WE ARE ALL RELATED
Mitakuye Oyasin
By Silent Voices
Native American Connections Newsletter Lincoln High School, 2900 S Cliff Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 (605) 367-7990 • Newsletter link: https://issuu.com/naclhs
January 2020
Volume 4, Issue 1
Tracing the Path from Discovery to Recovery
Ride Seeks to Bring Reconciliation
The Impact of Lewis and Clark on Natives
Annual Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride
By Marissa BrudelieGonzalez and Kristin Hinman Staff Writers Most individuals have heard about the great expedition of Lewis and Clark and have studied the path in which they traveled throughout North America, but the interactions with the Indigenous people on this exploration are relatively unknown in the history curriculum taught in schools. The most common story about contact with the indigenous people is the one in which Lewis and Clark encounter Sacagawea and hired her as their guide. The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as The Corps of Discovery, began in May 1804 and ended in September 1806. The exploration was tasked to Meriwether Lewis by President Thomas Jefferson. According to PBS.org, Meriwether Lewis was asked to explore the land west of the Mississippi River which was the Louisiana Purchase. He chose William Clark to be his coleader of the expedition. Jefferson had given an order to the Corps of Discovery, which had around thirtythree men, to make friends with the Native Americans so they could have the benefits of creating relations, trade and collecting scientific information. According to Peacestudies.org, the expedition would encounter Independence National Historical approximately fifty different Native Park Photo American nations including the Hidatsa, Captain Meriwether Lewis, Walla Walla, Otoe, Chinook, Shoshone, appointed by President Jefferson, Blackfeet, Sioux and Nez Perce. When was a co-commander of the expedition that explored the they travelled along the Missouri River Louisiana Purchase in 1804. They and would encounter Indian nations, would encounter 50 plus they would bear gifts, and explain that indigenous tribes on this the land belonged to the United States. expedition, in which they (expedition) would receive shelter They told the people that Thomas and assistance. Jefferson was the “Great Father” and the Native Americans were his children. They sought peace with the nations, and in exchange they offered protection. On the website History.com it is noted that the Lewis and Clark Expedition covered around 8,000 miles. The first indigenous people that the expedition encountered were the Mandan, who lived in the Hidatsa-Mandan settlement. The Mandan nation tried to monopolize trading with the Corps, so they (the Mandan) told them (the Hidatsa) that Corps were coming (continued on Page 2, Sacagawea)
By Kristin Hinman and Marissa BrudelieGonzalez Staff Writers The sun heats the backs of the Native American riders mounted on their horses, as they wind their way through the hilly, dry, lightly snowcovered terrain, so begins the Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride. This ride began a journey of healing and Photo courtesy of Josette Peltier remembrance On December 10, 2019, riders in the in Lower Brule, Dakota 38+2 Ride begin the trip in South Dakota Lower Brule. The ride began in 2005 as a way to promote reconciliation between on December 10, 2019 for the Native Americans and non-natives. riders. The 330-mile journey took riders across southern Minnesota and South Dakota. It ended on December 26, 2019 in Mankato, Minnesota where the largest mass hanging in U.S. history took place in 1862. Thirty-eight Dakota men were hung. The ride which was completed on horseback is used to bring healing of the past, reconciliation between the races, and awareness of the Dakota people’s history. This annual event is a path to healing for the Native Americans. To understand the reason for the ride, one must examine the Dakota War of 1862 (Dakota Conflict). The war was a product of many different things. It began when the Dakota Conflict started way back in 1851 as the United States and Dakotas signed treaties with the Dakotas to live in a reservation next to the Minnesota River. The Dakotas did move to the reservation, but treaty agreements were not followed. The negotiated money and supplies for the Dakotas never arrived nor the rations for the people. These supplies and rations were held by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As time progressed more of the (continued on Page 4, August)
