Los Angeles, Oct 21 (IANS) Actress Shailene Woodley has penned an essay that reveals the truth about her arrest.
The "Divergent" star wrote it for Time magazine, explaining the importance of her peaceful protest, reports eonline.com.
On October 10, the actress was protesting against the Dakota Access Pipeline when she was initially arrested. On Wednesday, Woodley pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal trespass and engaging in a riot.
After explaining why she was standing in solidarity with Native Americans on Indigenous Peoples' Day, and the severity of needing to protect our resources, Woodley began to call out Americans for exploiting Native American traditions without respecting their culture.
"We wear their heritage, their sacred totems, as decoration and in fashion trends, failing to honour their culture. Head dresses, feathers, arrows. Moccasins, sage, beadwork. You know what I'm talking about, Coachella."
"Walking around the flea market this weekend, I can't even tell you how many native references I saw being used in a way that feeds our western narrative," she wrote.
"We grow up romanticizing native culture, native art, native history... without knowing native reality."
She continued to state that, "Treaties are broken. Land is stolen. Dams are built. Reservations are flooded. People are displaced. Yet we fail to notice. We fail to act", and pointed out the irony in the fact that it was only brought to the forefront after she was taken in by authorities.
"So much so that it took me, a white non-native woman being arrested on Oct 10th in North Dakota, on Indigenous Peoples' Day, to bring this cause to many people's attention. And to the forefront of news publications around the world. The day I was detained, 26 others had to dress in orange as well, as they were booked into the Morton County jail. Did you hear about them?"
Regardless, she expressed her gratitude for the well wishes.
She wrote: "I am not scared. I am grateful, and I am amazed to be standing by the sides of so many peaceful warriors. Standing Rock "protests" are rooted in ceremony and in prayer. I've been there. And all these narratives about riots? Just watch my Facebook livestream and decide for yourself who looks more dangerous: police in riot gear with batons, or native grandmothers and children smudging sage and singing songs."
