Sicangu News

By Vi Waln

Bullying is a real problem. In fact, there are young people who have committed suicide because they grew weary of being terrorized by a bully. Yet, there are adults on the Rez who are in denial about how bullying contributes to suicide. There are also adults who deny that poverty is a factor in the choice some of our young people make to take their own lives.

I am an Unci. Yet, I make an effort to empathize with my Takoja. I try to truly understand how they feel. People my age grew up watching more incidents of heavy drinking, drugging, child abuse and neglect, as well as extreme violence and devastating sex crimes happening on our homelands. Life on the Rez is completely different from what it was forty years ago.

I was the victim of bullying when I was in elementary, middle and high school. Some of the torment came from my peers. I also remember instances when a mean adult at school was the bully. But I really don’t think I experienced anything as harsh as what goes on today with our students. People can be vicious when it comes to harassing others.

I also remember what it was like as a young person to feel completely self-conscious. When a person has low self-esteem, they will be especially self-conscious. Many of our children come from homes that lack not only the basic necessities, but are also devoid of an emotional, mental and spiritual support system. Some parents, for whatever reason, are incapable or unwilling to help their children thrive.

So, there are many children today who don’t get any positive attention at home. Many are belittled by their parents. It has to be really difficult to face each day with the knowledge that your parent doesn’t care much for you, while your peers at school all just want to torment you. For some students, suicide might be viewed as the only way out of what they think is an unbearable situation.

Technology has brought us cyberbullying. This is the coward’s way of terrorizing others. Our young people are very susceptible to online influences. There are actually people out there who create fake profiles with the goal of hurting others by bullying them online. This is one of the dark aspects of the internet.

As much as I depend on the internet to enhance my life, I wouldn’t be sorry at all to see it shut down for good, especially if it would disarm the online cowards who revel in bullying people they don’t know. If you are one of these people who hide behind a computer screen to engage in cyberbullying, you need to seek counseling because you obviously have major issues you’ve never dealt with.

We have to give hope to the young people we work with or encounter every day. On the Rez, we are also seeing many of our young people embrace both their masculine and feminine qualities. Many of our young people, as well as adults, openly identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LBGT). I commend them for their courage to embrace their true selves, even though they are often tormented for doing so. We have to do more to support all of our young people to reach their full potential.

It will take all of us working together to give our young people the tools to cope with the stress, and often dismal realities, of everyday life on the Rez. The adults who deny the effects of bullying and poverty aren’t much help. Things could change when the adults make an effort to genuinely empathize with our teenagers and children. Still, it might take a long time to reach the point where the adults can truly understand the inner emotions and outer hardships our young people experience every single day.

When one young person takes their own life, others around them might catch that feeling of total hopelessness, a feeling which may have largely contributed to the suicide. The feeling of total hopelessness is very real. People affected by suicide, or those who have attempted suicide, may have experienced how it felt for those dark emotions to overwhelm their life. It’s not a good feeling.

Our personal experience growing up is no comparison to the lives our children are living today. Society has changed greatly since I was a child. Life on the Rez is markedly different from what it was like when I was growing up.

We are all affected by suicide. It is going to take a conscious effort from each one of us to change the world our children and teenagers experience. We won’t have a future if our children keep taking their own lives. Take some time to visit with the teens and children you encounter every day.

A kind word and caring demeanor can go a long way. A simple act of kindness or encouragement could be the one thing that stops a young person from taking the next step. Be a good relative.

By Vi Waln

Kudos to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe for hosting an awesome celebration to acknowledge many of the organizations, tribal programs and countless individuals who stepped forward in the fight against the now rejected Keystone XL pipeline (KXL). It’s hard to describe the feeling of knowing you have been a part of making history. All pipeline fighters stood strong with their prayers in the battle against TransCanada. This is something our unborn generations will remember long after we are gone.

TransCanada’s monster KXL pipeline is dead. The black snake is defeated. Yet, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) stubbornly continues on with their certification process for TransCanada. Maybe TransCanada and the PUC missed something. I’m not sure if they are just uninformed or if they are just willfully wasting everyone’s time. Obviously, TransCanada and the PUC are both oblivious to the fact that President Obama denied the Presidential Permit application. Or maybe the PUC is in bed with big oil, just like a lot of other elected officials are.

