Natives Say They are "Idle No More" at Grassroots Rally

Dozens of Native Americans rallied Sunday as part of the "Idle No More" grassroots movement spreading across the continent.  They are trying to raise awareness of native issues including sovereignty and environmental issues.

Natives danced and chanted for the cause at the Downtown Oklahoma City Library.

"It doesn't matter which tribe we are, whether we're stomp dancers, line dancers, fancy dancers, we're all coming together for one voice, and one fire, which is Idle No More," Anthony Williamson said.

Idle No More started in Canada and has since spread across both Canada and the United States.

"We're supporting indigenous rights. They're losing their rights in Canada, which we're very concerned about," Williamson said.

Participants at the rally said  the effort in Oklahoma has allowed Natives across the state to get active and rally for issues here.

"It opened up for us as a way for us to respond to our own local issues," Richard Ray Whitman said,

Whitman said one of the biggest issues in this state is the Keystone Pipeline. It will transport oil from Canada to Mexico, crossing Oklahoma in Cushing.

"We're in an oil state, historically Oklahoma is oil and so its quietly slipped through Oklahoma and its on its way to southern boundaries now and its cut across Indian lands," he said.

But Whitman said he does not represent the voice of all Native Americans in Oklahoma.  He and others at the rally are urging other to join Idle No More. 

You can learn more about rallies of the local movement on it's Facebook page.Natives Say They are "Idle No More" at Grassroots Rally

Posted: Sunday, February 10 2013, 09:28 PM CST