At the forefront of the protest were many youths, who were fighting against what they saw as a threat to their future. Dustin White photo

Dustin White
Editor

South of Mandan, along the Missouri River, a mighty congregation of Nations has come together in peaceful unity. While those Nations haven’t always seen eye to eye, with a few even having bitter pasts, they are unified in one idea: Water is Life.

For those who have gathered, that concept is being endangered, as the Dakota Access Pipe Line attempts to cross the Missouri just north of the Standing Rock Reservation. With Standing Rock’s main water supply being the Missouri River, if, or when a leak in the pipeline would occur, their own lively hood would be threatened.



The fight hasn’t gone unnoticed, and while it has garnered a substantial amount of support, it has also come under attack. With national and local media largely under reporting the situation, many myths and misconceptions have arisen. In an ongoing effort, we will attempt to put many of those ideas to rest.

Thousands have gathered peacefully in order to protest the DAPL. More than 90 nations have now joined together. Dustin White photo.

A Native issue
At the center of the situation, Standing Rock has stood. For them, they have the most to lose. If a pipeline would break, they would take the brunt of the disaster, and thus were the first to take up the fight.

However, while Standing Rock is an Indian Reservation, many non-Native Americans also live and work within the larger community. Conversely, there are many from Standing Rock who work elsewhere, and will bring the issue to their work place, as a pipe line spill would effect nearly every aspect of their lives.

It isn’t just Standing Rock that would be effected though. At risk are also the farmers along the river who use the Missouri as a source for irrigation.

Moving further south, the impact could be massive. According to Joye Braun, of the Indigenous Environmental Network, a spill would have the possibility of destroying half of the drinking water in South Dakota.

At the heart of the matter, it is a water issue.

Land isn’t on the Reservation
One of the common complaints being leveled at the protestors is that the land the pipe line is being built on isn’t even on the reservation, so they should have no say over it.

While it is true that today, the land isn’t in the designated boundaries of the Standing Rock Reservation, the matter is much more complicated.



In 1868, the Treaty of Fort Laramie was signed, which laid out the boundaries of the “Great Sioux Reservation.” The treaty was initiated by the United States, at a time when they were fighting a failing war against the Dakota and Lakota Indians.

Within a few years of the signing of the Treaty of Fort Laramie, the U.S. Government would quit honoring it, as gold was discovered, and in 1877, the Black Hills were seized.

A century later, after decades of court battles, the Lakota would receive a bit of vindication, when it was ruled that the seizure of Lakota lands was unjustifiable and illegal. The Lakota tribes would be offered a multimillion dollar settlement; however it was rejected as they feared that by accepting the money, it would constitute an agreement that the land was sold to the U.S. Instead, they have demanded that the treaty be upheld, and the return of their territory.

The land on the east side of the Missouri River, where the pipe line is planned, is upon land that was part of the “Great Sioux Reservation,” and that the U.S. courts found was unlawfully seized. According to Ladonna Brave Bull Allard, a tribal historian, a portion of that land is in dispute, as it still technically belongs to the tribe. As such, there aren’t any clear land deeds for much of it.

So while the land may be outside of the current boundaries of the Standing Rock Reservation, parts of it remain in dispute, and the U.S. Government has acknowledged the Lakota’s right to that land.

The protest is unlawful
Part of the narrative that continues to be pushed in much of the local and mainstream media is that the protest is largely unlawful. With such a narrative, there is the suggestion that the protest is, or could become, violent.

Helping to perpetuate that idea has been the Morton County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota. The constant claim that the protest is unlawful, and that it is providing what could be a dangerous situation, has caused a great deal of tension. With police escorts of school buses, as well as a military blockade, that tension has continued to grow.

However, much of the “unlawful” behavior often cited is regulated to rumors, unsubstantiated claims, or social media actions. Quite possibly the larger issue though is that such a narrative sets out to demonize the whole by the few.

“The vast majority of the protestors are sincere in their beliefs and peaceful in their protest,” Morton County Commissioner Bruce Striden wrote on Facebook. “As in any situation of this type, there will always be a few radical individuals who may resort to activities which break the law. That is not unusual, nor is it appropriate.”

While a few individuals may be stepping further than what is allowed by law, the protest as a whole has remained peaceful.

Guns and bombs
One of the rumors that has circulated is the idea that protestors are crafting pipe bombs and hoarding guns. While there was no evidence of either, the rumors gained credibility when the Sheriff of Morton County announced in a press conference that they were taking the rumors seriously.

While the Sheriff would eventually confirm that there was no evidence for the rumors; that no guns, or weapons were reported among the protestors, the idea continued nevertheless.

As Ladonna Allard explains, the rumors about the pipe bombs began because of a misunderstanding. While some heard that there was a need to fill their pipes, the intention was to fill their sacred pipes.

For many of the nations gathered, the horse is important. Dustin White photo.

Horse attack
In an attempt to display the violence of the protestors, some have cited a video which displays riders on horse back approaching a police line, and quickly darting away.

While at first glance, one could take the actions of the riders as being confrontational, delving deeper into the display helps make additional sense of the scene.



With a multitude of nations converging, a host of cultures begin to be displayed. For those unaccustomed to the traditions of various cultures, their actions can be misconstrued. In this instance, the display was not one of hostility, but a traditional manner of introducing horses.

Didn’t attend the meetings
For 13 months, the North Dakota Public Service Commission held meetings surrounding the Dakota Access Pipe Line. However, during 2015, just three meetings here held for public input on the construction of the DAPL.

It is often questioned why those protesting didn’t attend any of the meetings. The simple answer is that they didn’t know. While the PSC did announce the meetings, they weren’t openly announced. Instead, the announcements were placed within the legal sections of various papers, and essentially buried.

The announcements also were not placed in newspapers that served Sioux County, or many of the residents along Highway 1806. While the announcement was placed in a couple of Morton County papers, those papers largely are circulated only in their own communities.

However, while those protesting did not attend the PSC meetings in full force, the Standing Rock Tribe has been involved in other meetings regarding the DAPL. More so, they have actively been opposing the pipe line since 2014, when they first learned of it.

A key point that is often over looked though is that Standing Rock is a Tribal Nation, and being such, federal law requires nation to nation consultation. Such consultation did not occur.

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As the protest continues, we will be adding to this list of myths and misconceptions, while also expanding on many of the points in feature length articles. If there is a myth or misconception you would like to see us address, send us an email at Editor@MidwesternScout.com