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Ta'SinaSapaWin's #noDAPL WinterCamp

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I have been on the frontlines of #noDAPL since August 12th 2016 with my family and relatives near Cannonball, ND. On August 15th, I and 4 other Lakota/Dakota women hopped a fence where the Dakota Access Pipeline was constructing near, what is now called, the Oceti Sakowin Camp. Three of the other women were aprehended and taken back to the frontlines as myself and the remaining woman travelled  nearly 5 miles acrossed the prairie barefoot through bushes, trees, mud, cactus, 90 degree heat and even swam across the Cannonball river to avoid arrest and make it safely back to the Sacred Stone Camp in Cannonball, ND. Since then, no construction east of HWY 1806 and west of the Missouri River has been done.
I attended nearly every Non-Violent Direct Action after that time as a frontline person.  On Saturday, September 3rd, 2016 our camp did not want to take action that day as it was the memorial day of the Gratten Massacre in 1855. The Dakota Access Pipeline company and its workers provoked our day of mourning by desecrating a sacred burial ground site west of HWY 1806 near camp after recieving information of those grounds the DAY BEFORE.
I and several others ran to the frontlines crying as these sites were being destroyed. Upon arriving to the frontlines, we were greeted with DAPL's private security and their trained killer dogs. We were pepper sprayed on sight when all we did was chant and sing songs opposing their construction. I then tried to calm one of the dogs down, who was being handled by a woman of the private security, by speaking Lakota to him. As I leaned down to try to pet the dog, the woman commanded the dog to lunge by tapping its right side of its  body and saying "Get'em". The dog had hesitated the first time but then the woman yanked on the dog's leash and repeated once more to conclude in my right breast being bitten. Several others came to my defense by helping to get the dog off of me and yelling at the security to leave.  I saw my elders and children scared behind me as they made their way over the hill and I did what any Lakota Warrior would do and that was to stand ground, defend and protect. We were able to get the construction team and its security to retreat and halt construction for that day by merely using the sounds of our voices and beats in our hearts. This was a day of yet another massacre-like event bestowed upon our indigineous people.
I have now moved camp to help the organization of the International Indigineous Youth Council set up winter camp. I and several others in our council have decided to stay throughout the winter to protect out sacred water and land from the wrath of DAPL.  Even though we have summer tents and a tipi, we are lacking various supplies and shelters to help sustain the winter cold.
I am humbly asking for any type of donation to help winterize our camp and help keep my family and self out of harm's way. I am reachable via facebook under my full name "Ta'Sina Sapa Win" should you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding our ask monetary support. Please help our frontline people and youth stay warm this winter. Lila wopila tanka mitaoyate. "Very big thanks my people."

Organizer

Tasina Smith
Organizer
Spearfish, SD

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