Native Americans in South Dakota

[dreamseaker]

In reply to the last post, I don't think there is a need for reply. I think the post says it all about attitude.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by dreamseaker

In reply to the last post, I don't think there is a need for reply. I think the post says it all about attitude.

It isn't about attitude. It's about history and facts. I don't understand~you saw no need to reply, YET you did.

[windtimber]

Originally Posted by uncleharley

Based on some info in a previous post, the state of SD, by law, cannot do a thing on the reservation. It is up to the Tribal elders and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to clean the mess up. A church or religous group probably could intervene because the constitution and a couple of laws forbids the government from interfering with a church, but the state of South Dakota cannot do a thing.

Don't forget the vigilantly guarded concept of tribal sovereignty, either. As a result thereof there is essentially zero state jurisdiction and fairly limited federal jurisdiction. The BIA role is essentially advisory, not supervisory. Tribal sovereignty trumps, in all but the most egregious cases and often not then, BIA involvement.

Usually the concept of separation of powers doesn't appear in governing documents [Promulgated by tribal representatives and adopted through elections on the reservation.] so the tribal council controls everything - from the tribal court system [through direct appointment of judges and prosecutors] to the housing administration [$$$] to the tribal schools [more $$$] to the social agencies [more $$$] to the tribal farms and businesses [more $$$]. Tribal politics often degenerate into into a grab for the money - the winning faction sweeps out everybody and appoints their favorites - so administrative consistency is lacking.

Admittedly, a good portion of that is the result of abject poverty and the only real business is administering the money that flows into the various agencies. So, get elected and get your family and cronies onto the payroll - because there's no other job available.

Which takes us back around to tribal sovereignty. The tribe is, by and large, a separate, sovereign nation. If its politics are a mess, fairly openly corrupt and self-serving, its up to the people themselves to fix the mess.

As said before by many, it has to start on the inside.

[RoadBikeR]

Hello Farouche
I am Mdewakanton Dakota, enrolled with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe in SE SD. I love being American Indian! I love my people, Dakota, Nakota, Lakota. I am also half Odawa from Northern Michigan. I rode the Tour de Kota 2006 Bike ride, 462 miles, what a way to see the state! Talk about a cross cultural experience. This is a great state, every location in the US has its social problems. As you said 'there is no perfect place' to live. I don't feel there is an abandonment of the culture or that alcohollism detracts from who we are as a nation or that location dictates how alcoholic we are. I have 15 years of recovery, thank the Creator. If location and race dictate alcoholism, its time to shut down the colleges and universities because there are too many college students binge drinking and rioting. As for being abandoned by the state, that depends on your perspective. This state has long ignored the history of this state and the many races who contributed to the building of this great state. It ignores its Black History, even though it passed the MLK holiday in 1990, there is no curriculum taught in our public schools about Black history. I am a 1972 graduate and I don't remember being told anything of them. The school systems do all they can to instill white pride in white children but until recently there have been no such offereings for American Indian children. Case in point: The Buffalo Soldiers (Black regiments) were stationed Ft. Yates, ND, Fort Thompson, SD, Fort Sisseton, SD, Ft. Hale, SD, Ft. Randall, SD, to list just a few. Their descendants are members of the tribes these soldiers were sent to guard, imprison, control and sometimes kill. Captain Meriweather Lewis has many American Indian descendants along the Lewis and Clark trail. One of the men of the Discovery expedition was a slave named York. This state ignores one of its richest, most historic and proud eras of the West, the Cowboy, there is the SD Cowboy Hall of Fame in Ft. Pierre, SD. I was there over the 4th of July holiday, I attended the parade, great show! But the Cowboy Hall of Fame is not promoted in the State, there are Indian cowboys, White cowboys, and Black cowboys. The cowboy way of life continues today, but the only things promoted are the 'Great Faces". The Superintendent of Mt. Rushmore is an Indian guy, Mandan-Arikara, Gerard Baker, great guy, his brother is the head honcho at the Badlands National Park. So much for being 'run off' by the Sioux. Is there racism, yes, everywhere, alcoholism, yes, everywhere. This a great state and you should visit. As for the tribes and our future, yeah, there are struggles, with the state, internally and tribe to tribe and with the US Government but you could say the same about every group in the US. I wish this state recognized the rich resources that make us the great state of South Dakota. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[Jammie]

The Arikara Location

A brief quote~
They also gained many enemies as they traveled to their new settlements. The Wichita, Commanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Apsaroke, and the Sioux were all strong enemies.

