Standing Fox is one of three artists who painted the water tower on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. He explains that the woman depicted is an Apache elder who was born near Oak Flat, and represents the "strong warrior women" of the tribe. The colors used in the mural - white, blue, yellow, and black - are sacred in the Apache Holy Ground religion along with the Four Crosses depicted.

The Apache pump clean water to the nearby mining city of Globe from the fresh water aquifer on the San Carlos Reservation. The Apache fear the Oak Flat copper mining operations will contaminate their clean water, a resource a hard to come by in the region due to drought, past and current mining operations. The mural reads "Save Oak Flat" and "Tú Ba Chnaa," Apache for "Water is Life."

A statue of an Apache Warrior reaches up to the heavens on the grounds of Old San Carlos. The Old San Carlos Reservation was in essence a prison camp for the different Apache tribes, and a few other native tribes in the area. Commonly referred to as "Hells Forty Acres" by U.S. soldiers stationed at the military fort, Old San Carlos was a dangerous, desolate, hot and dry environment that was not hospitable with the Apache way of life.

Former Tribal Chairman and current Tribal Councilmember Wendsler Nosie Sr. has been leading the fight to save Oak Flat for decades. Nosie and other Apache sing traditional prayers in honor of the Four Crosses at the memorial for Old San Carlos as they prepare to transport them to Oak Flat for the occupation. The Four Crosses are located off-camera to the left, but are not allowed to be photographed.

In 2009 Standing Fox, Wendsler Nosie Sr. and several other prominent Apache activists and artists established the memorial to their ancestors on the ground of Old San Carlos. Lead by Rolling Fox, Anthony Matonth Logan, an elder religious practitioner, the activists gather at Old San Carlos to pray before their journey to Oak Flat. This is the first time they've allowed outsiders to photograph their ceremonial Holy Ground songs. Off camera are the tribe's sacred Four Crosses, which we were asked not to photograph.

Apache teens hang out at a youth center and skate park in the town of San Carlos. Unemployment on the Reservation ranges between a staggering 65% and 70%, presenting youth with many challenges as they prepare for an uncertain future. Mining around San Carlos has not lead to any significant employment for the Apache, leading to great skepticism about Resolution Copper's claims of an economic boom resulting from mining Oak Flat.

Wendsler Nosie and Carrie Reede Curley share a laugh as they lead the march from the San Carlos Reservation toward Oak Flat. Reede Curley is a prominent Apache painter and activist with a deep love for Apache culture. “Wendsler went ahead and handed me this staff... This staff has power, prayer, our four colors - our sacred colors, and it’s definitely keeping me motivated as well. Holding this is a great honor.”

Young Apache lead the march as they near the the border of the San Carlos Reservation. Wendsler Nosie Sr.'s granddaughter, 15 year old Naelyn Pike, is in the front middle of the group. She speaks on the significance of the march: "Its not just us that are here, our ancestors, those that fought for us, those generations are here. They are fighting with us. I can feel their presence, they're walking with us."

Standing Fox holds a sign on the side of the highway leading out of the San Carlos Reservation. The sun is setting as the group prepares to move on toward their day's destination, the city of Globe - another ten miles away. Being visible in places where Apache may not always feel welcome and shaking off "the disease of fear" are core principals of the march. According to Tribal Councilman Wendsler Nosie, as recently as 1974 Native Americans were often not permitted in restaurants in Globe and many negative feelings remain. Standing Fox tours the country representing his community through his music and art, but he has returned to see the Occupy Oak Flat movement through.

One of the sacred staffs of the Apache people. The marchers have placed great significance in not allowing the staves to enter a car, but to be carried the entire journey to Oak Flat without modern conveniences. For the marchers, the journey by foot is part of the experience. Wendsler Nosie Sr. speaks of the importance of the marching to Oak Flat: "You can't just go to a holy site and expect blessings to be given to you... As we're going these 44, or 45 miles, we're being greeted by the environment... You have to have that communication with the Creator, and that's an important concept for us."

Thirteen miles into their journey, the march has reached the reservation line. Several elders of the tribe have made the entire journey so far. The marchers attach much symbolism in crossing this line of demarcation, that of overcoming the fear and intimidation instilled into the Apache people by being forced onto the Reservation.

Wendsler Nosie's granddaughter Naelyn Pike stands on the reservation line in the glow of the setting sun. Attending rallies since the age of 2, Naelyn has grown up in the struggle to save Oak Flat. At the young age of 15, Naelyn has already testified before U.S. Congress in opposition to the Oak Flat land giveaway and is a prominent Apache activist. Naelyn takes a deep breath as she prepares for the next step of the journey. “I feel a little tired, but I'm still energized at the same time... A weird feeling.”