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Senior Profile: Luisa SargentPonce
Sacagawea Meets Lewis and Clark
By Elizabeth Marks Staff Writer
to raid their village. When Lewis went to make peace with the Hidatsa, and tell them that the rumor wasn’t true, they didn’t trust him. While the Hidatsa made trades with the Corps the relationship between the two was never one of ease. Lewis asked the Hidatsa to not attack the Shoshones and the Blackfeet. No sooner had Lewis extracted this promise from the Hidatsa, then a young warrior and his war party broke it. According to PBS.org, it was during this visit with the Mandan nation that Lewis and Clark encountered Sacagawea, a young Shoshone Indian, and Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trader who had lived among the Mandan and adopted many of their ways. Charbonneau was Sacagawea’s husband. The Corps recognized the value of Charbonneau’s and Sacagawea’s language skills and hired them to be guides for the rest of the journey. Charbonneau was able to speak French and Hidatsa and Sacagawea spoke Hidatsa and Shoshone. She was pregnant at the time, but gave birth to her son in February, which was before the expedition headed out on the next leg of their journey. In an article on the website History.com, when the expedition crossed the Sacagawea Facts Continental Divide at • Kidnapped at age 12 by Hidatsa Lemhi Pass, • Sold to fur trader Charbonneau it was • Spoke Hidatsa and Shoshone Sacagawea • Had son, Jean Baptiste, in 1805 who • Had daughter, Lisette, in 1812 negotiated • Died at age 25 the purchase of Source: PBS.org horses from the Shoshone leader, Chief Cameahwait. The chief was her brother, who she had not seen since she was twelve. The horses were needed to cross the Bitterroot Mountains and transport supplies. The expedition was helped along their journey by many indigenous nations. In an article on the website Peacestudies.missouri.edu, it is noted that when the group came across the Nez Perce Nation, they were weak from illness. The Nez Perce people could have defeated them and taken their weapons to become powerful and rich, but they didn’t. Instead, they took them in, fed them and nourished them back to health. They stayed with the Nez Perce until the winter was over. The Nez Perce then showed the expedition the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Q: What is something you admire about your parents/siblings? A: That my parents don’t give up, and my siblings look up to me. Q: When you were young, what did you imagine yourself becoming when you got older? A: I imagine myself as becoming a really bad kid, but it didn’t happen. Q: What is an accomplishment that makes you proud? Photo by Janet Kolb
Luisa SargentPonce, senior at Lincoln High plans to study psychology in college.
A: I am proud of making it through high school.
Q: What are your plans after high school? A: After high school, I am planning on taking college summer classes. Then I will transition to another college to study psychology. Q: What is your favorite high school memory? A: The field trips from Native American Connections class. Q: Who will you miss most after you graduate? A: My teachers Ms. Kolb and Ms. Martin. Q: Which class did you enjoy the most? A: Auto Shop class. Q: Which teacher do you admire and why? A: I admire Ms. Kolb, because there is more to her than being a teacher. Q: What was your favorite part about Lincoln? A: Homecoming. Q: What will you miss about Lincoln? A: The kids.