Maybe we should all email or call the PUC to inform them that on November 6, President Obama stated: “After extensive public outreach and consultation with other Cabinet agencies, the State Department has decided that the Keystone XL Pipeline would not serve the national interest of the United States. I agree with that decision.”

Those of us who live in South Dakota are really not surprised at the actions of our PUC. Many of our elected officials, as well as private citizens, are arrogant enough to carry on as if the State Department and President Obama were still considering granting a permit to TransCanada. Without the permit allowing KXL to cross an international border, the project will not happen.

The intervenors in the TransCanada permitting process, which has been under review by the PUC for several years, filed a motion to dismiss the case on November 9. They stated, in part:

Because TransCanada failed to commence construction of the Project within four years of the date of the 2010 permit. . . it was required to file a petition with the Commission
Certifying that it could continue to meet the conditions upon which the 2010 permit was
Issued. Condition No. 1 requires TransCanada to comply with all applicable laws and rules. Condition No. 2 of the 2010 permit specifically provides that Keystone shall obtain
And thereafter comply with all applicable federal, state and local permits, including but not limited to: Presidential Permit from the United States Department of State.

Still, TransCanada responded almost immediately with objections to the motion for dismissal, stating:

There are no further necessary steps for the [PUC] to take other than to decide whether to accept Keystone’s certification. . . Having elected not to respond to Keystone’s proposed findings and conclusions other than by their joint motion, the movants appear motivated to delay the ultimate disposition of this docket, which was opened on September 15, 2014, and they should not be allowed to succeed. Keystone therefore respectfully requests that the joint motion be denied and that the [PUC] act on its certification petition.
Again, President Obama denied the permit application. The action by the President of the United States should be evidence enough that there are “no further necessary steps for the Commission to take.”

Only in South Dakota will you witness elected officials deny a decision issued by the President of the United States.

By Vi Waln

Wopila to President Obama for denying the permit which would have granted TransCanada permission to construct their Keystone XL pipeline through our homelands. There were many human beings involved in this fight over the past several years. Our prayers were answered last week when President Obama announced his decision to deny the permit.

Water is life. We have to drink water to live. The Keystone XL pipeline would have threatened our major water source. This pipeline was being proposed to be built directly over the Ogallala Aquifer. It would have also crossed countless bodies of water. This project would have affected all of us.

I remember testifying at a hearing hosted by the State Department in Pierre regarding the application for a Presidential permit. It was a scary day for me. There was a mob of roughnecks there. Those who testified in favor of the pipeline were like robots. Many grassroots people spoke up for Mother Earth that day. As we testified on behalf of our sacred Water, we were all laughed at by the fans of big oil.

So, this week many of us are thanking President Obama for denying TransCanada’s permit application. But this action would not have happened without the effort of all the pipeline fighters. Individuals and organizations came together to speak out against the construction of this project. They also deserve credit for seeing this through to the end.

Many pipeline opponents traveled to countless events and rallies to speak out against the Keystone XL pipeline. Some people who traveled all the way to Washington DC sacrificed a lot to get there. Many financed their own trips and even gave up their personal freedom by getting arrested during peaceful protests.

Farmers and ranchers who resisted easements along the path of the pipeline had their land taken away by TransCanada’s legal minions. I still don’t understand how our federal and state legislators could be in favor of eminent domain for a foreign corporation. TransCanada has obviously sold their souls for money.

The people working for TransCanada don’t act like human beings. A genuine human being will always put Mother Earth first. A real human being doesn’t sell out the entity which gives them life. The big oil corporations worship money. They have no boundaries when it comes to getting more money.

I know we all depend on money to survive but the greed demonstrated by the big oil corporations is pathetic. Our legislators from South Dakota are no better. Last week our delegation blasted President Obama for denying the permit. Those elected officials who supposedly speak for us in Washington also worship money. I am sure their campaigns were well financed by TransCanada as well as other big oil corporations.