The second day of the march begins with prayer and songs lead by two of the Apache elders and religious leaders. Carrie Reede Curley joins in the singing. "In our religion you're taught that everything has a breath of life in it. It is important that we honor that in our Apache tradition. We sing about it. We sing about the stars, that water is life and these people are overseeing that; that our religion is very sacred to us."

On the way to Oak Flat the marchers pass shuttered buldings in the impoverished mining town of Miami, Arizona. The tax revenue from the surrounding mines is split across Arizona based on population, so the small mining towns that bear the brunt of the industry see far fewer tax dollars than high population areas removed from the impacts of mining, such as Phoenix or Tucson. The boom and bust nature of mining has blighted the town as pigeons have taken up residence in the boarded up "Miami Tourist Hotel," established during a mining boom era of 1907, but long since abandoned.

Carrie "CC" Reede Curley and Standing Fox look on as Wendsler Nosie Sr. addresses the crowd on the perils of the mountain roads ahead of them. In a compromise with the Highway Patrol for safety reasons, young volunteers eagerly volunteered to form groups of four to take turns carrying the ceremonial staffs through curvy mountain roads, while the others load into vans for the final few miles.

On the second day of the walk a blister is attended to just outside the town of Miami. The hike has become more mountainous on the second day and marchers are feeling the effects of the road. Despite the obstacles the vast majority have walked the first 30 plus miles of the journey.

Just outside the town of Miami, adjacent to an open pit mine, sits a pool of toxic runoff water behind a chain link fence. Much of the drinking water in the surrounding communities is widely considered unsafe to drink. Block cave mining in Oak Flat will also create similar toxic pools of water on land that is sacred to the Apache and activists say it will jeopardize the fresh water aquifer that the people of San Carlos, Globe and Miami all depend on.

In addition to the numerous medicinal herbs that grow in Oak Flat are trees bearing the acorns sacred to the Apache. The acorn are mashed into a thick paste and have traditionally played an important role in their diet. The freedom and ability to continue gathering herbs and acorns and perform traditional ceremonies at the site is a key demand in the fight to preserve Oak Flat.

Adjacent to the Oak Flat campground, exploratory mining has begun in the hunt for the rich copper seem that lies beneath the surface. A lone worker stands atop the deep earth drill, while a tattered American flag ripples in the wind. Even in the mining community, many have questioned the notion of patriotism Sen. John McCain and other Arizona politicians have put forward as a reason for the deal to hand over Oak Flat, worth billions of dollars in copper, to a foreign-owned company in an uneven land exchange.

Just beyond the untouched boundaries of Oak Flat, exploratory mining has begun. Rio Tinto, through its subsidiary Resolution Copper, stands to make billions of dollars from the copper rich-land. While most of the profit will leave the state of Arizona, into the coffers of a foreign owned company, the costs associated with the environmental degradation and toxic biproducts will largely be footed by the local communities.

Generations of Apache women stand at the entrance to Oak Flat, preparing to lead the large delegation into the Oak Flat campground after the 45 mile march. At the center of the group stands Carrie "CC" Reede Curley with one of the sacred staffs. After marching into Oak Flat, she reflected upon the experience: "We did it and our ancestors welcomed us... We proved that we are strong. I couldn't explain it. Just having everyone cheering behind you, marching with you on that dirt road to the holy ground... And holding that staff, it was very empowering."

Standing Fox looks on as the tribe's religious leaders address the crowd. He reflects after reaching Oak Flat: "Our Religion is deeply rooted in these sacred places and its what our ancestors fought for and died for. And as young people we honor them today, standing up for what is right and protecting our religion and our way of life - our Apache way."

The Pinto Copper Mine is an active mine located near Oak Flat. In contrast to this and other mines in the area, Oak Flat will use the "block cave" mining process. This involves a series of deep underground detonations that essentially collapses the mountainous terrain in on itself. The the ore and other materials are then extracted from a series of tunnels dug in the earth. This process creates more toxic material than conventional mining practices and produces greater contaminates affecting the ground water with acid runoff. But it's far more cost effective and stands to make Resolution Copper a far greater profit off the Oak Flat copper deposits.

A drinking water vending machine is seen here along Superior, Arizona's main thoroughfare. Off the Reservation the mining towns of the "Copper Triangle" are dealing with their own water contamination issues as a result of the mining industry in drought-stricken Arizona. The "block cave" mining process uses far more water than traditional mining methods and also produces more contaminates and acid runoff. This contamination leaches into the soil and can affect nearby fresh water aquifers.

The city of Superior is only a few miles from Oak Flat. This mining town houses the headquarters of Resolution Copper, the subsidiary of foreign-owned Rio Tinto that is the benefactor of the Oak Flat giveaway. Superior is split widely on the Oak Flat mine, with some hoping for the promised economic boom, and others failing to believe Resolution Copper's line after witnessing too many mining busts.