Indigenous women mark Women's Day at Tipi Camp in U.S. capital

Record ID: 401381

  • Title: Indigenous women mark Women's Day at Tipi Camp in U.S. capital
  • Date: 8th March 2017
  • Summary: VARIOUS INDIGENOUS DRUMMING, SINGING
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2017 20:43
  • Keywords: A Day Without a Woman women's march International Women's Day Washington D.C. native nations native americans
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA003673PEFB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: With tipis decorating the National Mall, indigenous women held panel discussions on Native American women's rights during International Women's Day, Wednesday (March 8).
    Spokespeople for Native Nations Rise, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and Indigenous Environmental Network were on hand to discuss issues important to not only indigenous women, but all women. Speakers highlighted the necessity to respect Indigenous Nations and the importance of protecting the environment.
    "Because of the importance and sacredness of women is why we decided to have this conference today, this press conference," said Kandi Mossett from the Indigenous Environmental Network.
    "Everything that's happening within the government here in the United States- a lot of people pushing back, an administration that doesn't seem to be listening to what the American public are saying and also just the strength and endurance and beauty of women. In the work that I do, I work with the Indigenous Environmental Network, we've noticed over the years that it really is women that is leading a lot of the fights and the struggles," said Mossett.
    She said she wants to push U.S. President Donald Trump away from fossil fuels, towards a more renewable economy.
    Faith Gimmel, organizer for REDOIL (Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands) is fighting against the fossil fuel economy too.
    "Everything is out of balance in our natural environment. So it's an urgent situation. It's an urgent situation, we're saying no more. These companies should not be allowed to continue to burn fossil fuels which is the leading contributing factor to climate chaos which is happening all over the U.S., not just Alaska anymore, but it's everywhere now. And it's time for this government and the people to wake up. And we all need to take a stand for life," said Gimmel.
    "Water is life" reads one tipi on the National Mall.
    Mossett said "women have that fight in them to be the keepers of the water." For the past few months, Mossett has been at Standing Rock fighting against fracking in North Dakota.
    A U.S. judge on Tuesday (March 7) ruled against Native American tribes seeking to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline as their legal options narrow weeks before oil is set to flow on the project.
    Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected the tribes' request for an injunction to withdraw permission issued by the Army Corps for the last link of the oil pipeline under Lake Oahe in North Dakota.
    Energy Transfer Partners LP is building the $3.8 billion pipeline to move crude from the Northern Plains to the Midwest and then on to the Gulf of Mexico.
    The denial of the injunction represents yet another setback to the tribes - the Standing Rock Sioux and the Cheyenne River Sioux - that have been leading the charge against the line, which runs adjacent to tribal territory in southern North Dakota.
    But Mossett says, they will keep up the fight.
    "So, we need to be here as women on Indigenous Women's Day but all through out the year to especially show that we exist, we resist and we rise," said Mossett.
    The day's events are part of the 'Native Nations March and Camp on DC' from March 7 until 10. The Standing Rock Sioux Nation and other indigenous leaders will lead a march "in prayer and action" on Friday, March 10.
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