Standing Rock - A Veteran's Experience

By Bob Berg

Cannonball, North Dakota
December 2-7, 2016

Due to the generosity of many people contributing to 'Veterans Stand For Standing Rock,’ I was able to travel to Standing Rock in support of the Water Protectors there.

Let me explain what is happening at Standing Rock as I understand it. The tribe at Standing Rock is the Standing Rock Sioux, part of the Lakota Sioux.

The company Dakota Access (a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners) called a town meeting to announce their plans for a pipeline, the Dakota Access Pipe Line (DAPL). They presented a map showing the route of the pipeline. They did not ask for permission. They had not obtained the necessary permits or easements. They simply continued doing what has been done to the Native Americans for generations, abused the rights of the Indigenous people of this land. There was a Native American elder woman present at this meeting named Ladonna Brave Bull Allard who took exception to this plan. The route of the pipeline was going to upset the gravesite of her son. She stood up and said to the company representative, "Take a good look at my face because you are going to see it again. I am not going to allow you to do this".

That is how this movement got started. It now is based on water protection because of the prophecy of The Black Snake. For generations the Native Americans have passed on the prophecy of the responsibility of stopping the black snake for the good of humankind. If the DAPL is viewed from the air it resembles a snake and will be filled with black oil. The time to fulfill this prophecy is NOW. This can be compared to the story of Noah's Ark. When God told Noah to build the Ark, Noah had no choice. The Lakota Sioux are in the same boat (sorry, couldn't resist the pun). The Lakota Sioux did not ask to be the tribe to fulfill the prophecy, but they have accepted and embraced this responsibility. Their resolve is unshakeable. They are there at Standing Rock to make a stand for all of us, for humankind. They are to be admired. They need the help of all of us to stand strong. It has attracted tribes from all over the planet. It has become ground zero for a stand to protect all that is sacred on this planet. All of us involved in this movement are like raindrops. Individually we are rather insignificant, but put enough of us together and we can become a flood. Whoa!

One of the catchphrases of this movement is "mni wiconi"....."water is life". This phrase was used over and over again at rallies and ceremonies at Standing Rock while I was there.

I had the privilege of joining a sunrise ceremony where gifts were offered to the sacred waters of the Cannonball River. This ceremony was one of, if not the most moving experience of my entire life. The loving energy generated there was all encompassing, powerful, majestic, awe inspiring. This energy came from love, from people gathering from all over, united in their concern for a good cause, coming together in cooperation. This is what I have truly come to believe.....if the owner of the pipeline company had been to this ceremony and could have opened up his heart to feel what I felt, he would halt construction in a heartbeat. If the greedy, fearful men of the world could experience the utter joy of cooperation instead of conflict and competition, all the wars would end in a heartbeat. If the men who are oppressing others, forcing their views on the weaker and easily misguided souls of the earth could experience the love of that small group gathered on the bank of a small river in sacred ceremony, these men would shed their prejudices, lay down their weapons, and would embrace all the peoples on this earth in a heartbeat.

After the gifting ceremony I went to the veteran's headquarters tent to get guidance. I saw veterans forming up on the highway leading to the bridge over the Cannonball River that had become a focal point so I joined that group. We were led by elders from the tribe who were dressed in their finest, many carrying their ceremonial staffs, many veterans carrying flags. I saw one vet in a wheelchair. The flag bearers were all called up front to lead the way. At this time the snow started to fall. We proceeded forward, stopping several times for prayers led by the tribe elders. Our final stop was short of the bridge where the conflict had occurred as we wanted to be non-confrontational. More prayers were offered until it became apparent we needed to end the ceremony. People were becoming overcome with the cold and snow and wind. The snowstorm had escalated into a full blown blizzard. Due to the blizzard and another blizzard predicted for Friday, the group of 2000 vets had to leave Wednesday, but we did get president Obama's attention.

While there I met a woman and her mother. The elderly woman was 80 years old, had dementia, and needed a wheelchair. They were Native Americans. I asked the daughter where they were staying. She said "The Camp". I asked how they keep warm. She said, "We are staying in a tipi, we are fine." This gives you some idea of the steadfast commitment of the people at Standing Rock.

The Lakota Sioux and those at Standing Rock Camp need our prayers, our support, our loving energy to stand strong. It is a movement, a movement to protect all that is sacred here on Earth. This movement is a peaceful movement, founded on love; love for Nature, love for our Mother Earth, love for all humankind.

To read the full version of my trip article, click here.

More about Bob Berg: I am retired, living in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. My hobbies include playing softball with a bunch of us 'old people'; playing hand drums, mostly congas; practicing Shamanic Reiki; and spending as much time as possible in a hammock.

I served in the US Air Force from 1968-1972, at the height of the Vietnam war. I was stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota for those four years and while I was there not one enemy aircraft made it over the border, so I guess I did my job.