Overview
#WaterIsLife (and #MniWiconi, Lakota for “water is life”) emerged during the 2016-2017 Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The movement united Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and climate activism, drawing 10,000+ water protectors to North Dakota in the largest Indigenous-led protest in decades.
Dakota Access Pipeline Context
Energy Transfer Partners proposed a 1,172-mile crude oil pipeline from North Dakota to Illinois, crossing under the Missouri River near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The tribe opposed it, arguing:
- Sacred sites threatened: Pipeline route crossed burial grounds and sacred Lakota lands
- Water contamination risk: A spill would poison the Missouri River, sole water source for Standing Rock and millions downstream
- Treaty violations: Route crossed lands guaranteed to the Sioux under 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie
- Environmental racism: Original route near Bismarck (predominantly white) was rejected due to contamination risks, rerouted to Indigenous lands
April 2016: LaDonna Brave Bull Allard’s Camp
LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, Standing Rock historian, established Sacred Stone Camp on her property in April 2016. The camp became a hub for water protectors resisting DAPL construction.
By August 2016, the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) Camp formed, growing to 10,000+ people from 300+ Indigenous nations and allies worldwide. The camps operated as sovereign Indigenous spaces with communal kitchens, schools, legal aid, and cultural ceremonies.
Confrontations & Police Violence
September 2016: Private security unleashed attack dogs on peaceful protesters, biting six people. Videos of the violence went viral.
October 2016: Militarized police in riot gear used water cannons in freezing temperatures (November), tear gas, rubber bullets, and concussion grenades. Over 300 water protectors were injured; journalist Sophia Wilansky lost part of her arm from a concussion grenade.
Mass arrests: 761 people arrested between August 2016 and February 2017, many charged with felonies. Legal observers documented civil rights violations.
Federal & Corporate Response
Obama administration (December 2016): Army Corps of Engineers denied DAPL’s easement, requiring an environmental impact statement - a major victory. Obama’s decision came after months of pressure from Indigenous leaders, including Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II.
Trump administration (January 2017): Four days after inauguration, Trump signed executive orders fast-tracking DAPL and Keystone XL. By February 2017, the pipeline was operational.
February 2017 eviction: Police violently cleared camps, arresting remaining water protectors and burning structures.
Global Solidarity
#NoDAPL protests occurred in 200+ cities worldwide. Thousands traveled to Standing Rock; others sent supplies, funds, and legal support. Veterans groups formed human shields to protect water protectors from police.
Climate activists framed DAPL as emblematic of fossil fuel industry’s disregard for Indigenous rights and climate catastrophe.
Legal Battles Continue
Standing Rock Sioux sued the Army Corps, arguing inadequate environmental review. In 2020, a federal judge ruled the pipeline’s permit violated environmental law and ordered shutdown pending full review. Energy Transfer appealed; the pipeline remains operational as of 2024, though legal challenges continue.
Broader Impact
Indigenous-led climate movement: Standing Rock inspired Indigenous resistance to Line 3 (Minnesota), Trans Mountain (Canada), and other pipelines.
Land Back & sovereignty: Renewed focus on honoring treaties, restoring Indigenous land ownership, and centering Indigenous knowledge in environmental policy.
Intersectional environmentalism: Highlighted how environmental racism, colonialism, and capitalism are intertwined.
Mni Wiconi: Water Is Life
The Lakota phrase “Mni Wiconi” became a rallying cry, asserting that water is sacred and protecting it is a spiritual duty. The movement reframed environmentalism through Indigenous cosmology, challenging Western extractive relationships with land.