By Bryan Eneas

Stanley Mission to Standing Rock: One third of the way

Dec 8, 2016 | 4:00 PM

Braving temperatures far below zero, a group of six walkers from Stanley Mission on their way to North Dakota, have put almost 500 km behind them.

Ricky Sanderson and a group of five walkers are hoping to raise awareness about the Standing Rock Sioux’s fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Within the last week, the Army Corps of Engineers has denied an easement which would allow the companies invested in the pipeline to drill underneath Lake Oahe striking a major victory for water protectors. The lake in question provides the Sioux peoples with drinking water, while the greater Missouri River provides to millions.

“These people don’t realize how much they’re taking from Mother Earth,” Sanderson said. “They see all these trees that are being cut down, they see all these pipelines that they’re starting to build… These people don’t realize what’s going on.”

Recently, Tribal Chairman David Archambault II asked those who are not Standing Rock Sioux people to leave Oceti Sakowin, the overflow camp where a majority of water protectors have gathered. This order won’t deter the walkers, who call themselves the Youth Unity Journey for Sacred Waters.

“That’s not going to stop me from going to North Dakota. This is the beginning of it, this is where we start to struggle,” Sanderson said. “It’s better for us now to keep doing what we’re doing… This company they’re still building this pipeline until it’s finished… It’s scary to know that these people are going forward with it.”

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The walkers have taken adequate preparations for the bitter cold they’re facing. They made a trip into Prince Albert to purchase all the cold weather gear they didn’t already own.

“You can’t really feel it when we’re walking, because we’re always in movement,” Sanderson said about the cold. “It keeps us warm when we’re walking, but when you stop it really hits you.”

Sanderson said the walkers have been watching out for signs of hypothermia. The group is also alternating who is walking, to give each person a rest and a chance to get warm. Being from the north, they are used to the cold. He said they’ve always been in cold weather, and they know what they are getting into walking to Standing Rock. In North Dakota, there have recently been blizzards which have created near whiteout conditions.

After departing from Stanley Mission, they have made stops in Wahpeton, and Sturgeon Lake where they have educated residents in those communities about what they are trying to achieve.

“[This walk] is mostly for the youth. It’s like we’re encouraging these youth to do something good in life, like how we’re doing it,” Sanderson said. “We had an incident in Stanley Mission which shocked us and scared us a lot.”

Sanderson’s father, Bruce Mackenzie, said the group has received an enormous amount of support from people along Highway 2. People stopped to give money or gear which may help the walkers along their journey.

The group is now making their way down Highway 11 towards Saskatoon. They will then head towards Regina, and then on to Standing Rock. They plan on arriving in North Dakota near Christmas time.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas