Statements to think about:
"Requerimiento" drawn up, in 1537 by the Spanish court and was to be read to the Native populations by priests who accompanied the conquistadors.
"…we ask and require [that] you …acknowledge the Church as the Ruler and Superior of the whole world and the high priest called pope and in his name the King and Queen …our lords and kings of these islands… But if you do not do so, I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall forcibly enter your country and shall make war against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church, and of their Highnesses…"
The English had this to say in 1670:
"They are extraordinarily charitable one to another, one having nothing to spare, but he freely imparts it to his friends, and whatever they get by gaming or any other way, they share one to another, leaving themselves commonly the least amount…"
Powhatan, father of Pocahontas asked in 1609:
"Why will you take by force what you may obtain by love? Why will you destroy us who supply you with food? What can you get by war? …We are unarmed, and willing to give you what you ask, if you come in a friendly manner…"
In 1867 General William T. Sherman stated:
"The more [Indians] we can kill this year the less will have to be killed the next war, for the more I see of these Indians, the more convinced I am that they all have to be killed or be maintained as a species of paupers."
After the Little Big Horn battle Crazy Horse said:
"We had buffalo for food, and their hides for clothing and for our tipis. We preferred hunting to a life of idleness on the reservation, where we were driven against our will. At times we did not get enough to eat, and we were not allowed to leave the reservation to hunt. We preferred our own way of living. We were no expense to the government. All we wanted was peace and to be left alone. Soldiers were sent out in the winter, who destroyed our villages.
The "Long Hair" (Custer) came in the same way. They say we massacred him, but he would have done the same thing to us had we not defended ourselves and fought to the last. Our first impulse was to escape with our women and children, but we were so hemmed in that we had to fight."
Sitting Bull stated the following after he was released from Fort Randall were he was held for 19 months as a prisoner of war:
"White men like to dig in the ground for their food. My people prefer to hunt the buffalo as their fathers did. White men like to stay in one place. My people want to move their tipis here and there to the different hunting grounds. The life of white men is slavery. They are prisoners in towns or farms. The life my people want is a life of freedom. I have seen nothing that a white man has, houses or railways or clothing or food that is good as the right to move in the open country, and live in our own fashion."
On December 20, 1890 (just nine days before the Massacre of Wounded Knee occurred) L. Frank Baum, creator of the "Wizard of Oz" wrote in an editorial in the Aberdeen Saturday Pioneer:
"Why not annihilation? Their glory has fled, their spirit broken, their manhood effaced; better that they should die than live the miserable wretches they are…the whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent."
The significant of the date and statement showed that even after we were placed on the reservations and were completely dependent upon the federal government for our very survival some Euro-Americans still wanted us destroyed.
The question I ask today is – Has this changed?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
A Story About the Relationship of the Lakota Concept of "Kola"
“Kola”
Among my people there is a type of relationship between men called “Kola.” In today's world, it has lost its true meaning. This happened because everyone uses it as you would use the word friend.
The term friend however does not describe the true meaning of the Lakota concept of Kola. A Kola was much more then a friend. It was a term that meant that your Kola was closer to you then your brother. If the opportunity ever arose you would literally lay down your life for your Kola.
The best description that I know of personally was the story of my Uncle Buddy Red Bird and his Kola Norman Red Thunder. This relationship was the personification of the Lakota concept of the Kola.
My uncle was a single man with a big smile who had an infectious laugh that would make you want to join in even though you didn’t know why he was laughing. He was a friendly, outgoing, happy person who made you feel important and always welcome to sit, drink coffee and visit. He was a person who shared what he had from stories to food in the true Lakota way.
He and Red Thunder met while in boot camp during World War II and fought in five battles. To understand how significant five battles were. The men of the 101'st Airborne Division of which the "Band of Brothers" is based on were in three battles.
The story I was told, as I was growing up, was that before each battle Red Thunder would say to my uncle. “Kola, if anything happens to me—I want you to marry my wife and raise my son.” My uncle, of course always would respond by telling him that he would be alright and that they would make it home together. Well Red Thunder didn’t make it; he was killed during the last battle they were in.
Being the true Lakota and living up to the true concept of the Kola. When he returned and was discharged he went to Montana, married Red Thunder’s wife and raised his son.
As a child I loved this story – it was so romantic and yet so very sad. I've thought about my Uncle Buddy over the last two days – I wished I could have spent time with him and asked him questions about his experiences. But like so many of the men who fought in WWII he is now a memory. So during the Memorial Day weekend I try to watch a movie about that war. So this year I watched the entire ten episodes of the "Band of Brothers."
Among my people there is a type of relationship between men called “Kola.” In today's world, it has lost its true meaning. This happened because everyone uses it as you would use the word friend.
