Native Women Occupy Washington State Capitol Overnight

Above: Seven Native women peacefully occupied the Washington State Capitol Campus in front of the Legislative Building in Olympia on Monday night. After being told to disperse, a representative for Governor Jay Inslee told them that they would be allowed to stay. Negotiations with a federal representative will occur on Tuesday.

Interview with Water Protector Janene Hampton

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The first day of the Washington State Legislature’s 60 day session in Olympia on Monday began with a climate justice rally organized by 350.org and other climate action groups and ended with the overnight occupation of the Capitol Campus by seven Native women.

Major themes for the morning rally were stopping Puget Sound Energy’s liquid natural gas facility which is being built at the Port of Tacoma on Puyallup Tribal land, encouraging renewable energy, an end to fish farming, and protection of the 76 remaining Southern Resident killer whales in Puget Sound.

While the rally was underway, a Native encampment with several “tarpees” occupied the strip of grass located between the Legislative Building and the Temple of Justice. 

Tarpees are portable shelters made out of tarps and not to be confused with teepees.

Above: The Native encampment occupied the Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia on Monday.

An unexpected situation for Capitol Campus facility staff occurred when they approached the camp at about 4:40 p.m. and requested that the “tents” be taken down, saying they were in violation of Capitol Campus grounds rules. 

According to policy, the structure could be there but they would have to put a wood floor down, remove the stakes and not have anyone in it overnight and move it every five days. 

One tarpee was occupied by seven indigenous women, including a 12 year old, who were threatened with arrest for trespassing.

When they did not leave, representatives for Governor Jay Inslee came out and delivered a message to say that the Washington State Patrol could be called to clear the camp.

A civil discussion of the issues ensued between Native camp representatives and Inslee’s staff. Inslee was working on his State of the State address, which he will deliver Tuesday at noon.

The land that the Washington State Capitol Campus occupies is Medicine Creek Treaty Land. 

After it was clarified that the Medicine Creek Treaty supersedes the State of Washington, a representative for Inslee came out and said that although they were trespassing and the occupation was unpermitted, the Washington State Patrol would not do a sweep of the camp as long as there was no danger or violence. 

The women were expected to spend the night on the Capitol Campus grounds in front of the Legislative Building. Negotiations with a federal representative will occur on Tuesday.

A live feed posted on Paul Cheoketen Wagner’s Facebook account chronicled the drama as it unfolded.

When Wagner requested that Governor Inslee call a federal government agent who deals with treaty rights, Inslee’s representative asked Wagner, “How long do you want to stay?”

“Fifty-nine days,” replied Wagner. “It’s not so much to ask - we’re on our own land!” Wagner laughed.

Saying that the LNG terminal violates all the treaties and cultural genocide is being delivered, Wagner said, “We’re here…we’re going to be here and exercise our treaty rights…and make sure they know that we’re doing this work, and they need to do this work too.…The luxury of time is gone. The luxury of weak decision making and decision making for the corporations and profiteering – that era is over and we need to realize that we are in a different era today and the choices are limited if we want to have a future....Celebrate the victory we have tonight – for future generations.”

Above: Paul Cheoketen Wagner, Saanich First Nations of Vancouver Island, who is credited with creating the tarpees used at Standing Rock, spoke earlier in the day at the climate justice rally on the Capitol Campus. Elizabeth Satiacum, Quileute, in purple coat, holds up a copy of the Medicine Creek Treaty.

Interview with Water Protector Janene Hampton

The night was quiet at about 9:00 p.m. when Little Hollywood interviewed Janene Hampton, Colville and Pentictan Indian Band, one of seven women spending the night in the tarpee.

A massage therapist and mother of three grown daughters, Hampton says she closed her massage practice to go to Standing Rock and stayed for six months. 

She now works at a spa in Bellevue that is supportive of her being in Olympia. She told them that she may need 60 days off, she says, laughing.

While the Washington State Patrol patrolled the area, the conversation turned more emotional as Hampton described how indigenous people have always known that they are supposed to protect the water.