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Entrepreneurship Creates Thriving Community Hunting Opportunities Bring People to Lower Brule By Isabel Ferguson Staff Writer (Editor’s Note: This is part two of a nine-part series on the reservations in South Dakota)
The Lower Brule Reservation is on the west side of the big bend in the Missouri River, the largest meandering loop in any river system in the United States. There are rolling hills covered in prairie grasses with free-roaming buffalo and elk. The capital is Lower Brule, and it is the location where the Tribal Council meets. Established in 1889, from trust land as part of an agreement with the United States Government, it has a land mass of approximately 156,917 acres. It has abundant hunting and fishing Graphic by Janet Kolb opportunities, and spans across Lyman and Stanley counties in South Dakota. Its boundaries on the east and north are created by the Missouri River. It is adjacent to the Crow Creek Reservation. The reservation is home to the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, which has approximately 3,410 citizens. According to the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center website, the members of this tribe are known as the Kul Wicasa Oyate (Lower Men Nation). They were revered for being expert horsemen and their hunting skills on the plains. They are members of the Sicangu (Burnt Thigh), one of the Oyates of the Lakota people. The reservation currently has a population of approximately 1,664 residents, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior-Indian Affairs website. Many businesses are thriving in this reservation. It is home to the Golden Buffalo Casino & Motel, Elderly Nutrition, a tribal farm, Tax Express, Lower Brule Sioux Propane Plant, and Lakota Foods. The Golden Buffalo Casino & Motel has been open for 29 years, and it employs approximately 30-40 people. During the hunting season, people from all over the U.S. come to hunt the abundant wildlife (deer and pheasant) in Lower Brule. Salica Estes has lived in the reservation for over 20 years. She has worked for the Golden Buffalo Casino & Motel for 12 years, “Lower Brule Reservation is a welcoming community, everyone knows everyone, we are a very close-knit family,” Estes said. Elderly Nutrition is owned and operated by Aaron Goodface in Lower Brule. He provides meals to the elders in the community through a federal grant program for Tribal reservations and has for almost 26 years. “I feed 100 elders a day,” Goodface said. “We make meals like meat soups, and sometimes fry bread, and then deliver the meals to the elders. We prepare a lot of soft foods.” (continued on Page 6, Abundant)
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Forgotten Name I have forgotten my NAME A name that defines my IDENTITY A name that has been thrown around A name that tells others who I might be A name that outlines every crevice and outline of my body, mind and soul. But, it’s just a name… Someone told me YOU define YOU. You define the way you TALK. You define the way you WALK. You define YOUR SOUL. But, HOW can others know WHO I am? How can others know WHO I am if I don’t have a name? How can others know WHO I am if I don’t even know myself? How can others know? Am I known for the LABELS that have been said? Am I known as KIND? Am I known as HATED? Am I known as QUIET or LOUD? Have labels ENTITLED who I am? Or have labels CHANGED me? Did every TWIST and TURN change my name? Did my name change so much from the labels that I FORGOT who I was? Or did the labels STOP me from looking for myself. It’s time to SEARCH. It’s time to search my MIND. It’s time to search my EYES. It’s time to search with smells, taste, and touch. It’s time to search for what has been forgotten. Time has passed, the labels stuck, but I finally found my NAME. — Shyann Zephier
Words of Wisdom When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. —White Elk
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August Incident Triggers Dakota War
Wazi and Wakanka Seek Power
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Iktomi Schemes to do Evil