So, I want to ask all the Lakota people who read my column to please register to vote. We have an important national election coming next year. It is imperative that we vote in people who have not only our best interests at heart, but the well-being of Mother Earth as well.

The fight against big oil is not over. You can be sure that TransCanada and other similar corporations will be groveling at the feet of those politicians who are disconnected from the Earth. The big oil executives will continue to gladly pump big money into the campaigns of the candidates who are most likely to move forward with the continued exploitation of Mother Earth.

Wopila to the Sicangu Lakota for establishing Oyate Wahacanka Woecun and for maintaining the Spirit Camp on tribal land near Ideal, SD. Many of our own people did not have faith in this spiritual effort. Our own people criticized our leaders for establishing the Spirit Camp. Yet, it was the prayers of our spiritual leaders and numerous others all over Mother Earth that helped to influence President Obama’s decision.

A wopila prayer circle and pot luck lunch was held over the weekend at the Spirit Camp. Today, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe begins a two day celebration to honor all pipeline fighters. A meal will be served at noon (11-13-2015) at Rosebud’s Tribal Headquarters. Tomorrow (11-14-2015) a public event will take place at the Sinte Gleska University Multipurpose building in Mission, SD. A meal will be served at noon. All are welcome to attend.

Wopila to all of you who prayed for this pipeline project to be stopped. I encourage our Lakota people to register and vote during the 2016 Presidential election. Thank you for your continued prayers on behalf of Mother Earth.

By Vi Waln

An important activity in October is Domestic Violence Awareness. There are many incidents of domestic violence happening not only on our reservations, but all across the world. It’s hard to image the number of people who suffer physical, mental, sexual, emotional and spiritual abuse every single day.
Domestic violence is an issue which many people will refuse to talk about. For example, a neighbor might be aware of your violent situation but they will refuse to tell anyone because they think it is none of their business. This attitude just condones the domestic abuse. We all have a responsibility to begin talking about the prevalence of domestic violence in our communities.
Domestic abuse comes at the hands of close family members who live under the same roof. Victims of domestic violence should seek help right away. Do not continue to risk your emotional, mental, spiritual or physical well-being to stay with an abuser. Despite the danger, there are numerous women who make the choice to stay in abusive situations.
Witnessing or suffering from domestic violence attacks can contribute to mental illnesses, often known as disorders, in most victims. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) might be the most common result of domestic abuse. PTSD can affect anyone in the household who suffers from or witnesses the abuse. When you commit violent acts in your own home, you are also increasing the chances of your children living with PTSD into their teen and adult years.
We are worth more than the abuser wants us to think. Our children are precious and irreplaceable. Every human deserves an environment where they feel safe. I’ve always urged battered family members to get away from the abuser.
Many of us struggle to understand why it’s easier said than done to get out of a violent situation. It’s not worth putting your life or your family’s lives at risk to continue living with a violent person. We want abused family members find the strength to leave. We all deserve to live in a safe environment.
This week the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc. will sponsor a Domestic Violence Awareness Walk in Rosebud on Thursday, October 15. The walk will begin with morning prayers at the Rosebud Hospital. They will pause for prayers at the Tribal Courthouse and Spotted Tail Cemetery. A meal will be served to all participants at the Tribal Building.
Other walks will also take place in reservation communities during the month of October. All of these walks will likely include the wooden, life-sized red silhouettes of women which are stark reminders of the violence that exists on our reservation and other communities across the world. The red silhouettes are placed at different public places by members of the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc. These life sized silent witnesses are meant to remind us of how common incidents of domestic violence actually are.
Each one of these silent witnesses represents a Lakota woman from the Rosebud Reservation murdered by her husband or domestic partner. Violent acts leading to the murder of your partner are not Lakota traditions. Sadly, we still see too many Lakota women are physically abused on our reservations.
I can write every week to urge those of you suffering from domestic violence to get away from the person hurting you. But none of my advice or opinions will do any good if you make the choice to stay with your abuser. When you make the choice to leave a dangerous situation, there are alternatives available for you.
Many people pray every day for the safety of families affected by domestic violence. Please find the courage to get away from an abusive situation. Call the White Buffalo Calf Woman Shelter at (605) 856-2317 for help. Your life and the lives of your children are precious.

By Vi Waln

If you are looking for a sign not to kill yourself, this is it.

If you are looking for some sign to stay alive, this is it. Whether you know it or not, the world needs your talents and unique inner gifts. Your life is an opportunity to make some sort of positive difference in this world. If you were looking for a sign from Wakan Tanka, Creator God, the Universe, or an Angel to continue living, consider this your sign. Sometimes a simple sign letting you know that someone cares and wants you to keep living is all that you need. www.mentalhealthdaily.com

September is designated as National Suicide Prevention Month. American Indian and Alaskan Native people have some of the highest suicide rates on earth. Here on the Rez, many of us consider every month as suicide prevention month. We all must do our part to encourage our people on how valuable their lives are to their families, their tribe and others around them.

It was a completely different world when I was a teenager. I do remember all the bullying that went on, but I don’t remember anyone in my school committing suicide. Today, we’ve lost many Lakota people to suicide. The majority of them were just teenagers. Our children need their relatives and other people around them to help them realize they have their entire lives ahead of them. As individuals, we each have to make a commitment to do more for the young people we encounter every day. They all deserve to know that things will get better.

Still, it’s hard to believe that anything will get better when you live on the Rez. There are so many social problems our people are forced to deal with. Alcohol, drugs and broken families have affected us all. The lack of an economy and the high poverty rate have harsh effects on many of our teenagers and children. There are so many issues which can factor into the choice an individual makes when they are contemplating taking their own life.

There is a saying about how it takes a village to raise a child. Our ancestors knew this to be true and everyone contributed to raising healthy children. These contributions were made through ceremony, encouragement, teachings, being involved and educating the young people about what it means to be Lakota.

Unfortunately, much of our cultural teachings and values have been forgotten by our people. The influence of the wasicu has permeated our entire society. Alcohol, drugs, religion, boarding schools and the countless other negative influences brought by the people who came to take our land has contributed greatly to our cultural and spiritual losses.

We each have a responsibility to make an effort to encourage our people and help them see there is hope for all of us. More importantly, we have to provide our young Lakota people reasons to keep moving forward with their lives. We all have to do our part to combat the suicide statistics our reservations are known for.

Becoming involved in Lakota ceremony can contribute a great deal to the mental health of our children and young people. Last summer, I watched several of our young Lakota men sacrifice themselves in the sun dance. Their prayers were very strong. I approached some of them and told them how much I appreciated them because they gave me hope. The prayers of our young people can help to carry all of us forward.

Many of us pray every day for the families who have lost someone to suicide. We often have no words to comfort the people who are grieving the loss of a child to suicide. Their pain and grief are incomprehensible to us. The death of a child changes a Tiospaye forever.

I do want to say how much I appreciate the Lakota people who work in our suicide prevention programs on the Rez. They have difficult jobs. We can never be sure which one of our young people is having problems, especially when they don’t say anything. We have to encourage our teenagers and children to have a positive outlook despite all the negativity they might be experiencing or living with.

I especially want to acknowledge the tireless work of Tiny DeCory of Pine Ridge. She is my friend on Facebook and very active on social media. When a young person on the Pine Ridge Rez is contemplating suicide, Tiny will look for them no matter what time of day it is. She will post on Facebook the name of the young person and ask for help looking for them. When I see her Facebook posts, I pray for the young person to choose life. Thank you Tiny, for all the work you have done to save young lives. Many of us appreciate the work you do with the youth of Pine Ridge and the Bear Program.

If you are one of the people out there contemplating suicide, remember there are people who care very much about you. If you are having problems you can always call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to talk with someone about the issues you are facing. The number is 1-800-273-8255. On the Rosebud Rez you can call 319-1280. Please know there are people you can talk to who care and are willing to help you.

Remember, you are mistaken if you believe that committing suicide will take away the pain you feel. People who kill themselves leave behind family and friends who will experience a much greater pain than you are feeling now. There are people who love you dearly! Call one of the numbers listed above and get help today. Call upon our Lakota ancestors and find courage to keep moving forward. Your life is sacred.

According to Wikipedia, “Emotional intelligence can be defined as the ability to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior.”

I began learning about emotional intelligence several years ago after being introduced to the concept at a workshop. I believe emotional intelligence goes hand in hand with emotional maturity. I’ve witnessed behavior from adults that shows their lack of both emotional intelligence and maturity. For instance, jealous people lack emotional intelligence, especially the ones who follow up on their feelings with violence.

A lack of emotional intelligence and emotional maturity can also be seen in adults who bully. They generally allow their negative emotions to control their behavior. They are quick to anger and often act without thinking. Their goal is to intentionally inflict harm on another person. The worst type of bully out there today is the cyberbully.

The cyberbully will inflict great emotional or mental pain upon others from his/her computer. There are many horrible tactics used by a cyberbully. I see a lot of these tactics used on social networking sites. A lot of people living on the Rez use Facebook to spread lies, gossip and hate. They also use Facebook accounts to hurt other people with malicious postings. When you are being attacked by a cyberbully on Facebook, there is usually nothing you can do. Cyberbullying is violence.

According to the website nobullying.com, “Bully behavior cannot be pinpointed to specific personalities, although many bullies suffer from internal struggles which often manifest into negativity towards others. Some of the common characteristics and personality traits a bully may have includes: uncontrollable anger and outbursts, the inability to control or direct emotions, low self-esteem, no confidence in self, no foreseeable future for oneself, and hopelessness.”

I witnessed an obvious act of cyberbullying on Facebook over the weekend. I would never have noticed what was going on if one of my female friends hadn’t pointed out what someone else was posting about her. She also shared screen shots of the Facebook posts, which contained indecent language.

My curiosity was piqued after I saw the screen shots. I visited the Facebook page of the adult woman who had posted the status update on her timeline. The language she used was obscene. The comments she made struck me as coming from an extremely angry person who lacked maturity.

I also read comments made by other adult women. I know some of these women personally. Some are employed with the tribe. I had no idea these women were capable of posting such filth. I wondered if they were intoxicated. The status update and comments under it were available for everyone who looked at the page to read, including the children of the woman they were referring to. Cyberbullying is conduct unbecoming to a Lakota woman.

The tribal council at Rosebud did discuss cyberbullying at an informal meeting they had recently. I believe the topic was discussed because of a Facebook post. However, I think there is a difference between sharing information with people on a social networking site and cyberbullying. We are all entitled to freedom of speech. Still, personal responsibility also comes with our right to freedom of speech.

After reading those horrible comments posted by several adult women, I hope the tribal council considers revising the personnel manual. There could be some standards put in place in terms of the public behavior of tribal employees on social networks. It doesn’t look right when tribal employees or tribal directors post denigrating information about other tribal employees. It’s blatant cyberbullying.

Some corporations have established standards which their employees have to follow, even after hours. It should be the same for tribal employees and directors. Our young people have a difficult time. And their lives are certainly not improved by tribal employees posting filth for the whole world to read on their Facebook pages. Tribal employees could be modeling positive behavior for our Lakota children, instead of publicly tearing each other apart on Facebook after work and on weekends.

Consequently, according to Ordinance 2007-09, which is the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Personnel Policy and Procedure Manual, “Tribal employees shall demonstrate the highest possible standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all public activities in order to inspire public confidence and trust in Tribal institutions. Such standards include, but are not limited to:
a. Dedication to the highest ideals of honor and integrity in all public and personal relationships.
b. Affirmation of the dignity and worth of the services rendered by the tribal government and maintain a constructive, creative and practical attitude toward community affairs and a deep sense of social responsibility as a public servant” (page 2).

I believe those tribal employees were not acting in the “highest possible standards of personal integrity” when they posted those vulgar words on Facebook. The RST Employee Assistance Program does offer free mediation services for tribal employees to work out their differences. However, many employees refuse to participate in a mediation session. Apparently, they would rather not solve their conflict with another person. This is another example of how our Lakota culture is being lost. That is, mediation was once a very effective way for the Lakota people to resolve their personal differences.

I was offended by the obscenity I read. The words those Lakota women used displayed an aspect of their inner minds. I was embarrassed for them. Still, people will vehemently defend their public right to behave, talk and post on social media any way they like after work and on weekends.

As Lakota women, we have a responsibility to our young people to be positive role models at all times. Tribal employees are still role models for our young Lakota people, even when they are not on the job.

Journalists often face the risk of retaliation when we sit down to write a story or opinion. Yet, the main goal of a journalist is to inform the public. And sometimes the information we share involves issues that people don’t want anyone else to know about. I’ve always been candid in this column. I’m sure I’ve offended people by sharing information with readers.

Journalists are often accused of not telling both sides of the story. Yet, both sides of the story told in an objective manner is generally meant for news articles. This is an opinion editorial. I choose to share my opinion with readers because there are issues which I feel very strongly about. I also try to give readers something to think about. I am guaranteed my right to freedom of speech under the Constitution of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

There have been times when people will blame something I’ve written for the things that happen to them. For instance, a few years ago I was apparently at fault when a tribal council incumbent was not re-elected. Right before the tribal election, I wrote something highlighting the costs of tribal council travel. I believed it was information that needed to be shared with the tribal voters. Yet, I was presumed guilty of not telling both sides of the story. Such is the life when you are a journalist. We can’t please everyone.

I was asked to write about an incident which happened a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t witness what happened but I agreed to write something about it. Once again, I am risking retaliation from local people. Please remember that I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t write about issues that people need to know about.

The incident in question happened during Crow Dog’s sun dance. A young woman, who was supporting her immediate family, drove into town to get some supplies from home. As she drove into town, a police officer began following her. He followed her to her house. When she got out of the car, he asked her to come over to his patrol car. She was in a hurry because she was on a supply run. She had no idea of what was coming.

The police officer told her he had several warrants for her arrest. She asked him what she did but he said he didn’t know. All he knew was that she had several charges that would require her to pay $6,000 to bond out of jail. She was placed under arrest, handcuffed and transported to Rosebud Jail.

According to her account, the police officer denied knowing what she was being charged with. However, at some point she said he picked up some papers which were in his patrol unit the whole time and began reading off the alleged charges against her. The warrants had someone else’s name on them. She stated she wasn’t the person named on the warrants.

When she was booked into the jail, law enforcement officials realized they had made a mistake. She was definitely not the person named in the warrants. And even though she denied several times to the police officer that she wasn’t the person named on the warrants, he still arrested her. After being emotionally traumatized by the police officer who arrested her, she was released.

I believe police officers should positively confirm someone’s identity before making an arrest. This incident borders on harassment, especially since the family was praying at the sun dance. They all suffered unnecessary stress because of this incident. Their participation in the sun dance was rudely interrupted when they thought they had to leave the ceremony to find $6,000 in cash to bond their family member out of jail. There are few people living on the Rosebud Reservation who can actually afford to pay a $6,000 bond.

Those of you who pray or sing in Lakota ceremony know how important it is to stay focused. Several members of this woman’s immediate family were participants in the sun dance. They were either dancing or singing. This incident caused them unnecessary emotional trauma.

Maybe the police should consider leaving tribal people alone while they are in ceremony. I remember a while back when police officers would go to wakes or funerals to arrest grieving relatives. I believe the tribe did stop police officers from making arrests during those times. Perhaps a similar directive should be given to law enforcement, that is, maybe they could leave people alone while they are praying or supporting relatives at sun dance. Do the police go into local churches on a Sunday to execute warrants?

Another incident recently happened on the Pine Ridge Reservation where an on duty law enforcement officer crashed into a car. As a result of that crash, a woman lost her life and two other female passengers were seriously injured. Apparently, no charges are going to be filed, even though the crash took a life and forever changed other lives. I encourage the family to file a wrongful death suit against both the officer and the department.

Still another incident involves a local police officer who long refused to allow the mother of his children custody. The mother alleges her children were abused by this police officer and his wife. A lot of couples use their children against one another when they break up. And sometimes we see Tribal Court side with police officers, especially when he paints a bad picture of the mother. In the end, it’s the children who suffer the most.

