Dennis J Banks

It’s a sad day for me! My mentor, friend, uncle, spiritual brother, Nowa Cumig, Dennis Banks, has journeyed to the spirit world! He will meet up with many other great indigenous world leaders, both male and female, who have passed before. All these leaders have sacrificed much in order to get recognition for their indigenous & treaty rights. They were spiritual leaders of their people and many of them entered the Sundance. Sweat lodges and other ceremonies were a part of every-day life. Imagine hero’s like Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Quanah Parker and the like. You are in good company Dennis! You were a modern day warrior for your people!

Thanks to Hank Adams for the photos

I met Dennis through my mom, Janet McCloud. They were very close friends.

I love this photo. It was daybreak at one of mom’s gatherings. Charlie Hill, Red Crow & Buddy Redbull did a performance. It was the first time we heard Buddy sing “Journey to the Spirit World”. It was something I’ll never forget!

Thanks to Hank Adams

Some people don’t know that Dennis Banks, Russell Means and other leaders of the American Indian Movement came to Sapa Dawn and its sweat lodge before launching their 1973 Wounded Knee Occupation in South Dakota. That’s something I’m so proud of, Sapa Dawn.

Thanks to Hank Adams

Dennis visited Sapa Dawn on a regular basis and considered it a sacred place! It was established by my mom at her home and surrounding 10 acres in Yelm, Washington as a retreat, naming it the Sapa Dawn Center. "Sapa" meaning grandfather, a tribute to my dad, Don McCloud, who died in April 1985. "The elders have said this is a spiritual place. For over 30 years, we've used this land to teach our traditional ways," my mom wrote in 1999. "When all is going crazy . . . our people can come back to the center to find the calming effect; to reconnect with their spiritual self."

In August 1985, 300 women from many countries found their way to Sapa Dawn to talk about concerns they shared. "There was no motel in Yelm then," recalls McCloud. "So we put up tepees. One woman said: 'Where's the motel?' Mom said, 'Here's a key: tepee number one or tepee number two.” The women camped for five days, talking about social, economic and family problems troubling native people throughout the Western Hemisphere. That was the birth of what now is called the Indigenous Women's Network, a coalition championing native women, families and tribal sovereignty from Chile to Canada, and which adopted my mom, Janet McCloud as a founding mother.

My oldest grandson, Leon Shippentower, at a recent visit

Dennis has instilled pride in native communities, all through his life! In his later years, he was a tireless advocate for health and wellness in tribal communities, the unacceptability of domestic violence and abuse of women, including the issue of missing/ murdered indigenous women. He was truly an advocate for our people!

We love you Nowa Cumig and know that the energy you carried will be multiplied many times and by many people!

Who's Writing our Histories

I just read a book called “The Wolf at Twilight” by Kent Nerburn. We are good at telling our stories or talking about our history. This guy was able to be an interpreter/ writer for an elder in Lakota. It's a great book about the boarding schools, about the abuse of our culture, spiritual ways, & traditions. I would highly recommend this book to be in the Indigenous Curriculum in all the schools, but there is more - who controls the curriculum and what are they saying? I'm confused because I know our kids don't know anything about the fishing rights struggles. I took some flyers to Standing Rock about the canoe families but someone took them down and threw them away. For several years now, I have offered to come and talk a little about my history growing up in the fishing rights, my experiences with Dennis Banks and AIM and the different movements that went on during the 60's, thru now. Sadly, people don't seem to want to hear about these stories. My grandmothers and grandfathers were forced to go to these schools, so was my dad and relatives but it seems that our people’s ears are closed.

                                                Dennis at Chief Leschi School, February 3

I've seen people talking about these struggles but they weren't really involved, yet they are writing the stories. I guess whoever puts it out there IS the story. There are many, many stories from elders and no one is writing them down - no one is listening.

MY great-granddaughter, Kaylen, was so cute today. I was talking to Anthonia about different spiritual medicines that we use and Kaylen was just watching me, looking right into my eyes, nodding her head. I told Lokk, “see she knows” and I looked at the baby, she was jumping and smiling at me and I know she knows....

We as Indigenous people need to recognize that WE need to write our own stories and distribute them to the schools, or they just need to start buying good books that are truthful and spiritual. I fear for our youth, we are losing them and we need to bring them back into our arms and teach them that they have to learn to walk two roads, their own and the other one that brings them together with spirituality, harmony and passion. Let’s bring pride back into our tribes!