The term friend however does not describe the true meaning of the Lakota concept of Kola. A Kola was much more then a friend. It was a term that meant that your Kola was closer to you then your brother. If the opportunity ever arose you would literally lay down your life for your Kola.
The best description that I know of personally was the story of my Uncle Buddy Red Bird and his Kola Norman Red Thunder. This relationship was the personification of the Lakota concept of the Kola.
My uncle was a single man with a big smile who had an infectious laugh that would make you want to join in even though you didn’t know why he was laughing. He was a friendly, outgoing, happy person who made you feel important and always welcome to sit, drink coffee and visit. He was a person who shared what he had from stories to food in the true Lakota way.
He and Red Thunder met while in boot camp during World War II and fought in five battles. To understand how significant five battles were. The men of the 101'st Airborne Division of which the "Band of Brothers" is based on were in three battles.
The story I was told, as I was growing up, was that before each battle Red Thunder would say to my uncle. “Kola, if anything happens to me—I want you to marry my wife and raise my son.” My uncle, of course always would respond by telling him that he would be alright and that they would make it home together. Well Red Thunder didn’t make it; he was killed during the last battle they were in.
Being the true Lakota and living up to the true concept of the Kola. When he returned and was discharged he went to Montana, married Red Thunder’s wife and raised his son.
As a child I loved this story – it was so romantic and yet so very sad. I've thought about my Uncle Buddy over the last two days – I wished I could have spent time with him and asked him questions about his experiences. But like so many of the men who fought in WWII he is now a memory. So during the Memorial Day weekend I try to watch a movie about that war. So this year I watched the entire ten episodes of the "Band of Brothers."
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Day and What it Means to a Lakota Woman
Memorial Day
Memorial Day was always an important event in the lives of my family. When I was a little girl I remember the hours and hours the women of my family would spend making flowers out of crape-paper. Even as a small child I was involved. They taught us how to make the simplest flowers. Those simple little flowers were set aside and on the day when the adults left for Greengrass, were most of my family is buried, we kids would walk to the "little boy's grave". The little boy was my mother's older brother who died before she was born. He died of some childhood illness when he was still a baby and was buried on a high hill over looking the Moreau River. We would walk there stand around with our little flowers, sing some songs, say the Lord's Prayer and place our flowers on the little grave, walk back thinking about what would have happened if he would have lived.
As we grew older we then made the more complicated flowers, like the red American beauty roses. A family tradition was for the person who could make the best roses would make four that would be put together and those four would be placed on the grave of my grandfather, Douglas Daniel Dupris whose favorite whiskey was Four Roses. When you consider that the women who dedicated themselves to this activity were opposed to any type of drinking. I no my grandmother never allowed an ounce of alcohol to pass by her lips – but in this tradition she was one of the main supporters. I cannot tell you how it started but it is still something that is being done today by women who still do not drink. Why? Because it's a family tradition that has been passed on for three generations and will continue through the next 10.
Memorial Day is a time when I think about all of those who have gone on and are waiting for me and my generation to join them. I also think about the changes that have taken place from the time I would make flowers from crape-paper to the beautiful silk flowers I send home to be placed on our family's graves that lay together on a hill overlooking the Moureau River Valley. My great, great grandmother Cleans As She Comes lies near her great, great, great, great grandson Benton (Hoakie) In The Woods. This little cemetery is made up of family groups. Each year the adults will tell the younger ones who is who and how they are related. Stories are told and children understand why this activity is important to continue following.
I don't know what will happen tomorrow or next year – but there is no doubt in my mind that when the time comes for me to leave my family and join the others – this is where they will bring me. I will be placed here besides these same people that I love and remember. It gives me great peace to know this. The traditions that have been passed on from one generation to the next will continue because the family will know what to do and how to do this. So each Memorial Day will come and go just as our family does – but our family will continue and this of all things gives me a sense of understanding the idea of continuity. The continuing progress of a family that goes on despite everything that can happen.
There is a Lakota saying – it goes like this. "A Lakota will always belong to a family. They may lose their mother, father, brother, sisters, etc., but they will never lose their family". To understand this you have to understand one of the simplest things about us as a people. The, Lakota unlike many other tribes do not call themselves "the human beings." We refer to ourselves as the "Allies" we are made up of families – the most important thing in the life of a Lakota is their relationship with their family. In fact that was one of the assimilation goals of the federal government was to make a Lakota realize that they could actually view themselves as separate from their families. When this happened it was easier for assimilation to take place. But this has failed just like so many of their plans and on Memorial Day is a time to celebrate the fact that we remain as families.
Memorial Day was always an important event in the lives of my family. When I was a little girl I remember the hours and hours the women of my family would spend making flowers out of crape-paper. Even as a small child I was involved. They taught us how to make the simplest flowers. Those simple little flowers were set aside and on the day when the adults left for Greengrass, were most of my family is buried, we kids would walk to the "little boy's grave". The little boy was my mother's older brother who died before she was born. He died of some childhood illness when he was still a baby and was buried on a high hill over looking the Moreau River. We would walk there stand around with our little flowers, sing some songs, say the Lord's Prayer and place our flowers on the little grave, walk back thinking about what would have happened if he would have lived.
