Mission, SD – “Education on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s constitution needs to go out to the people,” stated Chris Eagle Bear of the Black Pipe Community.
“If you are knowledgeable on the RST constitution, please educate your family and the people around you, because it affects all of us.” continued Eagle Bear, a former council representative. He spoke at the Lakota Oyate For Change Public forum that was held on Saturday, September 12. Any tribal member can review the constitution online or request a copy of the constitution from the RST Secretary‘s office.
Eagle Bear offered the opening prayer. There were 39 people from 10 communities in attendance. Several people spoke at this meeting, including Bonnie Hairy Shirt, of St. Francis, who suggested reducing the council from 20 to 11 members to save money, educate the people to understand the constitution. Also, the suicide rates must be addressed on the reservation as well as the lack of law enforcement response to protect the people.
Terry Gray of Parmelee suggested taking the Secretary of Interior out of the constitution to make the revision process or amendment process easier for the people, Formal council representative Wayne Frederick stated a point of contention is section 6 as there are two section 6 in the constitution which is very confusing.
A formal petition would require 30% or 554 Tribal members to sign a petition to deem it valid as there were 839 tribal citizens who voted in the last election.
Janet Routzen stated that the chapter 5 of the law order code is very old and it needs to be revised so what constitutes a “felony” is made clear to the people.
Meeting organizer Charisse Bordeaux said social media is a great tool to organize information to educate the people.
Season Sun Hawk stated he would like to see the lineal descent language in the constitution changed.
The next election is in 2027 and 20 people could sit at the voting polls to gather signatures. Lori Walking Eagle stated “it’s the people’s choice to decide what they want to amend in the constitution but the people have to understand the process of the constitutional convention. If people are to go gather signatures at the next election they must remain 500 feet away from the poles.”
There’s one of two ways to call a constitutional convention, one way is to gather the required number of signatures to send a valid petition up the chain to the Secretary of Interior, who calls the convention; or each community could do a resolution to direct the tribal council move to have a convention, but the BIA still has to approve to appointed task force and the petition is also screened at different levels of the Secretary of Interior/Bureau Of Indian Affairs
Ms. Walking Eagle also stated that Tribal membership holds the energy to follow through with the whole constitutional convention process. There approximately 15,000 enrolled members living on the reservation and 15,000 living off the reservation. Reducing the council from 20 to 11 members would save about $1 million a year. Walking Eagle also said this Community President’s Association needs to be involved in the process.
Currently, Tribal Council members make an estimated $69,500 a year.
“Where are the direct services to the people?” Walking Eagle asked. “Why don’t we have day labor?” All Stop provides day labor several days a week to assist the people. She commended Wes Colombe for providing this service to Rosebud. “Most times we just give up and say let’s just leave it up to the government to decide,” Walking Eagle stated.
Due process must also be followed as outlined in the Constitution. It would greatly help the organizers to have a copy of the voter list with the ones who voted in the last election highlighted. Janet Routzen and Charisse Bordeaux will develop a letter for the group to send to the Tribal Election Board and other Tribal officials requesting a copy of the voters list within 30 days to get the list to the group, with the people who voted in the last election highlighted..
Jennifer Eastman of the RST Sicangu Resource and Development Office, stated the Tribe has $31,404 in a contract that was awarded to the tribe for the constitutional amendment education and planning for the process started in 2024. The money is still there, and a request must be submitted and approved by the Legislative Affairs Office to utilize the funds. The Lakota Women for Change were the only group to successfully submit a petition to the Secretary of Interior, calling for the last constitutional convention in 2005, their efforts were completed without tribal funding.
The Lakota People For Change must do the legwork before filing a petition calling for a constitutional convention. A list of amendments with the people would like to see should be developed. Volunteers formed a committee comprised of Charrisse Bordeaux, Janet Routzen, Nancy Kellar-Hernandez and Chris Eagle Bear.
Ms. Walking Eagle suggested all tribal citizens review the constitution and bylaws and write down their recommendations. The government belongs to the people. Anyone can ask the RST secretary’s office for copies of documents. There are two ways to remove an elected official one is through the process outlined in the ethics commission ordinance and the other one is the recall/ removal/petition process.
Wes Colombe asked if there was a streamlined process to get these changes rolling.
Ms. Walking Eagle stated ask your Tribal Council representative to ask Tribal council to hold a special meeting to vote on a secretarial election. or have a resolution come from the communities to present to the council requesting action. The group is going to request in writing to receive a copy of the voters list from the last election if they decline our request, we need to ask why give them 30 days to get the list or an answer to the people.
Beanie Valandra stated the travel council engages in and their actions have disillusioned many Tribal members. “We have a dysfunctional government,” he said.
“We have to hold our Tribal council members to a higher standard,” stated Lynnette White Hat. “They must learn know our language, they must be involved in culture. They must understand our history. They must be spiritual and have knowledge of treaties. The Tribal council should be there for us. We are wrapped in red tape.”
The qualifications for Tribal council members can be set by the people—get the constitution and start reading. Charisse Bordeaux stated we attended a hearing last week. but no one came out to the community to talk to the people about what they were going to do.
Lynnette Bordeaux stated after sitting through in the hearing last week, she realized it was time for a constitutional convention. “How can the council members sit there and witness one person be rude to our President? Why doesn’t the council correct their own? This makes me lose hope and respect for them. It was a personal vendetta.”
“We witnessed women speak up, but why aren’t the men saying anything?” Bordeaux asked. “The men need to speak up. The Tribal council should not have the power to do what they did. We’ve got a lot of work to do.” The next meeting will be held in on September 19 at 2 PM at the same location. Bonnie Hairy Shirt offered a closing prayer. A meal was enjoyed by all. Please join the group for updates and access tribal documents at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1560659472742413/files/files
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