Dozens gathered on the banks of the Grand River Wednesday in support of Standing Rock water protectors at a turning point of the standoff. Mariano Avila brings us the story.
They stand in silence as elders perform a water ceremony—offering prayers and tobacco on the West bank of the Grand River. The gathering stands in solidarity with Oceti Sakowin, the Standing Rock camp slated for evacuation on 2/22 at 2:00 p.m. The prayers aren’t just for the water protectors though.
“We have solders on the ground that have told us that they’re doing everything they can to get everyone out safely. So there shouldn’t be any risk of life today. But today we did pray for BIA as well as Morton County authorities so that they can do the things they are told to do with a good heart.”
That’s Lin Bardwell, she has been traveling back and forth to Standing Rock from Michigan since October. Another Michigan water protector is Regis Ferland. He’s one of the hosts of the Three-Fires Confederacy tent there.
“You know we’re just sending our prayers there so that nobody gets hurt, everybody stays safe. And hopefully we’ll be able to hold on to our original treaty land area over there.”
[Chants] "Wni Miconi, Water Is Life!"
They end the march in front of the JP Morgan Chase building because it’s one of the main investors of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“Walked by a few banks, which is also related to the situation that’s going on, because we have to watch where we’re spending our money and where we’re placing it and what it may be funding or not.”
Beyond Standing Rock, Ferland says the commitment is worldwide environmentalism.
“We can talk about line five, talk about line three, talk about Kalamazoo, or Flint, or Detroit, price gouging’s. But it’s bigger than that and we have such a commitment here in Michigan with 20% of the world’s natural fresh water being here.
