I would like to share a dream with you. This dream takes place at the Standing Rock nation near the confluence of the Missouri and Cannonball Rivers. I’m camping with thousands of people and next to me is my beautiful partner with our 7 month old son. We had just drove our vehicle for more than 1400 miles from Los Angeles. While we participated in a prayer, an auntie walks up to me with a red bundle of tobacco and says “Go offer it to them” their story ” Relative, here is some tobacco, I know you are still in ceremony and photos aren’t allowed but I wanted to see if I could please take portraits of the dancers when they are done. The man looked at me with a surprised face and said “Yes, thank you for asking”
The truth is that this dream never ended and to a certain degree it never really started. It was something modern and ancestral. A dream so abstract that became real and the amazing part is that I documented it all. For months I was able to photograph the hundreds of nations and allies that came to Standing Rock to stand up for the water of life. Last year Standing Rock became the epicenter of the modern indigenous rights movement in the United States. For almost a year, hundreds of tribal nations and allies unified in a historic gathering to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline. During the first few months, most mainstream media ignored the story but fortunately there were a handful of indigenous photographers, filmmakers, and citizen journalists that took initiative to document it. We as indigenous people were telling our own story and that was powerful.
1st place: Josué Rivas (US) – I would like to share a dream with you. This dream takes place at the Standing Rock nation near the confluence of the Missouri and Cannonball Rivers. I’m camping with thousands of people and next to me is my beautiful partner with our 7 month old son. We had just drove our vehicle for more than 1400 miles from Los Angeles. While we participated in a prayer, an auntie walks up to me with a red bundle of tobacco and says “Go offer it to them” their story is important. I grabbed the bundle and humbly walked up to the leader of the group and said “ Relative, here is some tobacco, I know you are still in ceremony and photos aren’t allowed but I wanted to see if I could please take portraits of the dancers when they are done. The man looked at me with a surprised face and said “Yes, thank you for asking” The truth is that this dream never ended and to a certain degree it never really started. It was something modern and ancestral. A dream so abstract that became real and the amazing part is that I documented it all. For months I was able to photograph the hundreds of nations and allies that came to Standing Rock to stand up for the water of life. Last year Standing Rock became the epicenter of the modern indigenous rights movement in the United States. For almost a year, hundreds of tribal nations and allies unified in a historic gathering to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline. During the first few months, most mainstream media ignored the story but fortunately there were a handful of indigenous photographers, filmmakers, and citizen journalists that took initiative to document it. We as indigenous people were telling our own story and that was powerful’.
A group of women carry a wounded warrior. Oceti Sakowin Camp, Cannon Ball, ND, USA. November 2016
A group of people build a bridge to cross the river. Oceti Sakowin Camp, Cannon Ball, ND, USA. November 2016
Indigenous man praying by the river. Oceti Sakowin Camp, Cannon Ball, ND, USA. November 2016
Buffalo and Deer hide . Oceti Sakowin Camp, Cannon Ball, ND, USA. November 2016
