David Archambault II

David Archambault II (Lakota: Tokala Ohitika) is the tribal Chairman of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota.[1][2] He has written for The New York Times, spoken on Indigenous rights before the United Nations Human Rights Council, and is a leading voice in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.[1][2]

Family and education

Archambault was born in Denver, Colorado. He grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and attended the Little Wound School in Kyle, SD, and later the Standing Rock Grant School.[3] In addition to his Lakota name and warrior society titles, he is also known as "Little Dave", son of Joe Bucking Horse (The Ol’ Bull Legged One). His parents are his mother, Betty Archambault, and his father, Dave Archambault Sr.[3]

He attended Standing Rock Community College (now Sitting Bull College), Bismarck State College, and eventually earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from North Dakota State University and a Master’s degree in Management from the University of Mary.[3]

Standing Rock Tribal Council

Archambault was elected Chairman of the Standing Rock Tribal Council on September 25, 2013, defeating Mike Faith and replacing Charles Murphy, who had been chair for many of the previous thirty years (1983-93, 1997-2005, and 2009-2013).[4] He was inaugurated October 9, 2013.[4]

Dakota Access Pipeline protests

Further information: Dakota Access Pipeline protests

While the stand against the Dakota Access Pipeline was begun and is led by Indigenous women elders and youth from Standing Rock, Archambault has been instrumental in his tribe's legal efforts to stall the project, including asking the federal government to halt or review the pipeline permits. He has met with politicians and spoken on behalf of the tribe, and all Indigenous people, at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.[1] In September 2016, a federal court denied an injunction on the project. Immediately after, in an unprecedented move, three federal agencies issued a multi-agency order withdrawing permissions for construction, and ordering further review.[5] Subsequently, President Obama announced that agencies would also review the process of permitting to ensure tribal guidance was included, discussing this proposal at a White House tribal summit.[6]

In August, during one of the many incursions of pipeline security into prayer vigils at the Missouri River, Archambault was arrested.[7] Following his arrest, along with the other water protectors, he was strip-searched. When asked in October if strip searches are common during arrests for disorderly conduct he replied that he didn't know since he had never before been arrested. He said they also searched his hair braid for weapons, which he found to be odd since he doesn't have a very thick braid.[8]

In October 2016, asking the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene to protect protesters against "strong-arm tactics, abuses and unlawful arrests by law enforcement".[9]

Errata

In some sources Archambault is also referred to more casually, as Dave Archambault.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Medina, Daniel A. (September 20, 2016). "Standing Rock Sioux Takes Pipeline Fight to UN Human Rights Council in Geneva". NBC News. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 Archambault II, David (August 24, 2016). "Taking a Stand at Standing Rock". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Who Am I?". Vote Dave Archambault II. 2013-06-03. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  4. 1 2 Bismarck Tribune Staff, "Dave Archambault Officially in as Standing Rock Chairman", Bismarck Tribune, Sept. 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ "In Victory For Protesters, Obama Administration Halts North Dakota Pipeline", Weekend All Things Considered Washington, D.C.: NPR. (Sep 10, 2016)
  6. ↑ Reuters, "Dakota Pipeline Fight Hangs Over White House Tribal Summit", Sept. 27, 2016.
  7. ↑ Lauren Donovan, "Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault arrested at Dakota Access Pipeline protest", Bismarck Tribune, Aug. 12, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Why Is North Dakota Strip-Searching Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Charged with Misdemeanors?". Democracy Now!. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Daniel A. Medina, "Tribe Asks DOJ to Intervene in Escalating Dakota Access Pipeline Protests", NBC News, Oct. 24, 2016.
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