STANDING ROCK, ND – As protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline head into winter and state aggression persists, Standing Rock Sioux water protectors brace for yet another problem – the seemingly imminent moment when a white protester puts on a Native American headdress.
Native activists expressed frustration this week at a group of predominantly white protesters treating Standing Rock as a “vacation” or “spiritual journey” – abusing resources, neglecting camp maintenance and disrespecting tribal protocols. As these new arrivals demonstrate behaviour befitting an outdoor music festival, many fear the first sighting of a white guy running around in a traditional Sioux war bonnet – likely paired with aviator sunglasses – is only days away.
“Luckily, so far nobody seems to have brought one,” said Lonnie Hawkins of the Oceti Sakowin camp. “But now and then while you’re working, you’ll see a guy in a Burning Man shirt pick a feather up off the ground and kind of look around and put it in his pocket. I’m worried they’re trying to make one.”
Currently, protectors are racing to winterize lodges and stockpile firewood. But every fire built brings its own risk: white college students with guitars. “This camp is a dignified, prayerful place,” said Hawkins, “and also, look, nobody dealing with militarized police, supply blockades and water cannons needs to hear ‘Crash Into Me’ by the Dave Matthews Band.”
“We’ve been telling them we need to burn their guitars ‘for a ritual’, but every guitar fire just brings more guys with guitars. I honestly think they brought backup guitars.”
The group in question, however, sees a mutual benefit. “It’s so, so spiritually powerful to be here,” said Todd Peterson about the unarmed struggle of sovereign people to protect their land, echoing sentiments he once expressed about Coachella 2014. “But I also bring experience: I’m from Bismarck, and when they tried to build a pipeline near our homes we actually got it rerouted,” he added – referring to the Dakota Access Pipeline, rerouted through Standing Rock for that reason. “So anything’s possible!”
Donations remain an effective way to support Standing Rock, and official supply lists have been published asking for firewood, sub-zero sleeping bags and medical supplies. Meanwhile, a separate list from a number of white twenty-somethings at the camp has been posted on Snapchat, asking for selfie sticks, face paint, a full Native American headdress or facsimile, and guitar tabs for “Wonderwall.”
