have a list of items needed.

I want to again THANK YOU all of you whom have contributed in any way that you could.  It is truly amazing how folks have come together.  So many countries around the world are in support of Standing Rock.  Folks have come from Germany, France, Ecuador, Mexico (I learned that Mexico is named after the Meshica (sp) and should be pronounced Meshico; and the Meshica are what we know as Aztecs).  People from all over the United States have come to visit or are bunking in for the winter.

Oh…and thanks to the sweet person who sent Fair Trade chocolate.  I did manage to get a couple of bites. 🙂

People are reporting healing from this beautiful place–me being one of them.

…figuratively and literally…

We have been using showers located some miles from camp.  I have felt uneasy the last time I went — they are located in a remote area where anything could happen.

So…today I went and there was a security guard there (there wasn’t one before) who stopped us and wrote down our license plate numbers.  I asked why, and he stated that he was getting a count.  Really?  You need to write down my license plate in order to count me?

It made me really nervous with the outright lies about us protectors that it was yet another way to intimidate us or even surround us (given that they were going to box us in at the protests).

So…I’m begging for someone to send materials for solar showers so that we don’t have to leave camp to wash.

And thank you, thank you, thank you, for sending materials I asked for yesterday.  I’m already seeing some things arriving.  Bless you, Bless you, Bless you.

Here’s a good article on what is going on with the protectors and how many have died trying to protect the environment.

John Denver has been on my mind recently.  If you recall, this blog, sunlight on the water, was named after his song “Sunshine on my shoulders”

John Denver was an environmentalist.  He was outspoken about it and you can see it in the wonderful way he expresses it in his songs.  “Annie’s Song” is a favorite because it is so romantic, but also because he expresses how I feel when I shut out the world and connect with nature.

John Denver’s plane went down, tragically ending his life.  Witnesses have stated that the plane did a nose dive, as if the fuel had been cut off abruptly.  Of course, they blame pilot error for the plane going down.  Now, with the viciousness against environmentalists, and known murders of environmentalists, I am wondering if John wasn’t murdered, too.

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A side note~  I was sitting in my car, looking across the camp, when it suddenly hits me that the tipi, from a distance, looks like the masculine and feminine in balance.  I probably have read that in the literature by Natives, but I can’t recall it off the top of my head.  It just struck me as I looked at the perfect balance between the top and the bottom, representing masculine and feminine influence.  Neat.

Okay, to go a little more in-depth about the protest Wednesday–

Intimidation is the name of the game with infraction of one’s First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Religion…and on and on.

The yellow helicopter was back, flying over us, back and forth from the front to the back.  Just imagine if the money spent on the pilot’s wages and jet fuel were used to help others instead of wasting it on intimidating water protectors?

It was a wonderful day with a positive protest.  As I said, the Native folk were drumming and singing prayers and the positive energy was strong.  However, I felt such negative energy coming from the police that I literally had to back away.

They had the road blocked, and then had officers spread out beyond the vehicles so that there was no way for us to pass and protest at the worksite.

They eventually brought out the riot gear, complete with those plastic face masks.  I kid you not.  We were not threatening, but chanting “water is life” and praying.  Praying!  Like I said, you are in the wrong line of work if words and prayers are threatening.  They stood there with billy clubs reading to start beating on someone…

They sat in vehicles and  held up cameras at every turn we made.

They had police cars along the route. And an armored vehicle.

It was just so over the top that I can’t begin wrap my brain around it.  Update 9.16.22– in retrospect, I now know that many of the armed forces there were being influenced by Israel and others involved in secret societies.  Time has opened some eyes to what was behind the scenes.

In the sixties,  the youth threw bottles, bricks, and sticks, and none of that was going on.  For them to act like we were violent is a bold-faced lie. The lying media was probably paid to be drama queens.

Meanwhile, there were police from Grand Forks and other locales.  As the previous post stated, they are apparently calling in sheriffs deputies from all around the country because Federal help is not coming.  Good for Barack Obama.

With all of that said, I have to say that I don’t want to paint the police with a broad brush.  I know that there are some good guys and gals who are in the police departments.  I personally know an FBI agent that I knew as a young girl who is on our side.  He believes in what we are doing.  I just felt I needed to say that.

Okay, so I asked what the camp needs because it looks like this is going to go through the winter.  Winters here are very harsh — with minus 40 windchills and snows of two feet or more not uncommon.

Kitchen needs:

PLEASE SEND THEM TO THE ATTENTION OF KEI (pronounced Kay)

Large stainless steel pots (restaurant size)

Large cast iron skillets (restaurant size)

Stainless steel soup ladles and large spoons

Sharp knives

Giant wok

Fresh fruit, veggies, greens AND  FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE (Okay, she didn’t ask for that. Ahem.)

Tortillas (blue corn would be great)

Hot sauce

Sunflower, Avocado, Olive, Coconut, and Walnut oils

Butter (from grass fed animals would be great)

Breakfast bars/Clif bars

Nut butters (coconut manna would be welcome by yours truly 🙂

Meat — grass fed

Bacon (no nitrites, thank you)

Nuts

Brown sugar

Honey (raw would be great, but anything is needed)

Dried Fruit

Thermoses (stainless steel)

Milk (from grass fed animals would be great)

Bread

Eggs (free range would be great)

Sliced cheese

Lunch meats

Spices

Other needs for winter preparedness:

Generators (prefer solar)

Stable shelter (tipis would be great)

Off – grid hot water heaters

Automatic can opener (to be used with generator)

heavy duty shelves

Winter stable greenhouse (perhaps used wood window panes over a wood structure?)

Winter stable showers (solar)

Wool blankets (please, no smallpox or other biological weapon inserted) , wool socks, long underwear, snowpants, waterproof boots

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Lastly, I have to tell you about an amazing event on the way to the protest site–

We were driving down a road, and there were 10 or 12 horses running free.  They all ran up to the fence that was parallel to the road. All at the same time.  I have never seen anything like it.  I’ve seen one or two trot up to the fence to see the humans passing by, but never all of them at full speed running up to a fence.  They stood there and watched us pass.  Then, as I got to them, they took off running at a full gallop.  It was a stunning and thrilling sight to see them running free with their manes flowing in the wind.  I thought that it was a good sign.

And I felt my Dad’s presence again before we took off for the protest trip.  Very positive

🙂