We have Black history month and we have Indian Indigenous Month but I'm not sure how we are representing ourselves. My mother, Janet McCloud, used to have all kinds of ceremonies THROUGHOUT the years at her home. Many kids would come and they learned, they opened their ears and listened. Now we need to start using those teachings...Just think about it, food for thought.  
 

Standing Rock - Recent Events

I believe that the recent decision regarding the DAPL is just the beginning. It took many years for our fishing rights to be determined in a federal court decision, which was a Landmark decision. We are still having trouble here in the Northwest, our fishing stocks have dwindled due to pollution of the waters and bad regulations by the state and federal government.

I believe we have a long way to go on the road of the black snake--I don't know if many people remember that story about the snake giving a human being a ride, promising he wouldn’t’ hurt them but in the end, he ate ‘em. I believe that is where we are now riding the black snake--it's hard to judge what is going to happen because we have believed in the human race, to make things rights. We pray to “walk the red road” but still we are mistreated, abused and we refuse to leave. Why? Because this is our land!

Our belief in the prophesies are coming true - I remember hearing them as a child and now as I come into the autumn years of my life, I have seen everything the Hopi prophesies have said.

I have seen the path many of our elders choose to walk, for the rights we have today. Madonna Thunderhawk, Dennis Banks, Quiltman Sahme and Jimbo Simmons, just to name a few. I’ve been there twice and have seen these people supporting the movement, as old and as sick as they are. They come to offer prayers, food, shelter, security and especially their stories. They are still there in this cold and subzero temperature. My prayers are for all the people there who are freezing, be careful and take care of yourselves.

This has been a wake-up call for our people. We are the Protectors and we need to live this way in order to protect our mother earth and all who live here, to help each other, regardless of the color of our skin and to enlighten through our songs and stories.

Remember, all of you who were there, the creator put you there for a reason. You were lead to Standing Rock to relive our history and to show the world that the “angry society” we live in, that believes the myth that the almighty Dollar means more than human life, is not true.

Pray for yourself, your family and friends and thank the ancestors, thank the creator and thank our mother earth, who takes this abuse daily. This story is just beginning, the door is opened and everything is going to come out in a flood…

        Photo courtesy of Counterpunch

My final thought. The president needs to pardon Leonard Peltier, he has suffered enough, it's time he gets to go home to be with his family, to enjoy his remaining years. Let's all pray together on December 22, the Winter Solstice, may he be released from his tormentors and that Obama has the good heart to do what is long overdue!

Stay Strong, remember what's important

It is with deep sympathy and sadness that this nation once again shows its true colors. My heart is heavy today. I pray for the future of my people, our mother earth and the human race. How very sad that the majority of people in this country can be deceived by an egomaniac millionaire and his hateful speech. Except for the west coast and a small handful of other states, people fell for it, hook, line and sinker. Equally sad, it appears that Hillary will win the popular vote but don’t get me started on the electoral system, that’s another issue.

We have survived over 500 hundred years of racism, genocide and ethnocide. We have survived the deportations of our children to boarding schools, to civilize them, and we have survived through millions of our people being slaughtered.

We are survivors, we will survive and live to tell the stories of the presidents from George Washington to this new one, of the disrespect of our treaties and our people. Even though Obama met with our people and received a Dakota name, he still failed us at the last minute. He did not stop the NODALP, as of yet, nor did he release LEONARD PELTIER. He still has time and maybe he will but I am sad for our future. I am saddened by the racist people who voted for trump and I am in disgust - but I will not be silenced, nor will I stop what I am doing just because of this crazy man. We will get stronger and help build our people up to be a united NATION as we should be, as STANDING ROCK is showing the world.

As we get closer to the ‘doom sayers” prediction regarding the black snake and the rain of people wearing red, falling from the sky with their mighty swords and they ask WHAT DID YOU DO FOR YOUR PEOPLE, FOR THE HUMAN RACE? We can strongly say we tried to save it.

When we no longer have a glass of water to drink, a place to gather our foods, and there is no clean air, then we as humans cease to exist. We will live a reality show for the next four years…

Stay strong and remember what’s important.

Standing Rock Needs You Now !

After speaking to friends up at the Sacred Stones camp today and witnessing all the violence on Facebook, I feel frustrated as hell. I have been there twice already but due to family commitments, I came home. I have been actively trying to keep Standing Rock in the headlines but it’s really difficult due to the mainstream media “blackout” of coverage. I did do an interview yesterday with a local Seattle station but I feel like it’s still not enough.

