Cowboy and Indian Alliance Plants Sacred Ponca Corn in the Path of KXL

A Protected and Sacred Place

Pipeline Fighters and the “Cowboy & Indian Alliance” of farmers, ranchers and Tribal Nations that formed to oppose the Keystone XL pipeline gathered in 2014 to plant the first Ponca sacred corn “Seeds of Resistance” in the path of the proposed pipeline.

The first planting of “Seeds of Resistance” returned the Ponca’s sacred corn to the tribe’s ancestral homeland in Nebraska — after a 137-year absence following the tribe’s forced removal from the state.

The Ponca corn is planted each year on the farm of Art & Helen Tanderup. The Tanderup farm hosted the “Harvest the Hope” Stop Keystone XL benefit concert featuring headliners Neil Young and Willie Nelson, as well as two massive #NOKXL crop art installations — on land that crosses both the historic Ponca Trail of Tears, and the proposed path of the Keystone XL pipeline that TransCanada is still suing over to get U.S. taxpayers on the hook for $15 billion in claimed losses.

In the summer of 2016, members of the Cowboy & Indian Alliance also traveled to meet landowners and Tribal Nations in Virginia and West Virginia and plant “Seeds of Resistance” on land that lies in the paths of the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley fracked gas pipelines.

Pipeline Fighters plant sacred Ponca corn on land directly in the paths of the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley fracked gas pipelines during the “Seeds of Resistance” tour in 2016.

Ponca Sacred Corn “Seeds of Resistance” Stop Pipelines

Spring 2023 marked the tenth year of planting and harvesting the Ponca Sacred Corn. The Tanderup family deeded the land where the corn is planted back to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and Oklahoma. You can read more about the #LandBack initiative. Read more about the history of the planting and harvesting of the “seeds of resistance”—the Ponca Sacred Corn.

Together our families will plant sacred Ponca corn seeds of resistance. As the corn grows it will stand strong for us, to help us protect and keep Mother Earth safe for our children, as we fight these battles against pipelines.

The Tenth Annual Ponca Sacred Corn Harvest in 2023 marked the last large gathering for the harvest of the Ponca Sacred Corn.⁠ We reflect on and thank each and every person for the work everyone did to stop the Keystone XL pipeline.

Mekasi Camp Horinek, Jane Kleeb and Art Tanderup during the 2016 “Seeds of Resistance” planting in Virginia and West Virginia.

Amos Hinton and Mekasi Horinek of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, and farmer Art Tanderup during the 2014 planting of sacred Ponca corn on the Tanderup farm.

BOLD FLICKR GALLERIES

Ponca Corn Planting & NoKXL Crop Art 2019

Harvest of Ponca Sacred Corn 2016

Harvest of Ponca Sacred Corn 2015

Ponca Corn Planting on the Tanderup Farm