THE SACRED STONE CAMP

A community forms at South Dakota’s Sacred Stone Camp as people of all ages join to safeguard their land and water.

Lil’ Donna, a young Lakota girl, travels to the camp on horseback with her grandparents Unci LaDonna and Lala Miles. Excitement is in the air; the camp is crucial to preventing the Dakota Access Pipeline. But Lil’ Donna worries. Perceptive Unci LaDonna wraps her in a hug and emphasizes that they must all protect Unci Maka, or Mother Earth. Both her grandparents have told her stories of the Lakota prophecies of the Black Snakes that would “ravage the land and poison the waters.” Unci’s words—“We will always be stronger when we come together”—bring her comfort and reassurance. “We can live without the Black Snake’s oil, but we cannot live without Unci Maka’s precious lands and waters,” Lil’ Donna realizes. As she and the others arrive at the campsite, she raises a confident fist. McKnight (Shoshone-Bannock) captures the emotional depth of each page in her rich, realistic watercolor scenes, while Rose’s earnestly penned narrative is touching, capturing a precious day filled with uncertainty and fear as well as familial love and Indigenous pride. Backmatter offers more context about LaDonna Brave Bull Allard, who took a stand against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

A beautiful blend of community action and the bond between an elder and grandchild.