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Crow Creek Sioux Land is NOT For Sale

CLICK HERE to sign the demand to return of the unlawfully auctioned Crow Creek Sioux Tribal Lands to their rightful owners.

To: Dakota Oyate, friends and supporters.
Date:  December 15, 2009.
Re: Ride Itinerary and Donation Needs – on behalf of Peter Lengkeep, Crow Creek SD -2009 Eagle Staff Carrier.

The organizers who continued to fulfill the vision and commitment of the Dakota Wokiksuye Memorial Ride need your support.    The 5^th Year of the Ride is taking place and the dream of prayer, healing and forgiveness for riders, communities and nations continues.  This is a call for friends and volunteers to help in whatever way they can, such as:  Hay and feed for horses, lodging, cooks to provide meals along the route, and a final feast on December 26, 2009, when Riders and Mankato Runners arrive at Land of Memories Park in Mankato.

Changes to Schedule and Route (see * for changes)

Dec. 13-17 – Riders will support Crow Creek Dakota Oyate.  Leave Flandreau, S.D. on Dec. 17^th; Leave Pipestone, MN, on the 18^th to Russell and Milroy, MN).

Dec. 20 (Sun.)– Arrive Birch Coulee Battlefield/Morton, MN (Horses will be corralled at Strong Family Ranch/Birch Coulee).

Dec. 21 (Monday) – Rest Day.  Horses corralled at Strong Family Ranch/Birch Coulee.

Dec. 22 (Tues.) 5:30 p.m. - Opening Feast – (Morton City Hall.*) sponsored by Lower Sioux elders and families.

Dec. 23 (Wed.) 9 a.m. – Ceremony at Birch Coulee Battlefield. Riders leave Birch Coulee/Morton to Fort Ridgley.

5:30 p.m. – Return for evening meal at Morton City Hall sponsored by Upper Sioux Community, Granite Falls. Horses corralled at Strong Family Ranch/Birch Coulee.

Dec. 24 (Thurs). 9 a.m. Fort Ridgley to Courtland.  Horse corralled at Courtland/Folsum Family Ranch.

6p.m. Meal at Courtland Community Center.

Dec. 25 (Friday) 9 a.m. Courtland to Mankato, Land of Memories Park.  Horses corralled at Courtland/Folsum Family Ranch.

5:30 p.m. Memorial Feast sponsored by Cloud-Eagle Chief Family at Best Western Banquet Room, No. Mankato.

Dec. 26, a.m. – 9 a.m. Riders leave Land of Memories Park to downtown Mankato, Ceremony.  Return to Land of Memories Park to greet Mankato Runners.

Dec. 26 –Noon, approx. Final Honoring Feast for Riders and Runners, Best Western Motel, No. Mankato.  Conclude  2009 Wokiksuye Memorial Ride and Mankato Run activities.

If you can donate financially to the Dakota 38 Memorial Ride,  send donations, Dakota Wicohan, P.O. Box 7, Granite Falls, MN 56241 or through the official website:  Dakota 38 website, 2008 news/photos and updates:  http://www.smoothfeather.org/dakota38/.

If you can Volunteer, Cooks and servers are needed for the final feast.  (Menu, soup, fry bread, coffee, tea, water, fresh fruit)  Contact Info: Cooks/meal volunteers – Yvonne Leith (320-226-6994)or Fern Cloud, Granite Falls, MN 320-564-4954.

For Rider/Horse needs, MN Coordinator, Darwin Strong, 507-430-5246.  Lead Riders: Peter Lengkeep 605-730-3128 and Julian Boucher 605-268-6983.  

Mankato Run Info: Dallas Goldtooth, Minneapolis, 507-210-4679.

Wopida, thanks to the many  communities, tribal communities, organizations, churches and families who have offered help and support on this sacred, healing journey.

