Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

August 30, 2016

Standing Rock Spirit Resistance Radio is Live!

Standing Rock Spirit Resistance Radio is Live

.

By Brenda Norrell
Photos by Michelle Cook, Dine'

CANNON BALL, North Dakota -- The grassroots live radio station, Standing Rock's Spirit Resistance Radio began broadcasting live on Monday morning after a satellite was installed on Sunday. Thousands of Native Americans have gathered to protect the Missouri River from an underwater crude oil pipeline, the Dakota Access Pipeline, which threatens their water supply.
The station was already live in camp at 87.9 FM.

Before the satellite was installed, Govinda Dalton of Earthcycles, producer, was driving the audios out of camp. The audios were then posted on Censored News, due to the lack of Internet service in camp.
A delegation of Apache and Dine’ (Navajo) youths were among those interviewed on Spirit Resistance Radio. Naelyn Pike, Apache, described how Arizona Sen. John McCain sold out the Apaches by giving Resolution Copper their sacred place of Oak Flat in Arizona. McCain put the land exchange in the defense spending bill to avoid public detection and outcry at the time.
Spirit Resistance Radio interviewed Lakota elders and youths, along with young entrepreneurs from Rosebud who are beekeepers selling their honey, and those whose lives are being transformed by being at the camp.
“It is no longer a camp, it is a village,” said Govinda Dalton, producer, who has been broadcasting Indigenous news and struggles as a volunteer for more than a decade on Earthcycles.
Dennis Banks, co-founder of the American Indian Movement, and attorneys have been interviewed on Spirit Resistance Radio.
The issues range from the Rights of Nature, with roots in Bolivia and Ecuador, to a series recorded around the campfire at night. This includes Lakota elders speaking on healing the trauma of boarding schools with ceremonies.


Bringing sacred water to Bismarck on Monday,
in peace and friendship. Photo Michele Cook.
Tlingit water and medicine songs are included in the radio programs, which began with an interview with Waniya Locke, Lakota mother and teacher. Michelle Cook, Dine’, on the legal team, describes her personal journey here.
Native American water defenders speak passionately on protecting the Missouri River for future generations.
Radio stations across the country are now requesting to rebroadcast the shows. The first was in Tampa, Florida.
Two Worlds Indigenous Radio, on WMNF community radio station in Tampa is broadcasting Standing Rock Spirit Resistance Radio. Mekasi Camp Horinek's interview, describing the first days of the blockade by Camp of the Sacred Stones, was the first.
Truckloads of hundreds of pounds of buffalo meat and pallets of drinking water are now arriving at the camp, with trucks arriving from the Crow Nation, Cheyenne Arapaho Nation, and Cherokee Nation.
Photos by Michelle Cook, Dine': Radmilla Cook, Dine', cooks over an open fire in camp.  The station is now live.

2 comments:

Joseph Hill said...

I'm with all you brave People 100%. I know that the Spirit of Crazy Horse is with you. By the way, EVERYBODY should DEMAND that Leonard Pelletier's sentence be commuted by this so-called progressive President. I'm sure we could have counted on Bernie Sanders to do the RIGHT thing.

In Solidarity,
Bill Tower

Bearspirit said...

So happy to be able to listen and receive updates all the way up here on the West Coast of Canada! I lift my hands high to all of you. We are working hard up this way to protect our coastline and I am sharing Standing Rock info constantly. I would like to Respectfully encourage and request more female Elders and other Women speakers on the radio station ... as our Prophecies tell us, it is time for the Women to be heard! Aho <3