WEST SEATTLE TO STANDING ROCK: Here’s what happened when donation-drive organizers got there

One month after two West Seattleites announced a donation drive for the Water Protectors led by the Standing Rock Sioux, Giles Stanton and Cathy Morgan are back from their Thanksgiving-week run to North Dakota, and just sent a wrapup report and photos:

The two days and nights we were at the Oceti Sakowin Camp (connected to both Rosebud and Sacred Stone Camps) saw their first snowfall of the season — it was numbingly cold though nothing compared with the weather yet to come. But, thanks to all of you, they now have a better chance at comfortably enduring the coming prairie winter. Giles helped construct an expansion to their main Donation / Supply Tent and Cathy applied her newfound donation-sorting skills to the profusion of items pouring in daily.

The packed cargo van of West Seattle donations was gratefully swallowed up into the organized ocean of useful winter goods and flowed right back out into the hands of long-term supporters fortifying themselves against the cold.

The Go Fund Me campaign has already been very successful — thank you! Once we have the cargo van’s gas totals collected and reimbursed, we’ll send all the unspent dollars back to the camp to buy whatever they need by then.

The trip, and this entire experience, has been immensely powerful and eye-opening. A truly international network is engaged in alliance at Standing Rock; the sign post and a tour of license plates and handmade banners reveals the scope of the community on the ground. We are humbled by your generosity and inspired by the unflagging energy and commitment on active display all over the camp.

Cathy & Giles

Previous reports:
Ready to leave (last Tuesday)
Donation drive, 2 weeks in (November 13th)
First update (November 6th)
Donation drive announced (October 29th)

Krystle Star November 28, 2016 (3:30 pm)

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*OCETI SAKOWIN CAMP

Oceti Sakowin Camp is the main starting place for participants involved in stopping the Dakota Access Pipeline. Residents and visitors at Oceti Sakowin Camp are not “protesters” – they are Water Protectors. It is important to consider before arriving that Oceti Sakowin is a peaceful resistance camp, which is under police surveillance at all times. Water Protectors are subjected to police harassment. Members of the public in the surrounding communities can be hostile.

This is the camp where everything happens – the one you see most often on the news. There’s a long row of flags that runs down the center of the camp. Hundreds of supporters have left their flags at the camp in a demonstration of support. They line the main entry to the camp and continue down the main driveway in colorful display of solidarity. It is called “Flag Row.”

There is a sacred circle, along with a sacred fire, the latter of which fire keepers tend to everyday, all day. Red Warrior Camp has been inside of Oceti Sakowin Camp since the original establishment of the camp. When people come to Oceti Sakowin, they are in what the mainstream media refers to as “Standing Rock Camp”. In fact, the Medic & Healer Council, Media, Kitchens, Legal, the school, the Direct Action Working Group, and the Two Spirit Camp are all part of the larger Oceti Sakowin Camp.

The sacred circle is in the front of camp. It is where formal greetings take place, people gather for conversation, coffee is served, and ceremonies are held. Camp-wide announcements are made there.

Most direct actions and protests by water protectors depart from Oceti Sakowin. Actions are generally announced at the last minute, so being in camp helps ensure that you get to participate.

To donate to Oceti Sakowin Camp:

http://www.paypal.me/ocetisakowincamp

*Sacred Stone and Rosebud Camp are separate entities from Oceti Sakowin. Rosebud is great; it’s easily visible from most points in the main camp and is just on the other side of the Cannonball River. Sacred Stone, on the other hand, is miles away. The only way you can locate it in the treeline is to look for the tip of a white dome in the distance. Those at Sacred Stone do not share resources with the main camp at all. Sacred Stone has gotten the bulk of the publicity and donations because folks confuse the images online or in print. Just to reiterate: OCETI SAKOWIN is the massive camp you see in all of the photographs.