reservation land was taken and since the supplies, money and rations were never received, and since there was less land, hunting and fishing for food dried up. By 1862, the Dakotas were starving therefore they sent negotiators to the Bureau of Indian Affairs office to negotiate for food. In most cases the negotiations were non-productive, and the Dakotas were denied any opportunities to purchase or acquire food. At this point, on August 17, 1862, with Dakota men, women, and children starving, four young Dakota Warriors went on a hunting expedition to bring food back for the people. While the warriors were out hunting, one of them found a nest with two chicken eggs and one of the warriors took the eggs. The warrior with the eggs was warned by another of the group that the whites would come after them for stealing. In a spontaneous reaction to this conversation several white settlers were killed. The warriors returned to Little Crow’s camp and a war council of the Dakotas came together in which Little Crow chastised the young men for their actions but agreed to lead his people in an effort to help his people. On August 18, 1862, the Dakota warriors attacked the agency office and killed 24 U.S. infantry men. The warriors continued moving along the Minnesota River killing and scaring the settlers away. In a very short time, the U.S. military gathered forces and defeated the Dakotas. Unbeknownst to many, there were Dakota people that did not agree with this conflict. Dakota leaders called the “Peace Party” tried to stop the war and to get prisoners released that were captured by the Dakota warriors. After the war many of the Dakota Peace Party surrendered along with some Dakota warriors to Colonel Sibley at “Camp Release” (close to present-day Montevideo, Minnesota). Once 303 Dakota men were convicted of war crimes, the remaining Dakotas, as many as 1,600 men, women and children were marched approximately 100 miles to Fort Snelling, the Dakotas’ own trail of tears. The number of people that died during the march and at Fort Snelling during that winter of internment is somewhere between 130 and 300. After the winter, the remaining Dakotas were relocated by force to the Crow Creek Reservation in Dakota Territory. The trip by boat up the Missouri River to Crow Creek Reservation was difficult for the Dakotas and many people died during that trip and some committed suicide by jumping off the boat into the Missouri River. According to Mr. Anderegg, a Historical Interpreter at President Lincoln’s Cottage, President Lincoln became involved in the Dakota uprising by the fact that 1500 Dakota men were captured and tried for crimes of war. Of those 1500 warriors tried 303 were sentenced to death. After President Lincoln received the large number of Dakotas to be executed, he stepped in and asked for transcripts of the trials and personally reviewed each one. The ultimate outcome was the largest mass hanging in U.S. history with 38 Dakotas being hung at one time in Mankato, Minnesota. Plus, two additional Dakotas (Sakpedan and Wakan Ozanan) where were hung outside the walls of Fort Snelling on November 11, 1865. A few hours after the hanging, the (continued on Page 7, Bodies)
By Naven Foote Editor (Editor’s Note: This is the continuing story of the Oceti Sakowin origin story.)
The chief and holy man of the Pte (peh - tay) People, Wazi (wah - zee), and his wife, Wakanka (wah - kawn - kah), who was a seer, wished to possess the powers of the Spirits. Iktomi (ick - doe mee), the spider and the trickster, heard that they wished for these powers and came to Wazi. He told Wazi that if he would help him to make others look foolish, he would provide the powers that they wished for. Wazi was hesitant, but Wakanka persuaded Wazi to agree to his terms. Wazi told Iktomi that he would only help him if he was given the powers first. Iktomi agreed and left but stayed near enough to eavesdrop. He heard Wakanka tell Wazi that once they get the powers, they will only help him when they wish to do so. He came back to their lodge and prepared two bags: one shaped like a turtle and the other like a lizard. He powdered roots and herbs while chanting strange words and songs. He added hair from a wolf, a feather from a hawk, and a single spider to each bag. Finally, he breathed on the two bags and gave the turtle to Wazi and the lizard to Wakanka. Iktomi told them that if they wish to do a mysterious thing, all they have to do is breathe on the bag and ask for what they want. Since then, he Image drawn by Naven Foote had visited their Hanwi, the moon, is the companion of Wi. Wi governs the day and Hanwi lodge often and praised them of the governs the night. beauty of their daughter, Ite (ee - teh). He told them that they could make a charm that will allow whoever would wear it to become more beautiful each night by using their bags. He told Ite that she was almost as beautiful as Hanwi (hawn - wee), the spirit of the moon and companion of Wi (wee). He told her that because she is the wife of a Spirit and that she is the mother of Spirits, she deserves to sit with the Sacred Beings. Ite told her mother, Wakanka, what Iktomi had told her, and Wakanka foretold that Ite shall sit beside the chief of the Sacred (continued on Page 5, Hanwi’s)
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Mitakuye Oyasin
Native Dances Emerge Through Time The Fancy Shawl Dance Halo St. Pierre Staff Writer (Editor’s Note: This is the second story in a series on Native American dance.)
