Sitting in a tarpee erected outside the Capitol Building in the US state of Washington, seven Indigenous women and their supporters have vowed to stay put.

They will stay until they are either arrested or politicians take action on climate change and native treaty rights.

Eva, along with others from the indigenous community and their supporters, "occupied" the front lawn of the state capital in the city of Olympia on January 8th, the first day of a new 60-day legislative session.

We're here in our native structure facing a colonial structure behind us. I find this to be beautifully symbolic of the indigenous matriarchy facing down the patriarchy.

Eva, along with others from the Indigenous community and their supporters, "occupied" the front lawn of the state capital in the city of Olympia on Monday, the first day of a new 60-day legislative session.

The group is demanding that Washington Governor Jay Inslee take a stronger stance against the expansion of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline.

Indigenous and environmental rights groups say the pipeline threatens native sovereignty and puts wildlife, as well as the land and sea along the route, at risk.

Read the full article on indigenous women by Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath at Al Jazeera