“...The womb itself is water, the uterus, where the spirit goes from the spirit world into the human form...that is why we are water protectors. The men are the fire keepers but we are the life givers.

“Three hundred Tribes gathered to try and stop the Dakota Pipeline. There are 700 pipelines in the United States, and we are fighting the LNG in Tacoma. It is on a fault line….We have the right to our way of life, so we’re here because we want to be heard. Even today, when we were in [the opening ceremonies for the House and Senate], there were chants - ‘It’s not an Evergreen State if you don’t take care of the water.’ We are literally fighting for our culture not just for us but for everybody and not just here in Olympia.

“I have to talk like you in order for you to listen and that hurts because I’m losing my tradition. This is my family. It’s a sacrifice. It’s not easy. I worked double shifts so I could be here and not fundraise and ask for money. To me it’s really important to be self-sufficient...You don’t want to be a burden to the movement. You want to be able to help. 

“We have until noon on Tuesday and a federal agent will come...I honestly think they [Capitol Campus grounds staff] were stumped as to where they stood legally. I’m in traditional dress and I think they respect me more when I’m dressed traditional. I’m representing the people...I have to be pure of heart and do things in a good way. I cannot be violent, I cannot engage with them. This is a mentality that we got from Standing Rock...[law enforcement] were paid to try to make us engage so that they could fire upon us…and so, that’s the way that I walk, gently, so that I don’t put lives in danger. I am literally in ceremony.”

“When you’re in ceremony, you’re not supposed to draw attention to yourself...people take pictures of you all the time, you’re in a spotlight, you still have to represent the people. Just because I’m out here doesn’t mean I want to look broken. There’s a standard that you want to put out there because people look at us like we’re dirty and uneducated, they just don’t have respect. A lot of people don’t even know we exist. They think we’re in history books….

“I do educate people when I give massages. They’re on the table for an hour, so they’re like, “So, how long have you been here?” I’m like, “Well….” 

And then Hampton laughs again.

Above: Robert Satiacum, center, holds a copy of the Medicine Creek Treaty on the Capitol Campus on Monday.

McCloud: "They're Not Honoring These Waterways"

Above: Nisqually Tribal council members Hanford McCloud and Willie Frank, Jr. listen to Kyle Lucas, Tulalip Tribes and Nlaka'pamus Nation, and Marles Black Bird, Standing Rock Hunkpapa Lakota and Cheyenne River Mnicoujou Lakota, of the Indigenous Caucus outside Olympia City Hall on Wednesday night.

- Port Rail Blockade Cleared

- Elected Officials Cancel Sea Level Rise Meeting

- Nisqually Tribal Councilmembers, Indigenous Caucus Members Meet outside Olympia City Hall

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A confluence of events on Wednesday started with the multi-jurisdictional law enforcement raid on a direct action rail blockade that lasted 12 days in downtown Olympia. 

Then, after a meeting of elected officials to discuss sea level rise issues was abruptly cancelled Wednesday afternoon, indigenous members of the community marched from the LOTT Clean Water Alliance on Adams Street to Olympia City Hall Wednesday evening.

Nisqually Tribal council member Hanford McCloud and other indigenous community members addressed the crowd. Nisqually Tribal council member Willie Frank, Jr. and his wife, Peggen, were also present. 

McCloud said he has received calls from city council about wanting to sit down and talk. He said that while he wasn't sure what that meant yet, a councilmember who reached out to him this past week seemed scared of what was happening. McCloud said the action he was going to take right now is to speak with Olympia city council members. He said he doesn’t speak with them on a regular basis but has a working relationship with them.

“…The work you are doing is appreciated by a lot of tribal members…I see that a lot of signs you are carrying honor that (Medicine Creek) treaty. That is our goal. Some of the honor that needs to happen is with the land that we’re on, (and) the people who occupy the land….

“There’s a lot of issues, a lot of standing up, so we need to continue that message in that fight we have going on. My hands go up to each and every one of you here and the ones who have camped out and have sacrificed their time and freedom to go to jail…for these fracking materials….”

McCloud said that the Nisqually Tribe plans to host an indigenous environmental network and invited anyone to bring their issues to the council.