Native American dance is an important part of culture. It is often used for ceremony, healing and communicating with the spirits. Dance is a central part of any powwow for ceremony, recreation, and competition. One of the dances that is performed by women at powwows is the Fancy Shawl Dance. According to the website, Indian Country Today, the Fancy Shawl dance is sometimes believed to be a dance with historical starts, but it is a recent innovation and is one of the most anticipated at powwows. The idea for the dance came from the men’s fancy dance, which was created in the 1920s to get around the government ban on tribal dances. This dance was one that could be performed legally in public without the fear of prosecution. Fancy shawl dancing for women started getting popular in the 1950s. The women’s regalia was similar in design to the men’s regalia for Photo courtesy of Kernit Grimshaw their fancy dance. The Fancy Shawl Ilea Joseph, LHS sophomore, performs the Fancy dancers can best be Shawl Dance at the Rosebud Powwow in August 2019. She has been dancing since she was one-year described as looking old. “Dancing makes me feel free,” Joseph said. like butterflies. The shawl is a very important part of the dance. It gives the dance its name. The shawl is fringed, colorful, often beaded or an appliquéd adaptation of the traditional women’s blanket. It extends over the length of the dancer’s arms (wingspan), as described on the Indian Country Today website. Dancers may accessorize their regalia with beaded earrings, hair ties, chokers, and headbands. A dancer’s regalia typically includes the fringed shawl, moccasins and leggings. The colors of the regalia are vibrant with popular colors being pinks, oranges and blues, but there can also be neon colors and black, according to the Indian Country Today website. The footwork for the dance is decided by the individual; there is no set of steps that dancers must follow, and balance and symmetry are more admired than fancy moves. During the dance at least one foot has to hit the ground with each drumbeat. The dancers keep time to the music with their heads. A competitor might spin energetically and frequently. She may whirl her way through fellow dancers looking more like an agile snake instead of a butterfly. It is important for the dancer to end with the final drumbeat to not be disqualified and to keep their poise.
Hanwi’s Seat at Spirit’s Feast Taken by Ite (continued from Page 4)
Beings, Wi. Because of this, Wazi and Wakanka made the charm and had Ite wear it. She became more and more beautiful each night. The Spirits came together for a feast as they always have each night. One night, Iktomi came to Wi and told him to honor Ite above all other women, and Wi agreed. Wazi and Wakanka walked with their daughter in front of Wi, and Wi treated her in a friendly manner, so all the others were friendly too. Ite ignored her husband and her children and often spoke to Wi instead. Eventually, Wi invited Ite to a feast with the Spirits. Iktomi had heard this and told her to sit in the place of Hanwi beside Wi. He told her that if she does so, Wi will take her as his companion. Ite arrived early to the feast and sat in the seat of Hanwi. When Wi arrived, he was astounded by her beauty and allowed her to sit beside him, forgetting about his current companion. When Hanwi saw that Ite had taken her seat and that Wi did not remove her, she covered her face in shame as all the others laughed at her. Hanwi came to Skan (skawn), and Skan asked her why she would cover her face. Hanwi explained that Wi had let another woman sit in her seat, and the others laughed at her, so she covers her face. Skan asked Wi why he had let a different woman to sit beside him. Wi replied that he believed she should be honored higher than any other woman, and that when he saw her beauty it caused him to forget about Hanwi. He then asked Ite why she had chosen to sit on the seat of Hanwi. She explained that her mother had foretold that she would sit beside Wi, and that Iktomi told her to go early to sit in Hanwi’s place. Then he came to Wazi and Wakanka and asked them why they encouraged their daughter to sit with Wi. Wakanka said that she foretold that she would sit next to Wi but did not know she would take Hanwi’s place. Wazi said that he wanted their daughter to be honored as he believed she should be. Skan then asked Iktomi why he wanted Hanwi to be laughed at. Iktomi said that because he was born with a weird shape and was always laughed at, he would scheme to make others feel the same way as he did. Then Skan said that he would punish everyone who helped in making Hanwi feel ashamed. He told Wi that Hanwi would no longer be beside him, so that they will always be far apart. When they are closer to each other, she shall cover her face, and as she goes farther, she will (continued on Page 8, Ite)
