Tepee hosts rally for DAPL water rights

2/22/2017

By Patsy Nicosia

Tepee hosts rally for DAPL water rights

Sixty-five people stood for Standing Rock Sunday at a Water Is Life rally held at the Tepee on Route 20, Cherry Valley.
The event featured stories from those who've visited the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, in North and South Dakota, site of the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline, as well as music and prayers.
And shopping.
As a way to raise money for the DAPL Water Protectors and Sacred Stone Legal Fund, which is working to support protestors at Standing Rock, the Tepee's Donna, Dale, and Pete Latella asked people to "swarm" their 67-year-old business.
"Swarms" are the opposite of boycotts; shoppers descend as a group to support a business and often raise money for a cause.
The Tepee's swarm Sunday raised $465, 20 percent of the event's sales.
Edward Wren was the rally's first speaker and like those who followed him, he spoke to the importance of peaceful protests at Standing Rock.
"This is our time," he told the crowd gathered in the Tepee parking lot, "but if we're going to win this, it's very important that this be done peacefully."
The Latellas aren't Native American, but have many friends who are and have been following the protests at Standing Rock closely, Mr. Latella said.
His sister, Donna, said she has an even more personal reason for protecting water everywhere.
"Any issue that affects my daughter affects the future of all of us" she said.
Sadie Lincoln of Laurens is a teenager who visited Standing Rock with her family a couple of months ago to help build a school there.
"I got to meet so many amazing people," she said, "and they all stressed the importance of staying in prayer. In our hearts, I know we are angry. But we need to stay in peace."
Sue Donegan of Norwich also talked about her visit to Standing Rock and Native American mother and daughter Jessica Carroll and Johanna Schrom of Schenevus sang a song of protest.
DALP is a pipeline being built to transport tar sands and fracked gas through four states.
It was re-routed near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation after a route near Bismark, North Dakota was judged too risky for water supplies.
Since last April, protestors have been camped at the site, which is also considered sacred, in efforts to stop the project.
Preside Donald Trump has vowed to go ahead with the pipeline.
Sunday's rally was the outgrowth of activism efforts by Positive Action Cherry Valley.