Key facts
- Activists and tribal leaders gathered at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation to mark the 10th anniversary of protests against the Dakota Access pipeline.
- The event honored the movement's legacy and addressed the trauma experienced by participants.
- A sacred fire, using coals preserved from the 2016 camp, was relit.
- The Dakota Access pipeline transports up to 750,000 barrels of oil a day.
- The Sage Development Authority is working to build wind farms for tribal district buildings to achieve energy independence.
Ten years after major demonstrations against the Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL), tribal leaders and Native American organizers returned to the Standing Rock Sioux reservation to honor the movement and its lasting impacts. The four-day encampment, centered on the phrase “mní wičóni” – “water is life” – brought together about 150 tribal members and allies for meals, drum circles, sacred ceremonies, and memorials.
The event opened with the lighting of a sacred fire, “peta waken,” using coals preserved from a fire that burned at the 2016 camp. This tradition is a significant spiritual unification for the seven councils of the Oceti Sakowin, or Sioux Nation, tribes, typically performed during historic and political efforts as a symbol of hope.
In November 2016, protesters concerned that the Dakota Access pipeline might pollute the Standing Rock reservation’s water supply and encroach on Native lands and burial grounds faced macing, dog attacks, and mass arrests. Thousands more protesters, known as “water protectors,” convened on the Great Plains that winter, amplifying the movement for Native rights and climate justice globally. However, Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners proceeded with construction, and the pipeline now transports up to 750,000 barrels of oil a day from North Dakota to an Illinois refinery.
Manape LaMere, an original headsman from the 2016 council, retrieved the original coals and lit the fire, as he had done 10 years prior. LaMere also helped perform a spiritual healing ceremony for those who experienced trauma at the camps. Attendees at open mic sessions and around fire pits reflected on the lingering trauma from the often-violent standoffs with law enforcement. Candi Brings Plenty, a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux nation, shared that despite experiencing severe PTSD, she would “do it again” due to the empowerment and wisdom gained from the community formed at Standing Rock.