"They're being strong and they're doing it in spirituality, love and wisdom,” Tuka says, “and that ought to lift everyone's spirits.” The truckload of supplies is set to leave December 2.
"It's a site that you can't describe when you get past there and you start seeing Cannonball River filled with tee-pees, and it changes your life and you can't do anything but want to help,” says Alycia Atkinson of the Sault Ste. Marie Ojibwe Tribe.
Inside a cozy storefront in Dowagiac, Atkinson is putting action with those words. She's gathering with members of her husband's tribe -- The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi in Dowagiac -- to collect warm coats, socks, and tarps for people miles away in North Dakota who have faced off with police in an effort to stop the pipeline from being built in an area they consider sacred.
"Caring doesn't have a color to me,” says organizer Brian Antisdel. He’s a Pokagon Band tribal member.
“We just love people and that's just taught in our race. You know, we just take care of our own and everybody else.”
“We're actually going down to help whoever needs help,” Antisdel says. “Let's say a police officer is cold. We're going to give him some gloves.”
Organizers say, even if the crisis ends tomorrow, the supplies will go to the Standing Rock Sioux at a nearby reservation.
"My friend opened what's called a Michigan Host Tent,” Atkinson says. “People from this area. These materials will help in many ways. Like I said, it's very cold there.”
The group is gathering supplies, with a spirit of goodwill.
Source
"It's a site that you can't describe when you get past there and you start seeing Cannonball River filled with tee-pees, and it changes your life and you can't do anything but want to help,” says Alycia Atkinson of the Sault Ste. Marie Ojibwe Tribe.
Inside a cozy storefront in Dowagiac, Atkinson is putting action with those words. She's gathering with members of her husband's tribe -- The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi in Dowagiac -- to collect warm coats, socks, and tarps for people miles away in North Dakota who have faced off with police in an effort to stop the pipeline from being built in an area they consider sacred.
"Caring doesn't have a color to me,” says organizer Brian Antisdel. He’s a Pokagon Band tribal member.
“We just love people and that's just taught in our race. You know, we just take care of our own and everybody else.”
“We're actually going down to help whoever needs help,” Antisdel says. “Let's say a police officer is cold. We're going to give him some gloves.”
Organizers say, even if the crisis ends tomorrow, the supplies will go to the Standing Rock Sioux at a nearby reservation.
"My friend opened what's called a Michigan Host Tent,” Atkinson says. “People from this area. These materials will help in many ways. Like I said, it's very cold there.”
The group is gathering supplies, with a spirit of goodwill.
Source
Chi-Miigwech