[News] Tipi Erected At Thacker Pass - Law Enforcement Issues Final Warning

[Anti-Imperialist News]

lastrealindians.com <https://lastrealindians.com/news/oxsamcamp>
Tipi Erected At Thacker Pass - Law Enforcement Issues Final Warning
Ken Cosentino - May 12, 2023
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PEEHEE MU’HUH, NEVADA - On Thursday, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s
department issued a final warning to Indigenous land defenders at Thacker
Pass <https://lastrealindians.com/news/thackerpass42023>. Members of law
enforcement are demanding that the land defenders vacate a service road
leading into the lithium mining operation. The Indigenous land defenders
have erected a tipi on a proposed water line, set to feed lithium
development at the rate of 500,000 gallons for every ton of lithium
processed.

The tipi at Ox Sam Camp, illuminated at sunrise (Photo by Chuck Banner)

Dorece Sam, an enrolled member of the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe,
spoke during a Facebook livestream on Friday, saying “Mother’s Day is
coming up. This here is our mother - Mother Earth, and we want to protect
her. We want to stand in unison with everybody. Bring your medicines, bring
your prayers and good thoughts. Grandmother says this is the start of a new
camp. It is called (Ox Sam) Newe Mogonee Momokonee Camp, meaning Indian
Women’s Camp.” Ox Sam
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/02/thacker-pass-lithium-mine-fight-save-sacred-land-nevada>
was one of three members of the Paiute tribe who survived the 1865 massacre.

PeeHee Mu’huh (Thacker Pass) is traditional, unceded land of the Paiute and
Shoshone. It is also the location of the lithium mining operation owned by
Lithium Americas Corp. The territory is not part of any treaty lands ceded
to the United States; thus Paiute, Shoshone and other tribal nations assert
the land is still legally their country.


The tipi was erected to support a ceremony which will last four days. Upon
completion of the ceremony, a camp will continue to press Indigenous land
claims to the unceded traditional territory; which is currently occupied
illegally by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and leased to Lithium
America.

Grandmother Josephine Dick (left) and Dorece Sam (right) sit in front of
the tipi at Ox Sam Camp (Photo by Obisidian_Collective)

The ceremony was authorized by Indigenous Grandmother Josephine Dick, a
Paiute Elder from Fort McDermitt Reservation; along with Dean Barlese, an
Elder of the Pyramid Lake Paiute-Shoshone; and Dorece Sam. Supporters are
invited to come and pray with them; to come and stand with Mother Earth.
Most of Josephine’s remarks were in her Native Paiute language and were
translated on site. She prayed for relatives from all over, from sunrise to
sunset, to come support and join in prayer.

Dean Barlese blocking traffic to the lithium mining operation at Thacker
Pass (Photo by Bucky Harjo)

Dean Barlese said, “Like my auntie said, we’d like supporters to come out
and pray with us. Stand here and be strong with us. We just need more
people to be out here. We can stop this. We have the tipi here standing up.
We have the fire going. We’re just asking for supporters to come pray with
us. No matter if you go to church. Locals can come, the ranchers can come
if you oppose this. They’re going to take your water, they’re going to dry
it up.”


Also present is Lakota attorney and activist Chase Iron Eyes, who spoke
during the Facebook livestream; saying that he came “At the invite of our
elders, on behalf of the Lakota Nation and some of the spiritual leaders
back home… they’re sending their voices here for our relatives. They sent
the canvas for the tipi. It meant a lot for us to help put this tipi up for
ceremony.”

An Indigenous land defender blocks traffic at PeeHee Mu’huh (Photo by
Buffalo Defense)

These direct actions come at a time when Indigenous sovereignty and land
rights are under attack in the United States Supreme Court. Indigenous
Nations of Turtle Island are currently awaiting the verdict for Haaland v.
Brackeen, which threatens to up-end the Indian Child Welfare Act.


As for PeeHee Mu’huh, former President Barack Obama attempted to preserve
the traditional site from further mining based on the fact that the land is
home to the sage grouse, an endangered species. To the Paiute, Shoshone,
and other regional tribes - PeeHee Mu’huh is a place of reverence; where
two historic massacres occurred. Attorney Will Falk, representing
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, says that ancestral remains are scattered
throughout the site of the proposed mining operation.

Supporters can follow Ox Sam Camp on Facebook (Ox Sam Camp)
<https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092743623424>, Twitter
(@oxsamcamp) <https://twitter.com/oxsamcamp> and Instagram (@oxsamcamp)
<https://www.instagram.com/oxsamcamp>.
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