Imagine a scenario where thousands of Indigenous people gather for months in makeshift camps to protest the construction of an oil pipeline that will almost assuredly have profound negative impacts on their Indigenous way of life for generations to come. The people are so steadfast in their convictions that most remain encamped through a brutally harsh and cold winter. Their efforts gain international attention, and they succeed in convincing the government to halt construction. That is until a new US president is elected and directs the newly formed government to move forward with the pipeline, and, after approximately seven months of encampment, the people are forced to leave their camps. This is the story of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the efforts lead by tribes and water protectors1 to halt its construction.