From August 12th- September 2nd, Indigenous youth will embark on a 250-mile long canoe journey to draw attention to the proposed Tar Sands pipeline Line 3.

“We paddle for our grandmothers. We paddle for the grandchildren yet to come. We paddle for our rice, for our berries, and for our medicines. We paddle for our relatives who cannot speak for themselves.”

Drawing inspiration from the Standing Rock youth who held a series on long distance runs last summer to bring attention to the Dakota Access pipeline, Native youth in Minnesota hope to bring similar awareness to the proposed Tar Sands pipeline Line 3.

Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline would transport Tar Sands oil over 1000-miles from Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin with a capacity to transport up to 915,000 barrels per day. The proposed pipeline cuts directly through 1855 Treaty Territory of the Ojibwe Tribes. The proposed pipeline expansion would be Enbridge’s largest project to date.

Proposed Line 3 pipeline route

Winona LaDuke gives background on the Line 3 pipeline.

The canoe journey will take youth from the headwaters of the Mississippi to Big Sandy Lake.

From the Paddle to Protect homepage; “The fires lit by Standing Rock have spread to Minnesota. This August, a group of indigenous youth fighting the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline will undertake a 250-mile canoe journey across northern Minnesota to stand for the cleanest lakes, the manoomin (wild rice) beds and the 1855 treaty territories of the Ojibwe people.

We will start where the new Line 3 would cross the headwaters of the great Mississippi River, and travel a traditional canoe route to end at Big Sandy Lake, where hundreds of Ojibwe were killed by the US government in 1850.”

To support the youths efforts go here

For more information contact Kat Chma kat@honorearth.org

By Wakíƞyaƞ Waánataƞ (Matt Remle- Lakota)

Matt Remle (Lakota) is an editor and writer for Last Real Indians and LRInspire. @wakiyan7