We Walked with Thousands
Hundreds of Native American tribes unified on Friday March 10, 2017 to walk in Washington D.C. to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. #NoDAPL
My daughter, Alana, and I drove down to walk with our relatives from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
The umbrellas were sold out, so I bought some rain ponchos. As soon as we arrived to line up, it started to rain. The rain changed to sleet and then snow. I shared an extra poncho with a “grandma” who was soaked to the bone.
I walked with my cousin, Brenda, for the six mile trek through the city streets. We met up with her sisters and friends at the end of the walk. The sun came out when we reached the White House.
I expected many police and secret service to patrol. What I didn’t know until later was that they were telling only those who were wearing the SRST blue T-shirts that “the permit does not allow you to stand on the sidewalk. We will warn you three times, then arrest you if you step on the sidewalk again.” However, others not wearing the shirts were allowed on the sidewalk to take pictures.
Others joined the Native Nations Walk on Washington, including lots of little ones, Taboo from Black Eyed Peas, Ethan Hawk and his two young daughters (walked past me), Wes Studi (who I shook hands with and said hello), various artists, and some people from home- That’s a Rochester Institute of Technology umbrella in the crowd!
The majority of the walk was peaceful and people felt like they were contributing to the protest against the DAPL project. I think we picked up quite a few walkers along the route. One report mentioned at least 170 different tribes in attendance. I also saw a Japanese spiritual group who chanted as they walked with their flags…all for clean water.
Currently, the SRST has lawyers fighting in court to stop the digging. The SRST Chairman and Tribal Council made the decision to close the camp in the winter to protect human life. The area where the camp was located endures harsh winter storms and often floods. The Chairman and Tribal Council are doing their best to fight for the right to clean water for all people along the Missouri River. Unfortunately, there were some non-Natives who spewed hateful remarks toward our Chairman while he was trying to speak on stage.
For the most part, the walk was a peace-filled protest to raise awareness for the Right to Clean Water. My daughter and I were glad to be a part of the Native Nations Walk on Washington last Friday. We enjoyed spending a couple days with our family.
**See more photos, videos, information on the Native Nations Walk on Washington:
Stand with Standing Rock click here
Huffington Post click here
TYT Politics video click here
Washington Post click here
PBS/WXXI news click here
NoDAPL map click here
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Happy Book Birthday Sioux Code Talkers of World War II March 1, 2017!
Launch Party April 8th
Sioux Code Talkers of World War II
Open House Book Signing 1-4pm
Spencerport Fireman’s Exempt Hall
Spencerport, NY 14559
To Order from Lift Bridge Bookstore for Launch Party click here
Lift Bridge Bookstore will bring the books to the party on April 8th
(if you order before March 21, 2017)
If you wish to order on your own, see Pelican’s website click here.
Pelican Publishing Company 2017
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For more Facts About the Sioux Code Talkers and an infographic poster about the buffalo, and future resources, please sign up for my newsletter at bottom of page. I’ll be sending out more resources with each update.
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Read the Kirkus Review click here.
School Library Journal Review
03/01/2017
Gr 7 Up—This well-documented title vividly brings to life the story of John Bear King and other Sioux code talkers during World War II. What makes this nonfiction text unique is the painstaking detail the author, the great-niece of King, took to research actual coded messages in military archives and transcribe them into the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota languages. Page consulted not only scholars in this field of research but also native Lakota speakers. The perspective of the Lakota and their cultural values are carefully woven into the narrative, which recounts their history with white settlers from the 1800s to the advent of the Second World War. Page provides a balanced account of the Lakota, who, in spite of numerous broken treaties with the U.S. government, always fought to defend their homelands and the United States. The book is engaging from start to finish, with a well-written text that is enhanced by period photographs and reproductions of significant documents. VERDICT A valuable work for teens studying code talkers and American Indian contributions to the U.S. victory in the Pacific theater.—Naomi Caldwell, Alabama State University, Montgomery
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