If you study South Dakota history, it's evident that the Arikara were the originals here. They were ran off by the Sioux. Of course, that in no way implies that the relations are now strained hundreds of years later.

Arikara Indian Tribe History

[happyhen2]

Hi melaniemmcbee,
I was very interested in your response to FAROUCHE. I'm about to get my teaching certificate and was trying to decide where I should use my energies. I was thinking about teaching on the Pine Ridge Reservation, but thought perhaps I would be resented. Do you have any suggestions or comments?
Thanks,
Happyhen2

[DannyBanany]

Dreamseaker-

If you are going to insult others' opinions and points of view on this forum, maybe it is better that you take a break from speaking. What Jammie is saying is 100% true and this is coming from someone of Native American blood.

I know the people who own the Target Department Store in Rapid City. A few years ago they set up a fund to build some homes in Pine Ridge to help those who could not afford housing. They gave these homes to single mothers with large families -no strings attached- and asked for NO PAYMENTS or anything in return.

A month after giving it away, they went back down to see the people that they had given this gift to... The toilets were gone, the lightbulbs, sinks, cabinets, gone, and there were dirty diapers strewn EVERYWHERE!!!
The mother was gone on a drinking binge and the daughter was laid out on the couch eating chips watching TV with her young siblings crying in the next room.
I'll give my money to cancer victims and St. Jude's before I see the reservation touch it!!

And this isn't racist... I am part Native American registered at Rosebud.

The reason that the Native Americans do so poorly is because handouts can only be given if you live ON the reservation. If a Native tries to leave the reservation, he cannot survive in civilization because he is uneducated, broke, and can only get help if he moves back to Pine Ridge.

Live in the world and die or stay on the reservation and live...
It's the choice that must be made. I can see that because I live here. Not the East Coast.

[phizless]

Not sure there is any cure for whats happening on Pine Ridge or any other rez for that matter. Wish I did. Being part NA I feel our people have had the short end of the stick for a long time but now its time to let the past die and find a way to be self supporting. I saw that the town of Pine Ridge has a cassino when we were out there and building a hotel to go with it. Thats a start. Lots of empty land out there. I can think of many things that it can be used for. One famous Sioux chief said "lets put our heads together and see what we can do for our children" or close to that. Were his words in vain?. I also know from newspapers that when the People sued for the funds that were held in trust Pine Ridge opted out. Why? They sure could use it if the elders would not steal it for personal gain. Greed knows no race.color.

[ducksburg]

After white immigrants killed tons of thousands native Americans,America became the best place for the whites.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by ducksburg

After white immigrants killed tons of thousands native Americans,America became the best place for the whites.

Reread what you wrote. It's nothing comprehensible.

There have been some very thoughtful posts on this thread both supporting the bleeding hearted people who have never lived here and have no idea what's been going on, some of us who have lived our entire lives in the area and have seen first hand the happenings, and some very touching posts from the Sioux themselves, both in support of more help or in support of becoming self -sufficient. WOW~long sentence.

But this is actually a state forum and our main goal is to help others who are looking for info about our state. There's no harm of anything "off topic" or doing a bit of chit-chatting with our fellow members, but this thread has had some explosive posts in it.

If you ever participate in the "General" forum, you will know that there are many rehashings of the Civil War and other things in the past. If anyone cares to rehash the war between the settlers and the Sioux, feel free to start a thread in that section.

This thread is closed.