聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A group of residents of Cote and Keeseekoose First Nations left for North Dakota today in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe who are trying to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In what had been called the largest protest by Indigenous Nations in recent history, for weeks thousands of people from many nations, including Canada, have been gathering in the southern part of North Dakota south of Bismark where the pipeline is to pass by the reservation.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e expect to be about 30 people,鈥� Margaret Cote said last week while she and other members of her committee were planning a bingo fundraiser that was held at Cote First Nation on Friday. The group plans to return after having spent two days in North Dakota.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e are protectors of the water and the land,鈥� Cote said. 鈥淣othing can survive on earth without water.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Cote said that she and other members of her group will be going to the campsite where they will be praying and singing at peaceful protests, some distance from the 鈥渇ront line鈥� near the construction site.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t will be very peaceful,鈥� she said, adding that Robert Severight, who is well-known in the area for his singing and drumming, is expected to take his hand drum along with him to the protest site.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The oil pipeline construction is disrespectful to sacred burial grounds, she said, adding that Standing Rock is the gravesite of Sitting Bull, a well-respected Sioux chief.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 These demonstrations are important because natural resources are disappearing faster than they are being replenished, said another member of the group. 鈥淭oday (October 11) is an international day of prayer and action and five pipelines were stopped.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e are hoping all people will get to respect the earth,鈥� Cote said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 These protests are history in the making, said Helene Cote.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the children,鈥� a member said. 鈥淲e are doing this for the future generations.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When asked if they do not see a conflict in protesting an oil pipeline while they are burning oil products on their seven-hour drive to the site, a member of the group said that they are not protesting the use of oil, but where the oil pipelines are being laid.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Placing the pipelines where they are proposing to place them is not being respectful to the treaties, a member said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Margaret Cote referred to a Sioux prophecy which mentions a 鈥渂lack snake鈥� that needs to be stopped and easily compared the 鈥渂lack snake鈥� to an oil pipeline.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To help pay expenses of the group, a fundraising merchandise bingo was held at the Cote Hall on October 2, and the second one was held Friday. Members of the group have donated prizes and Kamsack businesses were asked to contribute to the prize table.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Each member of the group will be wearing a blue-coloured hoodie that represents the colour of water and each one contains the slogan 鈥淲ater is Life鈥� as well as 鈥淐ote First Nation.鈥� The group will also be waving a Cote First Nation flag.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen you're driven by money and when you're driven by greed, the water, the environment and the Indigenous peoples and Indigenous lands; those things don't matter to them,鈥� David Archambault, chair of聽Standing Rock Sioux聽Tribal Council, told the CBC recently. 鈥淎ny act of violence hurts our cause and is not welcome here.鈥�
