Category Archives: Uncategorized

This week, the United States of America is celebrating Christopher Columbus, the lost Italian who has long been credited for the discovery of the North American continent. Even though Columbus landed on some island in the Bahamas in 1492, he is still lauded in most history books as the European who discovered America. In SouthContinue reading “Children are still in cages”

  ROSEBUD – Tribal citizens organized an event to acknowledge the suffering some survivors of boarding schools lived through on the Rosebud Reservation. Wokiksuye naha Wayuonihan was held in the tribal council chambers for contemporary boarding school survivors. The event also remembered students who never came home after leaving for boarding school. President Rodney BordeauxContinue reading “Boarding School Survivors Healing Day at Rosebud”

Lakota people have different definitions of what they deem as hate speech. Most of us living on Indian Reservations experience hate speech, either in person or online. Social media has empowered those who thrive on hate. Still, the majority of social media users regularly posting hateful speech are cowards at heart. I did an informalContinue reading “Hate Speech”

I attended the White Plume Hemp Harvest near Wounded Knee creek on Saturday. It was a perfect day to be outside and visit with friends. A prayer of gratitude was offered for the Hemp relatives that would be harvested for medicine. It was an awesome day in the sun witnessing an absolutely legal harvest ofContinue reading “Cannabis can end disease and poverty”

When contemplating what to write about each week, lateral violence nearly always tops my list. Wikipedia says: “Lateral Violence occurs within marginalized groups where members strike out at each other as a result of being oppressed. The oppressed become the oppressors of themselves and each other. Common behaviors that prevent positive change from occurring includeContinue reading “More on Lateral Violence”

Methamphetamine has changed our lives in Indian Country. Even if we’ve never taken a hit of the drug, most of us know at least one person whose life has been devastated by meth. For example, Sicangu Wicoti Awayankape (SWA) is the entity which oversees subsidized housing on my reservation. A lease must be agreed toContinue reading “Lakota Elders: A Precious Resource”

Lakota children deserve to learn about their culture. Our children have a right to be a part of ceremony, even if their family knows nothing about Lakota culture. We must empower our children by helping them learn about ceremony and encouraging their active participation. Our ancestors worked hard to pass down traditional knowledge to LakotaContinue reading “Lateral violence and Lakota Culture”

Local citizens who’ve been privileged to work for their own tribal organizations are familiar with lateral violence. Wikipedia defines lateral violence as “displaced violence directed against one’s peers rather than adversaries. This construct is one way of explaining minority-on-minority violence in developed nations.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_violence Whether we work in private, public, government or tribal sectors onContinue reading “Lateral Violence in the Workplace”

Vi Waln July 7, 2019   July is the month to remember parents who’ve lost children. Even though every July is acknowledged as a national month of awareness, the majority of our Indigenous people work hard to comfort their grieving relatives all year round. Every Tiospaye, Clan or Band in Indian Country knows what it’sContinue reading “Honoring the Memory”

Vi Waln July 3, 2019 Most Lakota people are aware of teachings which tell us our children are sacred. However, a lot of our people have forgotten the true meaning of sacred children. Every day we see the suffering of our Lakota children. For example, there are children being raised by grandparents because the motherContinue reading “Indigenous Children in Cages are Sacred”