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Purchased from John Willis; gifted by John Willis; and gifted by Bill Press and Elena Auerbach in December 2020 (AM 2021-67).
This collection was processed by Amy C. Vo in April 2024. Finding aid written by Amy C. Vo in April 2024, incorporating description provided by the creator.
Consists of 31 photographic prints by John Willis documenting the Mni Wiconi (Lakota for "Water is Life") movement led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies with the indigenous-led movement resisting placing the Dakota Access Pipeline under the Missouri River. The photographs are part of the Mni Wiconi, Honoring the Water Protectors portfolio, and consist of:
Movement from Oceti Sakowin Camp to the North Camp along ND 1806 (a section of the Lewis & Clark Trail).
Sunni at Oceti Sakowin Camp.
Lakota tobacco prayer ties along the Cannonball River in the morning mist.
Site of the women's daily water-prayer ceremony helped along the Cannonball River, a tributary of the Missouri River that forms the northern border of Sioux Country and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
Roadside action to raise awareness.
Road map at camp in December 2016.
Warming up by yurts with free medical support, mental health, herbalists, midwifery, and chiropractic and massage services.
Morning Mist.
Dressed for ceremony when going to Resistance Prayer Action.
Painting Signs and banners for the peaceful protests to come.
Site of daily non-violent action training.
Indigenous women leading frontline action to the location where the Dakota Access Pipeline was being buried in the ground. When the police asked them to turn around and leave with their approximately 200 native and non-native supporters, they agreed to do so only if the police would join them in a prayer for the water. Once the police agreed, prayed with the group, and drank some sacred water, the Water Protectors peacefully returned to camp.
Roadside action to draw attention on the road to Mandan.
In Defense of the North Camp.
Pleading with police officers in Mandan to consider water for the health of their children, grandchildren, and all future generations.
Non-native allies encircle native Water Protectors to protect them from possible arrest and harsh legal responses during a street action that stopped traffic outside the Federal Building, Bismarck, ND
Standoff outside the Federal Building, Bismarck, ND.
Non-native allies encircle native Water Protectors to protect them from possible arrest and harsh legal responses during a street action that stopped traffic outside the Federal Building, Bismarck, ND #3.
Mary Lyons (in the hat) leading the women's daily water-prayer ceremony along the Cannonball River. Mary is an Ojibwe elder and member of the International Grandmother's Council.
Watching the Thanksgiving Day action at Turtle Island near the site where DAPL would be placed beneath the Missouri River adjacent to sovereign Standing Rock Lakota land, with a threatening presence of police monitoring the crowd from above #1.
Watching the Thanksgiving Day action at Turtle Island near the site where DAPL would be placed beneath the Missouri River adjacent to sovereign Standing Rock Lakota land, with a threatening presence of police monitoring the crowd from above #2.
Getting into a pickup truck early on a cold November morning to head sixty-five miles north To an Awareness Raising Action.
The pickup truck ride early on a cold November morning to head sixty-five miles north to an Awareness Raising Action.
Running from tear gas and rubber bullets, Nov. 20, 2016.
Throwing back tear gas towards the police, Nov. 20, 2016.
Arms Up in prayer, Nov. 20, 2016.
A medic treats a tear-gas victim during the conflict at Backwater Bridge, Nov. 20, 2016.
First Blizzard, December, 2016.
Native and non-native U.S. Military Veterans defending the Water Protectors in response to the unwarranted police action at the Backwater Bridge which happened the evening of Nov. 20, 2016.
Native and non-native U.S. Military Veterans defending the Water Protectors in response to the unwarranted police action at the Backwater Bridge which happened the evening of Nov. 20, 2016 #2.
John Willis is a documentary photographer. His books include