Below is a list of a few of the hardworking pieces of Oceti Sakowin that are worth your time, energy, and donations:

Krystle Star November 28, 2016 (3:31 pm)

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*STANDING ROCK MEDIC & HEALER COUNCIL

Large Donations Needed:

– Two 4wd trucks for medic vehicles

– Medic evacuation vehicles ~ http://url.ie/zqlp

Amazon Wish List: http://url.ie/zqlq

Additional items needed:

– Unflavored milk of magnesia

– Wool blankets & Emergency blankets

– Emergency blankets

– Wool socks

– Wool thermal underwear (no cotton)

– Hand warmers

– Safety goggles

– Trauma kits (portable) ~ http://url.ie/zqlo

– Straw bales

– Firewood

Herbal Remedies (dried herbs or glycerites):

*Please clearly label everything with allingredients! NO alcohol, please!

cinnamon chips, wild cherry bark, wood betony (stachys), wild yam, gravel root/ joe pye, blue vervain, agrimony, turkey tail, black birch, shatavari, elder flower, elder berry, linden flower, licorice, lemon verbena, skullcap, eyebright, anemone glycerite fresh, ghost pipe glycerite fresh, pedicularis glycerite fresh, skullcap glycerite fresh, corydalis glycerite fresh, milky oats ACV (if made with fresh oats in the milky stage), honey, neem oil, organic glycerin, 2oz. cough syrups to hand out (no alcohol), cough drops

Other equipment needed:

1oz plastic dispensing bottles, french presses, wide mouth quart canning jars

Donated items for the Medic & Healer Council can go to:

STANDING ROCK MEDIC & HEALER COUNCIL

PO Box 1251

Bismarck, ND 58502

If shipping via UPS or FedEx, please use this shipping address:

220 E Rossier Ave #1251

Bismarck, ND 58502

Shipping Phone : (701) 409-0199

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*STANDING ROCK WELLNESS TENT

People need counseling and treatment from the short-term stress of dealing with assaults from DAPL private security personnel and law enforcement and the long-term oppression / disconnection from their roots and ways of life.

They need a wood burning stove, yurts, and massage tables.

http://www.gofundme.com/wellness-tent-4-oceti-sakowin-camp-2vrhcyxk

Krystle Star November 28, 2016 (3:32 pm)

*WEST COAST WOMEN WARRIORS MEDIA COLLECTIVE

Three indigenous women with extensive frontline experience in indigenous resistance, whose ancestral roots are in the Pacific Northwest. They are are now in Standing Rock as Red Warrior Camp’s media team and are working for the people, documenting all interactions focused on stopping the Dakota Access Pipeline.

They need a Winter shelter, satellite communications, and media gear, in order to be effective at Standing Rock.

https://fundrazr.com/womenwarriormediayurt

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*DIGITAL SMOKE SIGNALS

Myron Dewey is an indigenous social media and film specialist, and owner of http://www.digitalsmokesignals.com as well as http://www.digitalsmokesignals.tv, which is where his media is hosted. He is Paiute and Shoshone, educating on digital language preservation, historical trauma trainer, youth media trainer, sovereignty trainer, and wireless tech. Morton County has been targeting Myron for his journalism. They’ve issued warrants for his arrest and have taken him in three times now, on trumped up “stalking” charges. In other words, they characterize his journalistic work to be “stalking”. He is going to have a lot of legal needs.

Contact phone: (425) 263-2560

Donations: http://www.gofundme.com/waterissacred

Krystle Star November 28, 2016 (3:33 pm)

*OGLALA CAMP’S WOUNDED KNEE KITCHEN

http://www.generosity.com/projects/wounded-knee-oglala-host-kitchen-standing-rock/contributions/new/#/contribute

Address:

WOUNDED KNEE KITCHEN

Attn: Leprechaun

P.O. Box 122

Solen, ND 58570

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*GRANDMA DIANE HART’S KITCHEN

There are multiple kitchens across Oceti Sakowin Camp. This kitchen is operated by someone who folks in camp affectionately call “Grandma”. Before mealtime, an elder says a prayer. Children and elders are served first. With full plates, some people make their way to the campfire, although most stand, talk and eat together beside the large pot of tea.

https://www.gofundme.com/h3jrm8

*The primary kitchen winterization fund for the main kitchen in center of camp:

https://gofundme.com/winterkitchen

^ This donation page goes toward food storage. The ongoing violence and chaos of police actions have set them back. It is a labor of love when the kitchen folks work day and night to have warm food waiting after massive actions. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Please help.