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TREATY WITH THE SIOUX
September 23, 1805

Ratified April 16, 1808.
Never proclaimed by the President.
Conference Between the United States of America and the Sioux Nation of Indians.*

Whereas, a conference held between the United States of America and the Sioux Nation of Indians, Lieut. Z. M. Pike, of the Army of the United States, and the chiefs and warriors of the said tribe, have agreed to the following articles, which when ratified and approved of by the proper authority, shall be binding on both parties:

ARTICLE 1. That the Sioux Nation grants unto the United States for the purpose of the establishment of military posts, nine miles square at the mouth of the river St. Croix, also from below the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Peters, up the Mississippi, to include the falls of St. Anthony, extending nine miles on each side of the river. That the Sioux Nation grants to the United States, the full sovereignty and power over said districts forever, without any let or hindrance whatsoever.

ARTICLE 2. That in consideration of the above grants the United States (shall, prior to taking possession thereof, pay to the Sioux two thousand dollars, or deliver the value thereof in such goods and merchandise as they shall choose).

ARTICLE 3. The United States promise on their part to permit the Sioux to pass, repass, hunt or make other uses of the said districts, as they have formerly done, without any other exception, but those specified in article first.

In testimony hereof, we, the undersigned, have hereunto set our hands and seals, at the mouth of the river St. Peters, on the 23rd day of September, one thousand eight hundred and five.

Z. M. Pike, [SEAL]
First Lieutenant and Agent at the above conference.
Le Petit Carbeau, his x mark. [SEAL.]
Way Aga Enogee, his x mark.[SEAL.]

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After the Dakota Conflict in 1862, Congress passed legislation banning Dakota Indians from Minnesota and the Dakotas.Now, over 140 years later, one state lawmaker is asking Congress to repeal the law.

As News 12’s Bryan Piatt reports… it’s stirring up mixed emotions among area tribe members. Sheldon Wolfchild read the news when he opened the newspaper a few days ago.Sheldon Wolfchild says, "I’m going…all kinds of emotions run through me. I didn’t know it was still in the books."It still is… a ban on all Dakota Indians after war declared on these lands. That may soon be repealed after legislation brought forward by State Representative Dean Urdahl.Dean Urdahl says, "It basically is a bad law that’s still on the books. I felt there was some need for reconciliation and a need to take a bad law off the books." Wolfchild and Pam Halverson are both members of the Dakota tribe. They say the repeal would provide healing for them and also teach an important lesson to everyone in the state. Sheldon Wolfchild says, "It’s going to open up another avenue of healing for us. Not only for the Dakota people but for the other people in Minnesota to realize that we have to look at each other as common human beings from the heart…not just from the mind." But both point out it doesn’t erase what happened here over 100 years ago, when their ancestors were taken to prison camps… some even hung. Pam Halverson says, "It’s the start of a healing process for my people. It’s not going to take anything away from what happened in 1862 but it’s a start." A start Wolfchild says he’s shocked he may get to witness. Stephen Wolfchild says, "I never thought this would happen in my lifetime but I’m grateful for it." All that is needed now… is vote from Congress and a signature from President Obama.

Get this and other news. politics and satire from http://www.NewsForNatives.com

Please Share YOUR opinion!

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March 22nd, 2009<– by Bruce White –> · No Comments

Wiyaka Sinte Win or Tail Feather Woman, a Dakota woman who had a vision about the construction of a great drum, designed “to bring unity and healing” among peoples, is to be honored this year by Dakota people. Sometime after 1862, Tail Feather Woman, who is usually described as being Santee, or simply Dakota, was living in a particular village when it was attacked by “blue coats”–American soldiers. She took refuge in a swamp, hiding there for days, sometimes under the water so as not to be seen, breathing through a hollow reed. During that time she prayed for deliverance and she received a vision about the construction of a drum the beat of which had a transformative power that would lead the blue coats to lay down their arms.