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Mitakuye Oyasin Dakota Ride: From Vision to Reality
Abundant Hunting Opportunities for Visitors
Inside the Dakota 38+2 Memorial Ride
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By Marissa BrudelieGonzales and Kristin Hinman Staff Writers
Lakota Foods is another thriving business in the Lower Brule Reservation. According to the lakotafoods.com website, this business grows all-natural non-GMO popcorn kernels. These kernels are a descendant from the popcorn that was grown and popped around tribal campfires for generations. The corn is grown, cleaned, and packaged in Lower Brule. On the Lakota Foods website, microwave popcorn and bags of popcorn kernels can be ordered for Image courtesy of Kenzie Luedtke home delivery. The wide-open The Lower Brule Reservation is one of nine in prairie and river South Dakota. Each tribe has its own flag. system offers many hunting opportunities. Animals that can be hunted include deer, buffalo, elk, waterfowl (ducks, geese), turkey, prairie dogs, pronghorn, and upland birds (pheasants, grouse, prairie chickens). In addition to hunting, there are trapping options as well, coyotes, raccoons and badgers may be trapped, along with other animals. The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Department of Wildlife, Fish and Recreation website provides detailed information on obtaining hunting and trapping licenses. The Lower Brule educational system has an elementary school (K-6), a middle school (7-8), a high school (9-13), a head-start program and a community college. Lower Brule is a warm, inviting community with a familyfocus. Its businesses show the entrepreneuring spirit of the community. It is with this spirit that the community will continue to thrive and grow for future generations.
(Editor’s Note: Josette Peltier is Jim Miller’s sister and provided information for this story via a phone interview.)
The Dakota 38+2 ride started as a vision of Vietnam Veteran Jim Miller, who is a member of the Cheyenne River Tribe and is a descendant of the Dakotas who were hung. Josette Peltier, who is Jim’s sister, and is the logistics coordinator reflected on the beginning of the ride, “It was a dream; the ride came to him (Jim) in a dream. We talked about it, and he didn’t understand why it had been given to him. When you have dreams, pay attention, because they come to you for a reason. (In Jim’s Photo courtesy of Josette Peltier dream) he saw Six-year old Bentley, the grandson of horseback riders Josette Peltier and great-nephew of Jim Miller, has ridden in the ride for two years. heading east and He is a drummer and a singer. carrying a staff and flags. He didn’t know anything about the Dakota 38. He did not know his own history,” Peltier said. While the ride is about healing the pain of the ancestors that lost their lives in 1862, it is also about embracing the future and spiritual healing for those whose lives were impacted by this event. This journey offers many opportunities for relationship building. During the ride there is praying, singing and Photo courtesy of Josette Peltier talking circles. Logistics coordinator, Josette Peltier The riders have and founder, Jim Miller of the Dakota embraced the hospitality 38 +2 Memorial Ride are siblings. “I’m extended by the hoping that it (the ride) will bring peace, love, compassion, and most of communities, in which all unity for all races,” Peltier said. they pass through during the ride. They have been able to stay in the community centers and use the facilities to prepare meals. Churches and other groups from some of the communities have provided the riders with food. This vision of Jim’s has opened the door to reconciliation (continue on Page 7, Ride)
Historical Calendar of Events Compiled by Elizabeth Marks
January January 7, 1865-The Battle of Julesburg Near Julesburg, Colorado between 1,000 Cheyenne, Arapaho and Lakota Indians and about 60 soldiers of the U.S. Army and 40-50 civilians. The Indians defeated the soldiers. The attack was in revenge for the Sand Creek Massacre that had occurred in November of 1864. January 27, 1883 Kul Wicasa were forced into an agreement by the Brules at Rosebud Agency to create the Lower Brule Reservation.