I agreed to write this column because the people who were wronged come from families I have great respect for. Oftentimes, tribal members cannot get any justice when they are wronged. Sometimes the only way people will know what happened is if they read about it in the newspaper or on a social media site.

Our law enforcement officers must have integrity. When they lose public trust, it’s doubtful they will ever regain it.

2015 Retreat: Keeping with Tradition, Welcoming Change.

Many human beings do not understand the sacredness of Water. It is the only element on Earth that can exist as liquid, solid, or vapor. Modern society has conditioned us to take our water for granted. You probably don’t give much thought to the water coming out of your tap. The only time you notice your water is when something happens to stop the flow.

Yet, there would be no life without water. Water is essential in Lakota ceremony. Water is medicine. The Lakota people who sun dance or hanbleceya understand how painful life is without water. As human beings, we should never take our water for granted.

We can heal ourselves with water. When water is transformed into medicine, it will have a healing effect on our bodies. The late Dr. Masaru Emoto was a Japanese Scientist who researched how the power of healing prayers and positive thought can change the molecular structure of water. Consequently, I remember attending a ceremony several years ago where a man shared a vision he once had about water. “Heal the water and everything else will follow,” he said.

Here on the Rosebud Reservation, a majority of our water is piped in from the Missouri River. Are you sending a less than positive thought to your water? All water is sacred. We should not think the river water is of inferior quality. Our prayers and thoughts affect all our water, whether it is inside of us or coming through pipes from the aquifer or the river. Think about it.

Leonardo de Vinci said “Water is the driving force of all nature.” I recommend you watch the amazing documentary “Water: The Great Mystery.” This video might change the way you view your water. Changing our thoughts and attitudes towards our precious water will make the difference between life and death.

The work of several scientists across the globe was compiled to produce this documentary film about water. They present the concept that water has memory. Water is imprinted with the energy from human emotions.

“We pollute water spiritually, and this happens on a huge scale,” Alois Gruber, an Austrian Researcher said. “The water adopts all of the hatred, all of the malice, the stress, the water is almost dead by the time it enters our body. Understanding the mysteries of water is critical to our survival. Examine water as you have never seen it before.”

I believe prayer is crucial to good water and health. “The vibrational frequency of prayer in any language uttered in any religion is 8 hertz, which corresponds to the frequency of the oscillations of the Earth’s magnetic field,” Gruber continued. “Therefore, a prayer pronounced with love creates a harmonic structure in water that is an ingredient in absolutely all foods.”

The late Dr. Masaru Emoto studied water for many years. He provided proof of what the Lakota people have known all along: human thoughts can change the molecular structure of water. Our prayer over water transforms it into medicine. He is famous for his work in determining how human thought and different genres of music can dramatically change the molecular structure of water.

One experiment he conducted involved three glass beakers containing about a cupful of rice covered with water. For one month he said to one of the rice filled beakers “thank you.” The second beaker of rice was told “you’re an idiot” while the third container of rice was totally ignored. The rice which was thanked every day was fermenting after a month and smelled good. The rice that was told every day “you’re an idiot” turned black. The rice which was neglected turned green with rot.

Dr. Emoto stated this “experiment was an important lesson, especially with regard to how we treat children. We should take care of them, give them attention and converse with them. Indifference does the greatest harm. Numerous experiments aimed at finding the word that cleanses water most powerfully have shown it is not just one word but a combination of two: Love and Gratitude.”

Dr. Vlail Kaznacheyev, a Russian scientist, also spoke about water in the video. He said “with holy water, when it’s poured over sick animals or a dying plant, they revive. Those are the facts.”
Water transformed through prayer is found in most Lakota ceremonies. The water of life is also found in the water buckets and drums used in our Native American Church. I have often wondered what the late Dr. Emoto would have found in the molecular structure of Water after it had been prayed over in a Lakota or Native American Church ceremony.

Water is our first medicine. Professionals in the medical field have often been astounded when a Lakota person makes a complete recovery after receiving medicine at ceremony. Many want to know what was in the medicine which brought the cure. They are often surprised when they learn the medicine was Water.

