Neil Young celebrates birthday by performing at Standing Rock

November 18, 2016
Issue 
Neil Young.

The 71-year-old Canadian rock legend Neil Young’s latest song, “Indian Givers”, seeks to raise awareness about the Native American water protectors in North Dakota protesting the destructive four-state Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).

Since Donald Trump won the November 8 presidential election, the media has been fixated on his every move and statement. Largely ignored are activists near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, where development of the four-state DAPL continues, despite federal orders mandating for it to be stopped.

Activists and “water protectors” who have been camped out and protesting since April have gone to extreme lengths to halt its construction. Supporters of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe believe that the DAPL’s development will not only contaminate the Missouri river, but will uproot sacred burial grounds.

It is likely the need to highlight this dire threat that led the socially conscious Young to celebrate his 71st birthday at the protest camps. Indian County Times reported that Young — who is an outspoken advocate against Monsanto — performed for the protestors by walking around the camp with his guitar and harmonica in hand.

“Indian Givers” is about the pipeline and seeks to raise awareness about the Native water protectors in North Dakota. The lyrics include: “There’s a battle raging on the sacred land/Our brothers and sisters had to take a stand.”

Young has campaigned against big oil for years. Last year, he released the album The Monsanto Years, which exposes the many ways Monsanto — and other giant agribusinesses — poison the environment and punish small farmers.

His activism will undoubtedly help raise awareness about the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s plight. After the video for “Indian Givers” was released on November 11, it quickly surpassed 750,000 views.

[Reprinted from TrueActivist.com.]

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