Lummi activists bringing totem pole to Standing Rock
Nanaimo News Now:
Totem pole taken on journey in U.S. and Canada in fossil fuels protest
A Pacific Northwest tribe is travelling nearly 5,000 miles across Canada and the United States with a 22-foot-tall totem pole on a flatbed truck in a symbolic journey meant to galvanize opposition to fossil fuel infrastructure projects they believe will imperil native lands.
. . .
The highly visible tours, which include tribal blessing ceremonies at each stop, fit into a trend of Native American tribes bringing their environmental activism to the masses as they see firsthand the effects of climate change, said Robin Saha, a University of Montana associate professor who specializes in tribal issues and environmental justice.
. . .
In North Dakota, for example, people from across the country and members of 60 tribes have gained international attention after gathering in opposition to the four-state Dakota Access oil pipeline. The totem pole heads to that site, near the Standing Rock Sioux's reservation, next week.
Tribes in the Pacific Northwest have protested publicly and taken legal action as West Coast ports have emerged as strategic locations for crude oil and coal companies to reach customers in energy-hungry Asia.
The House of Tears Carvers were here in Longview, WA today; heading to Sandpoint, ID, then on to the Camp of Sacred Stones in ND on Tuesday.
Their objectives:
Strengthen and expand alliances between tribes, intertribal organizations, the faith-based community, NGOs, and community leaders in the Pacific Northwest and Canada that are opposed to the proposed export of fossil fuels from the Oregon, Washington, and western Canada.
Educate the general public and shape the narrative on this issue through scheduled events and informational material, radio and television coverage, and social media.
Promote a get out the vote message, to include distributing informational material at the scheduled events.
Strengthen and expand the network of coalition partners to help address the issue of climate change.
Their website:
About the Journey