You will feel better and your health will improve when you learn how to have faith in your personal prayers. All it takes is the offering of a simple prayer to transform your water. Please make it a daily practice to gift your Water with a heartfelt prayer of love and gratitude. Express your gratitude with a prayer of love over your water each and every time you use or drink it.

There can be no life without water. Always give love and gratitude to your water.

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By Vi Waln

The Primary Election on the Rosebud Reservation will be held on Thursday, July 23, 2015. Voters will choose several candidates to appear on the General Election ballot in August. There are ten tribal council representative seats open, as well as the four constitutional officer positions.

Technology has changed the way candidates are able to campaign. It has also helped tribal voters stay informed. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe has been broadcasting tribal meetings on Channel 93, which can be accessed by several local residents who subscribe to cable services. Meetings are also live streamed on You Tube.

Candidates running for office were offered an opportunity to create a 60 second campaign advertisement. Those videos can now be viewed on the Tribe’s You Tube page. Archived videos of past council meetings, as well as a candidate forum, can also be accessed.

The ability to watch tribal council meetings live is appreciated by many. Elders and other people who often have no way to attend a tribal council meeting, but have access to cable television and the internet, can now watch their legislators conduct business. This is one advantage to having the meetings live streamed.

There are also disadvantages to watching televised tribal council meetings. For example, recently the tribal council approved a motion which would result in a cut in the amount of per diem they are paid. A cut in pay for elected officials is an issue which many tribal voters seem to favor.

However, there are tribal council members who have allegedly taken per diem advances all the way to the end of their term. This means they are not receiving a check for attending meetings anymore. So, while the motion to take a cut in pay looks good for the incumbents who are running for re-election, the reduction in per diem will only affect those tribal council members who are not maxed out in pay advances.

It’s a good campaign tactic to let your constituents believe you are taking a cut in your $40,000+ per diem rate, when in reality certain council members are not losing any of their pay at all because they have already received it in advances. The misleading of tribal voters by motions which only affect certain council members is one disadvantage to watching live streamed meetings.

On the other hand, another advantage to watching these televised meetings is tribal voters often get to see the true nature of their representatives. For instance, when the motion to take the cut in pay was discussed on the council floor, one tribal representative talked about how he didn’t feel it was fair that only they should have to accept a reduced per diem. He stated the tribal program directors and other employees should also take a cut in pay.

Just because the tribal council cannot seem to manage their money doesn’t mean they should be cutting tribal employees’ pay. The cash flow problems the tribe currently faces is not the fault of the program directors or employees. There are many program directors, as well as tribal employees, who have worked hard to complete either a Bachelor or Masters Degree.

Some tribal directors have also become very skilled at managing their program money. They have learned to plan for budget or end of fiscal year shortfalls. They should not be penalized for the inability of the tribal council to manage their own budgets. It’s not fair.

Another area tribal voters could think about before going to the polls next week is how well the tribal council has adhered to the Constitution. This document is what governs the entire Tribe. Our rights as tribal people are supposed to be guaranteed under the RST Constitution and Bylaws.

Still, the tribal council violated our constitutional rights earlier this year when they voted to remove a tribal president, who was elected by the people. I realize there are differences of opinion on this action and what is done is done. I’m not taking anyone’s side.

But, after studying the Constitution over the past several years, I still cannot find where the tribal council has the authority to remove a constitutional officer. As far as I can see, the authority to remove a tribal president is limited. The tribal council can remove one of their own members, but only the people who voted a president (or vice-president, treasurer or secretary) into office can petition to have him/her removed. The recall process should have been followed.

Another violation of our Constitution recently occurred when a Tribal Judge ruled in favor of a candidate whose eligibility to run for office was challenged. The Judge overruled the Election Board’s decision to disqualify this candidate from running because of a felony conviction on his criminal record. Does the Tribal Judge’s action open up future elections for convicted felons to run for office?

Tribal voters must be very careful when going to the polls on July 23. I will not be voting for any candidates who may further violate my rights as outlined in the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Constitution & Bylaws. I will also not be voting for any candidates who are not eligible to be on the ballot because of their criminal record.

Our children deserve to have people of integrity elected to the governing body of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Let’s not disappoint them.