As we grew older we then made the more complicated flowers, like the red American beauty roses. A family tradition was for the person who could make the best roses would make four that would be put together and those four would be placed on the grave of my grandfather, Douglas Daniel Dupris whose favorite whiskey was Four Roses. When you consider that the women who dedicated themselves to this activity were opposed to any type of drinking. I no my grandmother never allowed an ounce of alcohol to pass by her lips – but in this tradition she was one of the main supporters. I cannot tell you how it started but it is still something that is being done today by women who still do not drink. Why? Because it's a family tradition that has been passed on for three generations and will continue through the next 10.
Memorial Day is a time when I think about all of those who have gone on and are waiting for me and my generation to join them. I also think about the changes that have taken place from the time I would make flowers from crape-paper to the beautiful silk flowers I send home to be placed on our family's graves that lay together on a hill overlooking the Moureau River Valley. My great, great grandmother Cleans As She Comes lies near her great, great, great, great grandson Benton (Hoakie) In The Woods. This little cemetery is made up of family groups. Each year the adults will tell the younger ones who is who and how they are related. Stories are told and children understand why this activity is important to continue following.
I don't know what will happen tomorrow or next year – but there is no doubt in my mind that when the time comes for me to leave my family and join the others – this is where they will bring me. I will be placed here besides these same people that I love and remember. It gives me great peace to know this. The traditions that have been passed on from one generation to the next will continue because the family will know what to do and how to do this. So each Memorial Day will come and go just as our family does – but our family will continue and this of all things gives me a sense of understanding the idea of continuity. The continuing progress of a family that goes on despite everything that can happen.
There is a Lakota saying – it goes like this. "A Lakota will always belong to a family. They may lose their mother, father, brother, sisters, etc., but they will never lose their family". To understand this you have to understand one of the simplest things about us as a people. The, Lakota unlike many other tribes do not call themselves "the human beings." We refer to ourselves as the "Allies" we are made up of families – the most important thing in the life of a Lakota is their relationship with their family. In fact that was one of the assimilation goals of the federal government was to make a Lakota realize that they could actually view themselves as separate from their families. When this happened it was easier for assimilation to take place. But this has failed just like so many of their plans and on Memorial Day is a time to celebrate the fact that we remain as families.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Sovereignty
"An Inherent Right to Self-Determination"
Sovereignty is the most fundamental concept that defines the relationship between the government of the United States and governments of American Indian Tribes. The following are very good explanations of what the concept of Sovereignty is:
"When the legal concept of sovereignty was first challenged in the Supreme Court by the state of Georgia in the 1820's, Chief Justice Marshall took pains to examine this legal apparatus and to explain how it functions... "Sovereignty, explained Marshall, exits as a pre-condition among self-governing entities and acts as a legal shield protecting all rights and privileges reserved and implied by nationhood. In fact, treaties were a granting of rights from the tribes, to the federal government."
-Paul VanDevelder; 1999
"...Indian tribes must act like Indians. That's the only justification for preserving internal sovereignty... if we don't bring those traditions back, then the problems those traditions solved are going to continue to grow. Then we'll have to get funding to set up programs to deal with those issues... When you set up programs, you are exercising your internal sovereignty, but the funding sources determines how the program is going to operate and then the funding source defines internal sovereignty."
-Vine Deloria
"Indian sovereignty is the principle that those powers which are lawfully vested in an Indian tribe, are not delegated powers granted by express acts of Congress, but rather inherent powers of a limited sovereignty which can never be extinguished."
-Felix Cohen, New York Supreme Court Justice, 1942
In Worcester v. Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that Indian tribes are "distinct political communities, retaining their original rights as the undisputed possessors of the soil from time immemorial...the very term nation, so generally applied to them, means a people distinct from others, having territorial boundaries, within which their authority is exclusive, and having a right to all the lands within those boundaries, which is not only acknowledged but guaranteed by the United States."
" From its earliest days, the United States has recognized the sovereign status of Indian tribes as domestic dependent nations. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 30 U.S. (5 Pet.) 1, 17 (1831). Our Constitution recognizes Indian sovereignty by classing Indian treaties among the "supreme law of the land," and establishes Indian affairs as a unique area of federal concern. In early Indian treaties, the United States pledged to "protect" Indian tribes, thereby establishing one of the bases for the federal trust responsibility in our government-to-government relations with Indian tribes. These principles continue to guide our national policy towards Indian tribes."
-Office of the U.S. Attorney General, 1995
I hope this has provided enough information to began to understand the concept of American Indian tribal sovereignty.
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