Neil Young Performed At Standing Rock Reservation On His 71st Birthday
Neil Young performed at Standing Rock Reservation on his 71st birthday, Saturday, November 12. Young was excited to be there and to perform his new rock ballad “Indian Giver.” This gathering represents a sound ecological and humanitarian cause and powerful causes are what Young thrives on.
Standing Rock is the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests or DAPL, but it is also part of a Native American Reservation. For the residents of the reservation, this isn’t about politics, it is about survival. Water is a necessity for human life and they have no means to supply themselves with clean water other than to access the natural supply in the area.
Neil Young is raising awareness of the problems associated with life on the Standing Rock reservation, as well as the potential Dakota Access pipeline dangers to the water supply at Standing Rock. The conditions on Native American reservations are similar to those in third world countries, most reservations do not have indoor plumbing or any sort of access to running water, or deep wells to provide clean drinking water in most cases.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOoD5c4uaU4
Standing Rock and other reservations have other problems as well. Housing is often overcrowded, without enough homes for individual families, and the housing is often very substandard. Some tribes still live in teepees, but others have very dilapidated housing, and North Dakota’s climate is harsh. Medical care is also substandard and life expectancy is lower than for most other Americans according to the American Indian Relief Council.
Happy Birthday to Canadian Legend #NeilYoung! @Neilyoung pic.twitter.com/fdfJdtWZ3p
— World Music Awards (@WORLDMUSICAWARD) November 12, 2016
Neil Young’s new album Peace Trail, scheduled for release December 9, will almost certainly deal with some of the issues facing Native Americans. Young’s newly released single, “Indian Giver” is about the DAPL or Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Neil Young’s social media comments about his appearance at Standing Rock were quoted by The Rolling Stone.
“Got my birthday wish today, my girl took me to #StandWithStandingRock #WaterIsLife.”
The Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline protest slogan is Water Is Life or #WaterIsLife which is apt, considering the constant concerns for access to clean water on so many reservations. The main problem is that if something should go wrong with the North Dakota pipeline resulting in water contamination, the Native American experience is that it will not be fixed if it only impacts the reservation. Many reservations have had decades of poisoned water from various outside industrial and mining efforts.
Neil Young is proud to continue his activism into his seventh decade. Standing in the middle of a North Dakota pipeline protest, Young obviously felt at home. Young is intent on preserving the water quality for a population of people who already have serious issues with clean water access, Neil Young rocks his heart out for the Native Americans who share in common with Neil a love for the earth. Neil is quoted in The Rolling Stone.
“Those who damage Mother Earth, damage us all, forgive them, they don’t yet see.”
The Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline or DAPL protest slogan Water Is Life, seems an obvious truth, especially so for Native Americans. Already, many of the western tribes are fighting to seal off uranium mines that are causing toxic water contamination and slow death for those living on many different reservations throughout the Western United States. About 75 percent of abandoned uranium mines are on Federal and Tribal lands according to The Free Thought Project.
Happy birthday to the legendary rock and roll hall of famer #NeilYoung pic.twitter.com/BEO2Z3dCKK
— Classic Rock In Pics (@crockpics) November 12, 2016
#HappyBirthday to one of the coolest Canadians and musicians!#NeilYoung -Don’t Let It Bring You Down
https://t.co/x2yFGoGa6h via @youtube— Trina Weddell (@trina_weddell) November 12, 2016
Happy Birthday #NeilYoung! https://t.co/o5BK1bl5xF pic.twitter.com/zInSdMFJOl
— American Blues Scene (@AmeriBluesScene) November 12, 2016
Neil Young walked around the Standing Rock reservation with guitar in hand singing his new protest song, “Indian Givers.” Young mentions a protester, Dale “Happy” American Horse Jr. in his pipeline protesting rock ballad by name. American Horse chained himself to a piece of pipeline equipment for almost six hours before being arrested. Neil croons in “Indian Givers” that Happy went to jail.
“Saw Happy locked to the big machine. They had to cut him loose and you know what that means. That’s when Happy went to jail. Behind big money justice always fails.”
The Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline or DAPL protest is the subject of “Indian Givers.” Neil also infers that water pollution is not only at the expense of the Native Americans but it is also a price that future generations of all Americans will pay. Neil’s new rock ballad is powerful.
Neil Young is not alone in his willingness to help Native Americans with water shortages and contamination, though. Upworthy reports that an organization called Deep Dig, that helps dig deep wells in third world countries is aiding the Native Americans in Arizona and New Mexico, who have had issues with water shortages since 1948 at least. While the other communities were provided with municipal water and sewer, the reservations got left out of the plan, so they have no access to running water or working sewer plumbing.
Neil Young has always been a protester. From the 1960s Vietnam War protests on through to the current situation with The Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline or DAPL protest in 2016, Neil’s career has always been about protest songs though Young did produce a few love songs as well. “Cinnamon Girl,” was very sweet, but bitter protests were always Neil Young’s strong suit.
“Indian Giver” relates the story of the Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline protests. “Who’s Gonna Stand Up?” was about the Keystone XL pipeline conflicts in 2014. But it’s not all about pipelines. Young protested “The Monsanto Years” in 2015. In 1970 Young penned his perhaps most chilling song ever, “Ohio” in protest of the Kent State Massacre.
Neil Young will not go quietly into the night, as an elderly American. No retirement community for Young. This aging rock star is still standing up for what he believes in. Neil plans to go down fighting, or at least providing the rock music for the battle and of course the battle cry, something like “Ohio” perhaps? Though he may be 71-years-old, Neil’s voice and his message have not changed over the decades of his career.
RELATED REPORTS FROM THE INQUISITR
Neil Young To Release New Album, Retirement Not Even In The Picture
Chanie Wenjack: Neil Young, Gord Downie Shine Spotlight On DAPL, Indigenous Tribulations
Standing Rock Sioux Want Amy Goodman To Turn Herself In Over Dakota Access Pipeline Arrest Warrant
The Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline protests could be the path to death for at least one if not many Native American protesters, according to Neil Young, though. The Rolling Stone quotes Neil from the Los Angeles Times.
“History is being made right now. The protesters are prepared to give up their lives, and unfortunately, I think what it’s going to take for more people to pay attention is that somebody’s going to get killed.”
Will even that make a difference?
The Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline protests are volatile, but with everything else going on, it certainly might help to have Neil Young to remind people of the struggle. At 71, Neil still has a powerful voice.
Neil Young’s new single, “Indian Giver” relates the story of Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline protests or DAPL fight for clean water.
[Featured Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