“These issues are concerning for us. We are fighting, at a legislative level, some of these issues. They’re not honoring these waterways, they’re not honoring these treaties….”

Above: Shouting “Mni Wichoni, Water is Life!” Indigenous members of the community marched from the LOTT Clean Water Alliance building on Adams Street to Olympia City Hall Wednesday evening.

Earth-Feather Sovereign, Colville Confederated Tribes and Okanagan from British Columbia, said she was “grateful that no one was arrested or suffered physical harm,” in the raid early Wednesday morning, “but there is emotional harm and there is an environmental harm….We are disappointed we have to fight our government for clean air, clean water, and land…this is not the way of love and understanding each other….”

The raid was carried out at about 5:00 a.m. by Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe special agents, the Washington State Patrol, Thurston County Sheriff’s Department, and the Olympia Police Department. There were no reported arrests or injuries.

Activists collectively known as Olympia Stand had blocked the tracks since November 17 in response to the Port of Olympia’s involvement in the acceptance of ceramic proppants and transfer of cargo to trains bound for North Dakota for use in hydraulic fracking.

According to Jennie Foglia-Jones, communications director for the Port of Olympia, the engine departed port property without any train cars with it. Cars filled with “sweetener” which were already staged on the other side of port property were then hooked up and went to L&E Bottling in Tumwater, she said to Little Hollywood.

Justin Jacobs, spokesperson for Union Pacific, said there were 12 Union Pacific agents involved, along with agents with Burlington Northern Santa Fe. It was a joint effort that ultimately involved safety and trespassing issues, he said.  

“The protesters were on live tracks which is a very dangerous situation. Thankfully, after we gave them the warning to clear the tracks, protesters cooperated. It was a cooperative effort all the way around,” he said in a telephone interview with Little Hollywood.

Elected Officials Cancel Meeting

Representatives of the City of Olympia, LOTT Clean Water Alliance, and the Port of Olympia were going to meet for a workshop at the LOTT Clean Water Alliance to review a consultant’s work on downtown Olympia’s sea level rise flooding vulnerability and risk assessment plan. The public was also expected to be in attendance. 

At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, Indigenous Caucus member Earth-Feather Sovereign told city council members during the public comment period that she was going to attend the sea level rise meeting, and had invited Squaxin and Nisqually Tribal council members to attend as well.  

Sovereign told them that the Indigenous Caucus does not represent the Medicine Creek Treaty tribes, but are advocates for the interests of the indigenous people who include the Medicine Creek Treaty tribes and environmental issues and their impacts. 

Her comments were acknowledged and Councilmember Nathaniel Jones thanked the Indigenous Caucus, saying it “helps the conversation to have more folks at the table.”  

Then, the meeting was unexpectedly cancelled Wednesday afternoon, leaving some members of the indigenous community feeling snubbed, especially since so many were coming from far distances. 

The opportunity to meet would have been timely in light of recent events.

“We have chosen to postpone this week’s sea level rise meetings, to a day when the community is quieter and we can more certainly support meaningful talks. It’s important that discussions take place when our leaders and residents can focus on the topic of sea level rise,” said Andy Haub, City of Olympia’s water resources director, in an email sent at 12:08 p.m.

LOTT Clean Water Alliance responded to an inquiry from Little Hollywood as to why the meeting was cancelled.

“With all the attention over the last few days focused on the Port and shipments of fracking materials, workshops focused entirely on the sea level rise planning effort did not seem timely. Climate change and sea level rise are related, of course, but the sea level rise planning effort is focused on how to deal specifically with rising seas, rather than how to prevent or minimize climate change. It is important that our elected officials and community members lend their attention fully to the topic of sea level rise at the workshops, and this week, their attention is elsewhere. The workshops will be rescheduled, tentatively in January,” said Lisa Dennis-Perez, director of environmental planning and communications.

Little Hollywood writes extensively about Port of Olympia issues. For more information and photos about Wednesday morning’s raid on the rail blockade, ceramic proppants, Rainbow Ceramics, sea level rise in downtown Olympia, and more, go to https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search engine.