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Bodies Buried in Mass Grave Outside of Town
Expedition has Rippling Effect on Natives
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hanging the 38 bodies were cut down and buried in a shallow mass grave in a sandbar between Mankato’s main street and the Minnesota River. That night most of the bodies were dug up by physicians to be used as medical cadavers. According to the Mankato Free Press, one of those physicians, the well-known founder of Mayo Clinic, Dr. Mayo, took the body of the Dakota man, Cut Nose (He Who Stands in Clouds), for his medical cadaver to his home. He dissected the body in front of his students and his two young sons (both of which later became medical doctors). After he was through with the body, he boiled it and wired the skeleton together for his sons to use as a toy. After Dr. Mayo founded the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Cut Nose’s skeleton was put on display in the Mayo Clinic until 1998, when the skull was given back to the Dakota people.
The impact of the Lewis and Clark Expedition has had a rippling effect through the history of the Native tribes. According to the book, Lewis and Clark Among the Indians by James P. Ronda, The Lewis and Clark journals showed how ignorant they were of Indian beliefs and customs. Independence National Clark included in his journal, Historical Park Photo “These are the vilest William Clark’s journals (extremely unpleasant) documenting the expedition’s contact with miscreants (behaves badly) indigenous people are part of the savage race, and of a book by James P. must ever remain the Ronda. pirates of Missouri, until such measures are pursued, by our government, as will make them feel a dependence on its will for their supply of merchandise.” William Clark, 1804. Clark’s written words gave the impression of a very savage population, even though there are documented instances of kindness and compassion from the indigenous people. The Lewis and Clark Expedition had a huge impact on the indigenous people. There were diseases that the tribes were introduced to by the Europeans like smallpox, measles, and malaria. The North Dakota State Historical Society website states, “For the Native Peoples, the aftermath of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was anything but a positive experience. Perhaps the most devastating was the outbreak of smallpox among the Mandan in 1837, an epidemic which all but destroyed the once-powerful group.” The site goes on to make note of how as progress was made in settling the United States, “…the reservation system was instituted, taking away from the original inhabitants the vast majority of their land. On reservations like Ft. Berthold, residents were forced to convert to Christianity, take up farming in place of hunting and educate their children in white boarding schools.” In an article in the Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, Richard Littlebear, president of Chief Dull Knife College in Montana and of Cheyenne Heritage, states, “For us Cheyenne people, the initial contact with a different culture was equivalent to what happened to us Americans on September 11, 20o1. This 1804 encounter launched irreversible and sometimes catastrophic changes for the Cheyenne people and, indeed, for all of the indigenous people of this land.”
Memorial Ride has World-Wide Following (continued from page 6)
to people from all over the world. There were riders who participated from Canada this year, and the interest in the ride is strong on social media. Peltier has received messages from people in Sweden, Norway and the United Kingdom who are interested in learning more about the ride. Peltier recommends watching the YouTube documentary by Smooth To view the Feather Productions. It is free to view and can be downloaded. documentary, The significance of the ride is felt scan the QR differently by all that participate. Code. Peltier felt that while the ride was just 16 days that people came together as a family unit. “When we come together as a family unit there is a lot of love and compassion. It is the most beautiful thing that you can experience. Being on the Dakota 38+2 Ride does something to your mind, your heart, your body and your spirit. It brings unity. Our people have been through so many atrocities, as have other tribes, but this opens up the door for anyone who is willing to participate, to find out who you are, where you are from, your roots and learn to be proud of who you are,” Peltier said.
