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.
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.
“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.
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.