Tail Feather Woman’s vision led to the construction of many drums in the late 19th century, made by Dakota people then passed on along with the vision and its teachings to Ojibwe communities in Minnesota, who later gave drums to other tribes farther east, such as the Menominee. Today these drums continue to be used in ceremonies and in celebrations. A number of Ojibwe communities today tell the story of “when the Sioux brought the drum.” An 1878  newspaper, as I tell in my book We Are at Home: Pictures of the Ojibwe People, told of a gathering of people at Pine City, where one such drum was given. Although the article implied that those gathered were massing for an attack on white communities, it also recounted Tail Feather Woman’s vision in detail, making plain that her teachings were designed to bring people together in a time of hostility and distrust.

A Dakota woman held captive at the Fort Snelling concentration camp during the winter of 1862-63. The tragic events of that time led to several decades of conflict between Dakota peoples and the U.S. government, during which time the experience and vision of Tail Feather Woman took place. This photograph is in the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, which has many photographs of Dakota people taken at the Fort Snelling concentration camp.

In recent years Tail Feather Woman’s vision has been less well known among Dakota people than among the Ojibwe. In some cases Dakota people have heard her story from Ojibwe people. In a recent email announcing the intention to honor Tail Feather Woman, Paula Horne-Mullen:

While attending Red School House [in St. Paul] in the late 70’s and belonging to the Three Fires Drum Group, we – as Young People from various tribes, were invited to a Big Drum Ceremony at a Long House at Round Lake in Wisconsin. The People at the ceremony were made up of mostly Anishinabe Elders, all fluent, with a Huge Drum in the Center.  The long house had a light coming from the hole in the roof, which was shining and moved with sun movement on the Drum.  This particular Big Drum was Huge, with four staffs in the four directions, hanging from the staffs were painted hands in different colors representing the direction. The ceremony consisted of various songs, as the light moved in a certain area across the drum, which seemed to indicate a certain song to be song.  This ceremony is very private, a healing ceremony, with Societies that exist today with the mentioned Nations.

The ceremony came from Tail Feather Woman.  There are many versions of her story, but the basic story is what I would like to share from the Anishinabe Elders who had an interpreter to relay the origination of the ceremony. I was asked to stand and dance through some of their songs with the Elderly woman on each side; they wanted to honor a Dakota representative and told me the story as follows:

Tail Feather Woman was by her camp gathering food, when the Blue Coats invaded her village, there are some versions that say she told the Anishinabe that her four sons died in the invasion, some do not mention this, in any case, she ran for her life from the Blue Coats who were on horse back.  She dove in the lake and thought quickly enough to grab a reed to breath through and began to hide under the water for a long period of time, some say over night, some say for four days, in which case, it was very long for hours on end…  While under the water, she prayed and was visited by the Creator, who gave her a vision of the Big Drum.  It is said she told that the pounding of the drum is to bring healing for the People and bring them together in unity.  The Big Drum ceremony that is carried on with the Anishinabe, say it is a great Healing ceremony for their People. After the Blue Coats camped and waited for her to come up. Tail Feather Woman arose from the water by the calling of the spirit and the crying of her family, where upon she was able to walk through the camp of the blue coat soldiers, unseen. Tail Feather Woman was invisible to them, she walked through their camp and was able to take some of their food and walked across the plains to find her family. Exhausted and ill, she looked for her family, until she found them, they nursed her back to health and she told of her experience and vision. As directed by the Creator she headed east in gratitude with her family she passed on the vision, along with the songs and protocols for the ceremony to the Anishinabe.  This ceremony still exists today with many Societies.  She later died while living with the Anishinabe Nations.

So we remember Tail Feather Woman, a unique name, as it is the part of the eagle that is used for any of our ceremonial rites, you need that eagle tail feather to participate in most of our seven sacred rites, a powerful name.  She was one of our Nation’s women that survived a tremendous feat, through strength and endurance, earning a powerful vision of healing.  We should not allow her memory to die with her own people or rather; this story should be reborn to her People that she lived in honor of our people.  Her memory lives on with the Anishinabe Nation; there is even a Tail Feather Woman’s Society.  It is said that throughout History there are great Leaders that are men, but seldom do we remember a woman.  All women are sacred and remembered as a whole for what they gave as the ‘back bone’ for the People, but her remarkable feat deserves this honor; she had to be a very strong woman to have survived under water that long and be sincere enough in prayers to be gifted a great vision of healing that is being done to this day.  We need to remember her and honor her.