Learn Lakota English
Lakota
January
Wiotekika Wi (Wee–oh–dae-kee-ka-wee)
Snow
Wa (Wah)
Cold weather
Osni (Oh-snee)
Ice
Chaga (chah–gah) Compiled by Elizabeth Marks
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Editor’s Corner Life in the Reservation in South Dakota A Personal Perspective of Living in a Reservation By Carlus Marks Jr Staff Writer While I currently lived in the city, I used to live in the Crow Creek Reservation. I lived there for the first 4 years of my life. I have many family members who live in the Crow Creek Reservation. I have spent my summers visiting for an extended amount time with my family members. When I arrive at Crow Creek it’s always like I’ve come home. The people, the rolling hills, and the road that takes me past my childhood home bring fond memories of my childhood. My childhood home is on the edge of town, as I near the city of Ft. Thompson, I can see a small church, a medical clinic, a powwow circle, the casino and then Shelbies. If you are hungry, the best to go to is Shelbies and eat the pizza. After getting a bite to eat, I drive through the residential area and see kids playing, grownups drinking, having fun, and laughing. Next, I head out into the country to visit my relatives who have passed, so I stop to pay my respects to them. Reservations are known for their bad aspects. Like, suicide, drugs, and poor “Indians”. I have to admit, most of the aspects are a bit of a problem. I’ve known Crow Creek as home, and where my relatives live, and I’ve heard that the school is good. Most of my cousins live in the dormitory at the school. Since I live in Sioux Falls, when I go down to Crow Creek, I'd stay with one of my grandmas or other relatives. I’ve heard about bad things that have happened when I'm not there, but I haven’t seen it. The bad things and stories I’ve heard, are nothing like I have experienced when I am visiting. It’s usually happy and peaceful. I know nothing bad about Crow Creek. Growing up I heard stories from my Dad about things that happened to him in Crow Creek. He told me a story about his friend Cheeks. He said there was one time my dad wasn’t with Cheeks and everything went bad. Cheeks was arguing with his girlfriend, and it ended up with Cheeks getting chased and stabbed by his girlfriend. Cheeks died; my dad blames himself for not being there. There were people around when he was stabbed, but they did nothing to stop what happened. It was one of the many stories my dad told me, and I will always remember it. Two years ago, I was sitting on the couch watching TV, when I heard my mom and sister crying. So, being nosey I asked my mom what happened. She told me my uncle Tom Witt died. My uncle Thomas James Witt was sitting outside his home when a group of guys beat him using a crowbar. It killed him. After everything happened his son, my cousin, Trevin came back to find his dad lying dead in the yard. So, when I’m asked about my perspective on reservations, I think of a place that’s called home, where my family lives, but realize that bad things can happen there, as anywhere. It’s hard to balance between knowing I had fun being there and the sad events that happened in the reservation.
Ite’s Spousal Neglect Gives Ugly Face (continued from Page 6)
uncover her face. She would now govern her own time called a moon, or a month. He told Ite that because she neglected her husband and children, she would wander the world until a fourth time is created, and she would no longer be able to see her family. Because she schemed to take the place of Hanwi, she shall live forever and always be beautiful. But she will have a second face that is so disgusting and ugly that whoever looks upon it shall detest her. Her name is now Anog Ite (ah - nog ee - teh), the two-faced woman. He then told Wakanka that she shall live forever and live alone on the world until there is a fourth time and will be known as the witch. He told Image drawn by Naven Foote Wazi that because of The faces of Hanwi (moon), the closer she is to Wi (sun), the less of her he can see (new moon). his powers, he The further away Hanwi gets from Wi the brighter she shines (full moon). Wi’s will also consequence is that he is to never be close to live Hanwi again. forever, and shall walk the edge of the world alone and make a path until a messenger comes to him. He shall be known as the wizard. He told Iktomi that because he is the son of Inyan (een - yawn), he will allow him to keep his powers, but he will no longer be associated with the Sacred Beings and can’t use his powers against them. Everyone will be warned of his tricks and he will have no friends. Mitakuye Oyasin Editors: Naven Foote Writers: Isabel Ferguson, Jahnessah Rondell, Marissa BrudelieGonzalez, Kristin Hinman, Elizabeth Marks, Carlus Marks Jr, Halo St. Pierre Nameplate Designer: Rawhide Hulit Advisers: Janet Fleming-Martin and Janet Kolb Principal: Dr. Laura Raeder Mitakuye Oyasin is a monthly newsletter which covers topics taught in the Native American Connections class. Students use the newsletter as an extension of the class content, in which they research the branches of the class curriculum. Students research, write, and edit stories to create a better understanding of their culture. The newsletter is produced in the partner class Visual Communications.