Gill PlentyChief

What I witnessed took me back to my childhood when they were doing the same things to the people on the river. The fight that time was to uphold our treaty fishing rights, over the salmon. And now they are still doing that same violence to our people today. It’s just sick and sad.

The politicians come in and they promise everything, they promise they will abide by the treaties. Well we are still waiting. They steal our land thru “eminent domain” and they take our minerals and water rights, with no consequences for the future.  They are tearing down the sacred sweat lodges and taking prayer ties down and throwing them away. There were children and elders in those lodges and tents, several young people got hurt. How would they like it if somebody did that to their children?   

We have to remember that we all human beings, we drink the same water. How would they like to see their grandchildren buying water at $20 a bottle because that's what it's coming down to. My heart is hurt tonight, my brain can't relax. I'm thinking about going over there but my husband is worried because of my age. I just want to see good things for my grandchildren and for mother earth, not pipelines and concrete buildings. We need to learn to make a garden, go hunting, go fishing, gather your roots for medicines, etc. We need to plan ahead.

We don't want this to become a martial law country but I'm afraid if Hillary or Trump get in there, they would do away with the reservations, even though Hillary has an Indian name.  Tonight I have a heavy heart - one of the young tribal members went over there and got arrested. He called his mom and she said he sounded so scared. I told her that all the time I was hanging around with him, he wanted to join AIM, so now he is in AIM. I told her, he just got initiated into being a warrior. I'm saying prayers for him because he such a delicate young man. Every time he goes over there it takes boxes and boxes of Cedar and he'll go get donations from everyone. He has a good heart but thank God our tribal council is going to intervene and try to help him. We have another worker who got arrested, she's a great attorney on these kind of issues. Her name is Annette Klapstein.  I'm hoping that the people stay safe and we're praying for them. I look at the young children there and worry about them because these guys don't care who they're going to hit, they don't care who they are going gas, they don't care who's going to get run over.

 I wonder if their conscience is bothering them.  I wonder if they go home, sit at a table and look at their children and think about what they did today, to the indigenous children of this land.

I know people are staying stronger this time and we will win, we have the creator on our side! 

Re-Energizing Youth

As I get older and into this golden age, I remember the ceremonies, sewing, beading and making baskets—going hunting and fishing, canning and preserving for the winter and then during the winter doing in home activities.  Being a stay at home mom and wife, we did everything and when our husbands came home from work there was dinner.   This did not make us a slave at home nor were we passive or in dominate marriages – we did this because we loved our families and made sure they lived in a healthy environment. 

                                                              Photo by Hank Adams

When we did go to work it was because ERA came into effect and white women became minorities (I don’t figure how the courts decided that) our husbands lost their jobs to their bosses, wives and girlfriends. 

The roles changed and we brought home the checks and our husbands became the homemakers – and they did what we did even cleaning the carpet.  They took good care of their kids – sometimes they would get crazy and sometimes they let the kids run wild but, all in all, they were good at home.

Now today is quite different – these young people don’t do anything. They wait for the tribe to take care of them—they don’t know how to do anything –there is no future at the end of their tunnel.  

They are killing their spirits and the “warrior” within in them, no motivation, no pride and we watch them become zombies, thieves in jail or on the streets waiting, waiting, and waiting.  As I watch them sometimes, talking to them, I wonder what they are thinking or why they are doing this. I ask them what makes you take this drug or how does it make you feel?   Maybe I should try it just to see what you all see… 

I tell the kids you’re killing yourself and our future; you need something in your life.  That’s why a youth center is good for the kids but it has become a funeral home for all the funerals of Native Americans in Tacoma and other people.

I believe that they need a purpose, we had the fishing rights struggle treaty recognitions,  AIM MOVEMENT and other issues that kept us on the straight and narrow. We had pride and we wore it proudly. We made changes and became recognized in our own rights – So, where is the Warrior our children have – where did it go?  Did they lose it?  Now they put posters up of rap groups; we used to hang up posters of chiefs and other warriors – they sing rap songs; we sang Indian songs, they were strong and compassionate for their people

What went wrong?  All the warriors are passing and gone, no more memories…

Don’t mistake my nostalgia for apathy. I know there are many fine, young water warriors out there. I really do think that the ‘”silver lining” to NoDAPL is the re-energizing of youth participation in important events.   

