Black Snake Movie: Explaining Dakota's Resistance & Meaning

The Black Snake movie is a feature film that represents the precedents that unfolded in Dakota regarding the construction of an oil pipeline company through the area. As such, it highlights the various functions and activities that unfold during the resistance and multiple more scenarios. As such, the article aims at highlighting and explaining what unfolded during the process and eventual outcome.

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Meaning of the Black Snake

Dakota is home to millions of people from different cultural backgrounds and ethnicity. As such, they hold an ancient belief that a black snake would pass through their land and must be killed or stopped anyhow (Laer n.p). As such, the black snake symbolizes the proposed Dakota access pipeline, which is to pass through four states within America. It symbolizes ancient prophecy in which the indigenous people in that area believed that many years later, a big black snake would pass through their land and promote countless atrocities against the inhabitants hence need to kill it if it ever emerges.

Water Protectors

They stand for residents within setting up camps throughout Dakota. The latter is led by indigenous and non-indigenous leaders that strive to ensure that their ancient customs and beliefs concerning the black snake do not bear any growth and that their prayers act as stumbling blocks towards any development (Laer n.p). The resident camp members are of diverse origins. They include newer supporters who are taken through an orientation process in which they are taught the cultural practices, beliefs, and prayer rituals of inhabitants of that region. Their existence at the designated pipeline route is a major hindrance to the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline officials as they are resistant blocks impeding immediate construction plans.

Man Camps, their Problems, and how they relate to the Black Snake

These are home or camps to millions of resistance members in the region. They are faced with extreme weather conditions, lack of enough amenities, constant riots, and even death. They are important resistant groups to any proposed workings on-site at Dakota. They experience constant confrontations with police officers due to ongoing legal and cultural wrangles between the inhabitants and the pipeline workers (Laer n.p). They offer a restrictive working place for the company and aim to remain and reclaim the land as their own. The pipeline should pass through another route or should not be built at all since they believe that any construction works on the pipeline would bear negative effects on their cultural needs, beliefs, and even health, and environmental elements within the area.

Issues relating to the Project and its relation to Native History

The Project faces environmental and health concerns as determined by courts. Resistance from natives who believe that the black snake would not bring any good tidings and ancient beliefs that are relative to the native history of the region (Laer n.p). The ancient natives of the area hold dear to the black snake teaching from their ancestors and historical attempts and incidences that led to the present-day disputes between the state, the pipeline, and immediate residents on that area designated as a pipeline route.

Conclusion

In summary, the black snake is a derailed attempt. The natives do not advocate for their construction. It faces numerous setbacks and is environmentally unhealthy based on its effects and impacts. The black snake is a historical negation and event depicting residents of Dakota being influenced or harmed by its mere existence, as noted herein.

Work Cited

Laer, F. van. The Rise of Deconstructing White Trash Movies: Analyses of Representations of White Trash In Erin Brockovich (2000), 8 Mile (2002), A Love Song For Bobby Long (2004), and Black Snake Moan (2006). MS thesis. 2010. https://dspace.library.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/1874/42836/T%20Thesis.doc?sequence