Indigenous organizers and concerned Michigan residents are coming together in the state’s Upper Peninsula, united by one goal: protecting the land and water they care deeply about. Members of several tribal nations and their supporters have been gathering at Camp Animikiiwadiswan, or Thunderbird Nest, near the proposed Copperwood Mine, where the resistance camp has become a place to build connections, share knowledge, and voice concerns about what the project could mean for the surrounding environment.
According to Truthout, the intertribal camp was established near the proposed copper mine in Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula and welcomed around 20 people during its opening weekend in August, with attendance growing the following weekend. The mine is planned near the Porcupine Mountains and southern shore of Lake Superior, while opponents have raised concerns about its potential impact on wetlands, water, wildlife, and treaty-protected lands.
The project has also become the subject of a wider dispute over $50 million in state grants approved for the mine and related infrastructure. Adding to the controversy, the proposed mine is expected to generate around 40 million tons of mining waste, which opponents fear could pose a long-term threat to the area’s wetlands and nearby Lake Superior.
For those involved in the camp, however, the fight is about much more than simply opposing another development project. Organizers have spoken about protecting land and water that have long held cultural significance for Indigenous communities in the region, while also drawing attention to treaty rights and the responsibility they feel toward future generations. That shared purpose has helped bring together people from different tribal nations, as well as supporters who have traveled to the camp to stand alongside them.
That message is now resonating with people across Michigan, particularly as concerns surrounding the Copperwood project continue to reach a wider audience. After news of the resistance camp was shared online, residents from across the state rallied behind those involved, with many praising their efforts to protect the Upper Peninsula and others asking what they could do to support the cause.
Michigan Residents Rally Behind Resistance Camp
Support for those at the camp was clear, with one Reddit user simply writing, “Good. All power to them,” while another added, “I wish them success. ❤” Others were already looking for ways to turn that support into something more tangible. One person asked, “Anyway to contribute or donate to their cause?” while another wondered, “They got a GoFundMe or a pizza place that’d deliver?” They later clarified that they were completely serious and wanted a link if one was available. That sentiment was quickly echoed by another commenter who said they couldn’t be there physically but “would love to support this in ways that I can.”
Taken together, the responses suggest that for some Michigan residents, support for the camp goes beyond simply agreeing with its cause, with people actively looking for ways to help those involved from afar.
Ultimately, the response shows how an issue affecting one corner of Michigan can resonate with communities much farther afield. While the future of the proposed Copperwood Mine remains uncertain, the resistance camp has already brought people together around a shared concern for the land and water of the Upper Peninsula. Judging by the messages of support and offers to help, those at the camp certainly aren’t standing alone.