In an earlier post, I added the wish list, addresses and phone numbers for Red Warrior Camp. This is such an important issue that I'm listing them again. Winter is coming soon so please get involved. Here’s how you can help:

                                                     Photo & graphic by Bucky Harjo

Below you will find addresses and links for sending supplies, finding the "wish list" of supplies needed by both the medics and the Water Protectors, addresses to which those supplies can be sent, and finally, websites where cash donations can be made to the struggle to succeed #NODAPL

Monetary Donations for Front Line Water Protectors
Oweakuinternational.org

Red Warrior Camp Legal Fund
https://www.generosity.com/…/red-warrior-camp-legal-fund-no…

Gift Cards
Visa Gas Cards

SEND SUPPLIES TO: 
Red Warrior Camp
BIE 00N02 Agency Ave
Fort Yates, ND 58538
United States
Phone: (605) 220-2531

Red Warrior Camp Legal Fund
https://www.generosity.com/…/red-warrior-camp-legal-fund-no…

RWC Amazon Wishlist
https://amzn.com/w/1QSHN0U0QGJW0

RWC MEDIC Amazon Wishlist
http://a.co/jakoe37or email RWCMedics@gmail.com
http://a.co/jakoe37

View fullsize

                                                      Photo & graphic by Bucky Harjo

Standing Rock - Canoe Family

Hi.

Most people who know me, know that I’m very passionate about the NoDAPL issue. I just came across something I wrote about a month ago, on my second visit to Standing Rock. On this second occasion, I was traveling with the Puyallup Canoe family.

Photo by Zoltan Grossman

Today we are heading to North Dakota - NoDAPL with the canoe family. We had a prayer circle this morning and are on the road. It’s 1:45 pm, we are in Spokane. Some of our drivers want to pull all-nighters. I don't think I can but we only have 4 people in the van so I'm sure I can lay down somewhere.

Denae Shippentower & Mariah Stafford

When I think about this encampment, I can’t help but remember my mom's encampment on the capital grounds in Olympia, many years ago. It lasted 2 weeks before it was taken down by the state police, 7 teenagers were arrested. I grew up with strong parents who took us all over the USA to different conferences and spiritual encampments, they made us listen to the speakers and participate in the different spiritual events.

Mom traveled world-wide and talked about the indigenous peoples of this land. Many times she would come home and laugh because people really believed we still lived in tee pees, but our people, the Puyallup, have always lived in family lodges, made out of cedar.

Yesterday the Obama administration stepped in and stopped the pipeline, after the canoes went into the Missouri River and then up the Canon River. 

Photo by Melinda G James

As we came in last night we rode in the canoe and the Alaskans came in first, then Puyallup and Nisqually came in last night about midnight. It was great, we were welcomed and then we stayed and visited many people. I went over to the camp this morning and that's when I was almost blown away. The workers were telling people,” you have to leave” but they let me stay because I am an elder. It was raining hard and the clouds were barking thunder.

When the canoes came into Standing Rock and there were songs, speeches and war whoops, it was great! The canoe families were welcomed by the Chairman Dave Archambault and Orvil Looking Horse . My nephew, Hanford McCloud, did a real good job opening the ceremony.  Clinton McCloud came after him, it was a beautiful landing. I visited with Kory McLaughlin, he's a young council member at Standing Rock. Tonight there will be protocol at the Sacred sites.

Photo by Angeline Totus

I sat down with Madonna Thunderhawk and Robbie Romero and we were talking about the days when we would go to help out other tribes with their resistance movement. We would raise our own money by doing fry bread stands and selling arts & crafts. The difference now is that people want to get paid to go help other tribes out and they feel entitled. That is what’s wrong with some people today. There are some camps doing damage to the contractor’s machines. This is not our way, we do not damage other people's property nor do we start the violence, this is a peaceful and spiritual encampment .

David Archambault was on his way to DC to meet with the president.  It's crazy as to why he just don't sign an executive order saying no more sneaking into tribal lands or adjacent to them to do their terrible deeds.

Anyway, this was my experience with my canoe families at Standing Rock. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Please remember to help NoDAPL in any way you can.

Read my earlier blog for addresses and phone numbers.

Photo by Bucky Harjo

 

Stand with Standing Rock - Becoming Involved

Standing Rock has made a big impact on tribes throughout this land.

Dennis Banks leading the charge                                     Photo by Bucky Harjo

For years, our people watched these companies and corporations destroy and pollute our lands and waters, without any thought of repercussions from Mother Earth. And without any thoughts about the future of our young people. We have watched raw sewage go into our waters and at Puyallup, on the port, they were dumping chemicals into our bay. They have destroyed many pieces of property. They have taken prime farmland over there in Fife and built thousands of homes. So where's our food coming from today, who's farming??