On March 12 a gathering was held to organize an event on July 15 to honor Tail Feather Woman. Plans included inviting “the Big Drum Societies of the Anishinabe Nation with possibly the Muskogee and Menominee Nation who carry on the Big Drum Ceremony and bring attention to the life of Tail Feather Woman with our own People. We will ask them to share their stories and songs of Tail Feather Woman.” One plan calls for creating a “memorial monument” at the north end of Pickerel Lake in South Dakota. According to Horne-Mullen: ” The monument would memorialize the story of her feat and to bring awareness of the lake, recognizing it as a Sacred Site, a place where the great vision occurred.  Our People and our future generations need to know who she was.”

Another plan is to build a drum to honor Tail Feather Woman’s legacy. Horne-Mullen wrote: “The Big Drum can only move in the eastern direction, so the thoughts are we would gift a Big Drum in her honor. . . . We will consult some Elders of the proper protocol of creating a Big Drum. . . . I once heard from a Tribe in the South, that we as humans should carry on our life in honor of our family and People, we should never suffer the 3rd death.  The first is when our spirit leaves our body, the second is when our body goes in the ground, the third death (that one should never suffer); is to suffer the death in the memory of your family and relatives.”

Horne-Mullen concluded saying: “This endeavor belongs to all Dakota Oyate, ‘everyone’ should be included in this feat, with a hand in making this happen, what her vision taught, to bring Unity and Healing. Pidamaye for taking time to read this, Paula Horne.”

For further questions, ideas or contributions to this effort, email Paula Horne-Mullen at  paula@wolakota.or

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Tiffany Eggenberg offers sensitive pastel portraits of contemporary individuals whom she evidently encountered on an annual march commemorating the Dakota’s 1862-63 incarceration near Fort Snelling.

One of the more troubling incidents in Minnesota history occurred in Mankato 146 years ago today when 38 Dakota Sioux Indians were hanged in the largest mass execution in U.S. history. Their deaths were the culmination of four months of warfare between the Dakota and white settlers in the Minnesota River Valley. Sparked by white incursion into Indian lands, the battles were fueled by the federal government’s violation of its own treaties, exploitation by traders who impounded payments due the Indians, retaliatory theft and slaughter by the Indians and subsequent atrocities on both sides.

Starvation, cultural differences, bounties, race hatred, disease and injustice contributed to

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December 27th: From Chuck.

I arrived in Mankato on Christmas day at about 6 pm. I missed the afternoon arrival of the riders, but got there in time for the evening event. When I got to the conference room, there was a Native young lady that was singing a Christmas related carol, it was just about over by that time, so I don’t know who she was or what she was singing. There were a couple of speakers that came on and spoke of the ride, Sheldon Wolf Child was one of them and a guy from Canada. Sheldon covered some of the history and the Canadian spoke of the support from Canada and then went on to talk about abstinence from alcohol, etc.

The riders were then called up to form a

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http://dakota382008.com

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Native Nations: Standing Together for Civil Rights 
 
Presented by the National Council of Churches USA, produced by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Native Nations, hosted by Peter Coyote, chronicles the American Indians’ struggle for civil rights, and the creation of the National Indian Lutheran Board to raise funds and awareness for that struggle.  From the controversy surrounding the 1862 trial when 38 Dakota Sioux were executed in the largest single-day mass hanging in United States history, to the confrontation of the 1960s when many Indian tribes joined together to speak out with a unified voice, Native Nations tells the story of standing together for sovereignty, justice and civil rights.

ON KSTP TV CH 5 ABC MINNEAPOLIS MN 12/28/08 3:00 PM

This documentary film will be presented by Syd Beane at All Nations Indian Church on Sunday December 14th, 2008 at 11:30 a.m.

Visit www.elca.org/nativenations for a video preview.

All are welcome!!

Pila’maya’ye, Martha

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