Hau Mitakuyapi,
Owasin cantewasteya nape ciyuzapi do!
This past week, Tuesday, September 02, 2008 through Saturday, September 06, 2008, we, as Dakota People, exercised our treaty rights under Article 3 of the Treaty of 1805, our first treaty with the fledgling new nation(29 years old), the United States of America. This article states, “The U.S. promise on their part to permit the Sioux to pass, repass, hunt, and do other things in said district as they have formerly done, ….”
We exercised our right of access to sacred sites (viz., Coldwater Spring) and our right to conduct ceremonies (Inipi, Canduhupa, etc.) at our sacred sites. Also, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 also acknowledges these Indigenous rights. In addition, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, September, 2007, also declare these to be RIGHTS. This UN Declaration is international law.
HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE
During our occupying the Coldwater Spring area, many law enforcement personnel, heavily armed, were present, that is, drove in, by, and out from our camping area. The units of law enforcement included, but were not limited to: Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department; Edina Swat Team; Homeland Security; Minneapolis Police; Federal Marshalls, etc. Some said that the Secret Service was involved as well. All were heavily ARMED! We were NOT armed. We came to pray and worship - we came in peace and we came non-violently.
On at least two of the days, helicopters were hovering directly overhead.
Every day there were police cars, SWAT vans, etc. which continually came in and out of our camping area. One time, there were six, if not seven, police vehicles which came in a line into our camp and then drove out. It seemed like they were trying to both hassle and intimidate us. They did a good job of intimidating me but I had no intention of backing out. I had planned on getting arrested and getting our Treaty of 1805 into the U.S. courts and using the Treaty as our legal defense.
TWO POTENTIAL CONFRONTATIONS AVERTED
1.) The first potential confrontation occurred on Tuesday, September 02, 2008. We went in around 11:30 AM to the Coldwater Spring area and set up two tipis, a cook tent, and the materials to begin setting up an Inipi lodge. When the various law enforcemnt personnel found out we were there, they wanted to know what was going on. We told them since we had nothing to hide.
Our position was and is that this area was our land - since it has not yet been paid for, and that we had a right to be on the land, under Article 3 of the Treaty of 1805. We, as Dakota People, had the right to access our sacred sites and the right to conduct our religious ceremonies.
The gates to the area close at 3:00 PM and everyone has to be out. Well, we were NOT going to leave the Coldwater Spring area. We were going to stay and conduct four days of ceremonies. Thus, the potential confrontation.
Three o’clock came and then the manager of the Fish & Wildlife Services which has authority over the area, a Mr. Robert Hansen, came to our camping area, and gave us a signed 4-day permit, a permit which we DID NOT ask for! Anyway, the confrontation was avoided, and our side was greatly relieved. We didn’t want anyone on our side to be arrested or harmed.
2.) The second potential confrontation was on Friday, September 05, 2008 at 3:00 PM. Again, we were supposed to be out by 3:00 PM or we would be arrested, and possibly have our heads bashed. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department appeared eager to get at us.
In fact, there were at least two arguments we heard that occurred between the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department and the “Feds” (Homeland Security, Fish & Wildlife). Both said they had jurisdiction. But it appeared that Fish & Wildlife won out and they said we had a permit. To us, this was ironic because it seemed like Fish & Wildlife and Homeland Security were “protecting” us.
Three o’clock came and no police came right then and there to throw us out. So, we figured that they would come later and attack us around 4:00 AM the next morning, Sat. 9/06, like they did 10 years ago in the highway 55 re-route occupation.
Around the evening meal time, a representative from Homeland Security came, with his wife, and talked with Jim Anderson. Jim told them that we would be out of the Cold Water area between 1 and 2 o’clock the next day, on Saturday afternoon, 9/06. The “Fed” thought that was OK. So, we had a good night’s rest, without worrying that we might be attacked.
So, again, a possibly violent confrontation was averted and we all were so elated and grateful that no one was arrested and no one was hurt.
PRESS CONFERENCE
When we knew that 3:00 PM on Friday afternoon (9/05) there might be a confrontation, we called for a press conference for 2:00 PM. And we planned an Inipi ceremony for 3:00 PM when the police were to come out. We were thinking that if they disrupted our ceremony and jerked/dragged us out of our ceremony in the Inipi lodge, that his would work to our advantage. If they disrupted our ceremony, they would be the ones to look bad with all the negative publicity which would ensue because of all the press and cameras which were around.
There were over 200 people present (Jim Anderson counted them) at the press conference. Channel 5, KSTP, and reporters from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, etc. were present. Also, radio representatives from various places around the United States were present and interviewed the organizers and planners of the event.
We had a number of wonderful speakers, including representatives from the International Indian Treaty Council, a non-governmental organization (NGO)) at the United Nations. These IITC representatives were Bill Means and Tony Gonzales.
Cam Gordon, a member of the Minneapolis City Council, a representative of the 2nd Ward which includes Coldwater Spring, spoke and said that “a wonderful solution would be to return the land on which Coldwater Spring is located to people who would care for it.” The audience erupted with applause and shouts.
Mr. Gordon had opened the door for negotiations between the City and the Dakota People, particularly, the Mendota Dakota Community.
FINAL COMMENTS
One thing, out of many, which impressed me and for which I was grateful were the number of non-Native young people, both young men and women, who came to stand with us and support us. These young people helped with a variety of camp chores, Some helped keep the sacred fire burning the whole four days and nights we were there. Some helped with putting up and taking down the tipis. Some even donated food and money. Others helped with gathering wood for the fires and the other miscellaneous tasks.
A number of these non-Native young people were going to stand with us when the police came to arrest us and throw us out of the park. This really impressed me! For me, this was extremely gratifying and encouraging.
The reason for this feeling is our counter event which my younger daughter and I organized at the Yellow Medicine Agency State Park Program, sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources on Saturday, August 16, 2008 and Sunday, August 17, 2008. There, no non-Native person, no white person, stood with us as we faced the armed Yellow Medicine County Sheriff and his deputies and the armed Department of Natural Resouces (DNR) personnel. Only two white people stood with us and they were married to us! Like at Coldwater Spring, the number of armed personnel was overwhelming!
No white person from the town of Granite Falls stood with us, although they may have been empathetic, because of fear - fear of anger, of criticism, ridicule, or of reprisal. On Sunday, 8/17, as we stood in silence, with our banner saying, “Your Religion Crushed our Religion,” facing the congregation of the Sunday church service, with Rev. Riggs preaching, a re-enactment. No white person from the entirely white congregation stood with us. That is why I was so impressed with all of these young white people, at Coldwater Spring, who came to help us and stand with us to face the armed lawmen, an overwhelming presence.
In the Granite Falls area, in southwestern Minnesota, there is no freedom of speech even for some white people because of FEAR!
Another point - we demonstrated that we can exercise our treaty rights whether it is fishing, hunting, access to sacred sites, or conducting our ceremonies at sacred sites.
Finally, the door was open to begin the process of negotiation for returning the land to the Dakota People, particularly to the Mendota Dakota Community.
Although I didn’t particularly enjoy sleeping in the tipi those four nights and although it got pretty cold in the mornings, I am gratified by the results of the event. It seems as we do these kinds of events more and more, we are getting stronger and more assertive of our rights under out treaties!!
As Dakota People, we will continue the struggle to exercise our treaty rights and to educate the the U.S. and its Euro-American citizenry to honor their treaty obligations.
Waste (”Good”).
Mato Nunpa de miye do! “I am Two Bear!”
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