In a remarkable display of resilience, a Native American mother recently gave birth to her sixth child at the Standing Rock resistance camp, where hundreds have gathered to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. This powerful story not only highlights her strength but also underscores the significance of the cause she and her community are passionately fighting for.
The Dakota Access Pipeline, a colossal $3.7 billion venture, threatens to devastate Native lands and contaminate vital water sources. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe and their supporters argue that the pipeline poses a serious risk to sacred burial sites, prayer locations, and culturally significant artifacts. For months, protests have erupted in North Dakota as activists strive to halt the pipeline’s construction, which would extend from the oil-rich Bakken Formation through multiple states.
On October 12, in her family’s tipi at one of the “water protector” camps, a woman named Nia Skybird brought her baby girl into the world. She named her Aquila, meaning “water is life,” a name that resonates deeply with the ongoing fight for water protection. Nia shared, “I gave birth by myself,” adhering to Lakota traditions that honor the sacredness of birthing spaces. Although her husband and family were nearby, she experienced this moment alone, feeling the profound significance of it.
Her other children, aged three to thirteen, were all born with the assistance of a midwife, but Aquila’s birth marked her first experience of delivering without anyone present. Nia explained, “Having babies is my act of resistance; our reproductive rights as Native women have been compromised in many ways.” She emphasized the historical trauma of forced sterilizations and the ongoing struggle against cultural assimilation.
While Nia hasn’t participated in frontline protests, she has focused on her children’s education and wanted them to experience life at the camp. She kept her pregnancy mostly private, following cultural beliefs regarding the protection of new life. With guidance from her sisters—one a midwife and the other a doula—Nia managed her own prenatal care.
Despite advice from EMTs to deliver in a hospital, Nia firmly insisted on her choice of location. “I’ll give birth where I want. It’s not for anyone else to decide,” she declared. Although she kept a walkie-talkie handy for emergencies, she ultimately turned it off, preferring a calm environment for the birth.
Nia is passionate about home births and has been encouraged to take up midwifery, though she believes such knowledge should be shared freely among women. “We need to reconnect with our bodies and roles,” she said, emphasizing the healing work that lies ahead for Native women.
In a beautiful twist of fate, after expecting a boy, Nia proudly welcomed a girl. Following Lakota customs, Aquila’s placenta was buried at the camp, symbolizing her roots and the strength of the women who support her. “She will know where she came from—strong women who stand behind her wherever she goes,” Nia reflected, feeling the powerful spirits surrounding them during the birth.
In summary, Nia’s story is a testament to the strength of Native women and their fight for both reproductive rights and environmental justice. As she embraces motherhood amidst resistance, she reclaims her narrative and honors her heritage.
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