Krystle Star November 28, 2016 (3:33 pm)

*LEGAL / FRESHET COLLECTIVE

Water Protector Legal Collective (formerly Red Owl Legal Collective) is a nonprofit coordinating legal services in partnership with the National Lawyers Guild. Support the legal defense of warriors protecting land, water, and human rights!

Contact phone: (605) 519-8180

https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/d19fAf

“We are not expendable. We have a right to live.”

Address:

P.O. Box 69

300 Collins Avenue

Mandan, ND 58554

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*TWO SPIRIT CAMP

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/two-spirit

http://nativeout.com/twospirit-rc/two-spirit-101/

http://dancingtoeaglespiritsociety.org/twospirit.php

http://gender.wikia.com/wiki-two-spirit
If you are LGBTQ, please do some research about this camp and the ideals we hold to be true.

TWO SPIRIT NATION

c/o Candi Brings Plenti

P.O. Box 724

Mandan, ND 58554

Krystle Star November 28, 2016 (3:34 pm)

*Oceti Sakowin’s mní wičhóni nakíčin owáyawa / Defenders of the Water School

mní wičhóni nakíčižin owáyawa (Defenders of the Water School) is serving the children and families of the Protectors’ camp community who choose home education. The school offers lessons in the Lakota language and traditions as well as traditions taught by members of the many tribes that are present in the Oceti Sakowin Camp, core subjects, and workshops on other topics from volunteers who visit.

They need a used 15-passenger diesel van to be donated. Due to overwhelming generosity, they no longer need traditional school supplies, but do have a need for ongoing financial support. Every donation helps them to continue providing this vital resource for families as they protect the water.

http://www.youcaring.com/mn-wi-h-ni-nak-i-i-ow-yawa-675427

If you are interested in helping the resource school, please call (701) 390-9163.

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*VETERANS FOR STANDING ROCK

These folks are veterans of the United States Armed Forces, including the U.S. Army, United States Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard. They are calling for fellow veterans to assemble as a peaceful, unarmed militia at the Standing Rock Reservation and defend the water protectors from assault and intimidation at the hands of the militarized police force and DAPL security.

They currently have over 2,100 veterans on the roster.

https://www.gofundme.com/veterans-for-standing-rock-nodapl

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west seattle represent November 28, 2016 (7:06 pm)

thank you, krystle, for this vital info.

i am inspired and proud to see so many people making efforts to help those at standing rock stand up for what is right.

Lisa November 29, 2016 (9:45 am)

I’m feeling such profound pride and sadness while reading this update— thank you so much for getting this info out for us to absorb.

SWinWS November 29, 2016 (9:48 am)

Krystle Star,

This is all very valuable info, much of which I was unaware of but, under-funding those other vital groups and resources is very common in crisis situations such as this. At the same time, the public tends to overwhelmingly focus its attention towards a single site/organization which often results in other peoples not acquiring funds. I have faith though in the Native community for sharing resources and aiding other in need—unlike other non-profits (that are secretly for profit) during catastrophic emergencies. Just recently I donated to this Mni Wiconi clinic organized by the Do No Harm Clinic http://www.donoharmcoalition.org/ . They met there goals and its good to know that projects are in progress to help the Protectors in North Dakota. Thank you for the detailed resources, Krystle, I hope we can make a difference for those groups you mentioned.

Larry Dennison November 30, 2016 (10:45 am)

Port Townsend sent a delegation of more than forty people to Standing Rock last week. They took a large rental truck and and a number of smaller cargo vehicles loaded with items for the Water Watchers. I hope they manage to connect with the West Seattle group at some point. I am proud that our state has risen to the call for support of this amazing international uprising against the destruction of our shared environment. Mni Wiconi!

wb December 4, 2016 (9:13 pm)

I am so happy to see the success tonight at Standing Rock! Dakota Access Pipeline — no permits per the Army Corp of Engineers. Thank you all for going and caring about the rights of Native people and for the planet!

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