Category Archives: Uncategorized

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”

May 5, 2019 Vi Waln Sicangu Scribe May 5 is the day designated to acknowledge and remember the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. The hashtag #MMIW is used throughout our society to bring awareness to the fact we are still looking for women, men, teenagers and children who have gone missing or were murdered onContinue reading “#MMIW”

April 11, 2019 Vi Waln Lakota people, as well as other Indigenous nations, speak about the sacredness of women. As women, we hold the power to navigate the transformation of spirit into a human body through childbirth. Our power to bring children into this world is an essence of our sacredness. Lakota people wouldn’t haveContinue reading “Misogyny is alive and well”