Photo by Donna Azure

Photo by Bucky Harjo

Standing Rock has united all tribes.

Photo by Bucky Harjo

Photo by Bucky Harjo

It has given her people hope, empowered them to stand up for what is right, and the beneficiaries are all human beings.

Photo by Bucky Harjo

We have stood up and said “we are alive and we are still here”

Photo by Bucky Harjo

We are done with your abuses and taking our treaty rights away. We are just being good human beings!!

Photo by Bucky Harjo

Becoming Involved

Below you will find addresses and links for sending supplies, finding the "wish list" of supplies needed by both the medics and the Water Protectors, addresses to which those supplies can be sent, and finally, websites where cash donations can be made to the struggle to succeed #NODAPL

Monetary Donations for Front Line Water Protectors
Oweakuinternational.org

Red Warrior Camp Legal Fund
https://www.generosity.com/…/red-warrior-camp-legal-fund-no…

Gift Cards
Visa Gas Cards

SEND SUPPLIES TO: 
Red Warrior Camp
BIE 00N02 Agency Ave
Fort Yates, ND 58538
United States
Phone: (605) 220-2531

Red Warrior Camp Legal Fund
https://www.generosity.com/…/red-warrior-camp-legal-fund-no…

RWC Amazon Wishlist
https://amzn.com/w/1QSHN0U0QGJW0

RWC MEDIC Amazon Wishlist
http://a.co/jakoe37or email RWCMedics@gmail.com
http://a.co/jakoe37

Photo by Bucky Harjo

Welcome

Hi,

My name is Nancy Shippentower, I am Puyallup. My parents are Donald & Janet McCloud. They were big leaders in the fishing rights struggle and they both went to jail for their beliefs, my dad for 60 days and my mom for 6 days. When we were kids they would talked to us about the struggles and how important they were. Sometimes we would not agree but we would sacrifice.

As the fishing struggle became more violent on the agents side, many of our people were harassed, put in jail or beaten. I witnessed this first hand. One of the first encampments was on the capitol grounds in Olympia WA. My mom's camp was finally raided by the state troopers, they arrested 7 teenagers.

Thanks to Hank Adams & I Love Ancestry

Dick Gregory was in jail and on a fast to uphold the treaty rights on Medicine Creek. He was dying and many celebrities came to try to get the judge to let him out... finally when he went to the hospital they sent for his wife but she refused to sign the papers for him to get fed thru a tube. The judge finally said Dick Gregory is not dying here so he released him. He lost a lot of weight but he did get recognition. Marlon Brando was upset because when he got arrested they just asked for his autograph and he wanted to go to jail for the cause.

I grew up with 7 siblings. I will not say we anymore because this is my story.

I graduated from Evergreen College in Native Studies. I grew up in the time of the fishing rights struggles, Wounded Knee, Alcatraz, Daybreak , etc. My mom, Janet McCloud, had many spiritual unity conferences, sometimes with Audrey Shenandoah and we learned many different ceremonies. I was very blessed to have uncles like Dennis Banks, Floyd Westerman, Leon Shenandoah, Oren Lyons Louie Farmer, Thomas Banayaca and more. The strength came from the women. I remember my mom getting up and telling the men what to do. (I get that a little because I find myself telling these young leaders what to do and they call me BOSSY with humor).

I believe that leaders are born not elected. 

Thanks to Jena Charles

I am an 8 year Sundancer. When my father died from cancer, my mom could not overcome her grief so Dennis Banks brought Wilmer Mesthe "Stampede" over and we had Sundances on her property for 4 years.  On the 4th year, my husband died so did several people in our family, my sister was hit by a car but he warned us that the 4th years would be the hardest. I was 38 years old when I lost him.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of those who have gone before…

Thanks to Jin Ah Kim

I was on the tribal council for two-terms, one was during the land claim's settlement of the Puyallup Tribe. That was hard, it was a very controversial time. Would I run again? NO. it's too much stress hiring and firing.  In my opinion, we need to be involved in what's going on in the world and in the USA. Some of our leaders are small minded and don’t look at the big picture but only at what they can get for themselves.

Thanks to Raymond McCloud Sr.

When I went to Standing Rock recently, I knew I was entering sacred grounds, I could feel it overwhelming my spirit.  Finally someone, doing something. Whatever the outcome, we will all benefit or suffer.  I no longer look at being indigenous but being human. Our children are at risk and so is their future.

Please check back occasionally for some future thoughts.

 

Thank You