State of Tribal Nations address eloquently delivered

Part 2 of 3

PIERRE – Crow Creek Sioux Tribal Chairman Peter Lengkeek eloquently delivered the State of Tribal Nations Address to a joint session of the South Dakota State Legislature on January 12.

In a government to government statement, Lengkeek brought to the floor of the South Dakota State legislature issues of concern to tribal nations.

Lengkeek powerfully conveyed the dire situation that was created on tribal lands when a series of winter storms hit the northern plains and said the impact of the storm was “further exacerbated by the limited snow removal capabilities of individual tribes many of whom rely on outdated equipment and dilapidated resources.”

To highlight the severity of the storm, Lengkeek lamented the fact that on the Rosebud Reservation, nine tribal members lost their lives in weather related incidences.

He said impassable roads, lack of propane, power outages, immobility of emergency services and public safety officials heightened the state of emergency.

Although a disaster declaration was issued by several tribes early in the storm with the intent of garnering support from federal and state emergency response officials, Lengkeek said they were slow to react.

He said as leaders, department heads, policy makers, decisions makers it is their responsibility to take quick action when necessary to protect lives of all South Dakotans, “A single life lost is one too many.” In order to accomplish this he said there needs to be adjustments and corrections in the dynamics of tribal, federal and state government relationships.

Lengkeek, a United States Marine Corp Veteran revisited the fact that as a demographic group, tribal members serve at a higher rate per capita than any other nationality in the U.S., and served even before they were granted citizenship or the right to vote.

“Tribal nations honor those who serve and recognize their service and sacrifice. Therefore in the spirit of honoring service, the World War I and World War II Code Talkers Memorial that is slated to sit on the banks of Capitol Lake, needs to be finalized and completed so that our tribal veterans can forever be recognized and remembered for their extraordinary service and sacrifice,” he said.

Lengkeek said that as tribal nations it is difficult to grasp the frivolous issues SD state legislators prioritize when tribes are dealing with real life situations.

“We saw a ban on Critical Race [Theory] in the classroom when it isn’t taught as a concept aside from within a higher learning institution taught to law students and as a theory that has substantial significance in understanding societal and legal processes.

“We saw an issue of gender equality in sports when it didn’t seem to be a pressing matter, considering the many other issues our state faces. Well those issues may have significant precedence in non-tribal communities, tribal nations were busy with truly critical efforts,” he said.

He also said tribes are “trying to understand the justification of a bill that would change the rules of redistricting long after the redistricting process had occurred. We were dealing with voter suppression and advocating for voter equality so that our peoples votes and voices were heard.”

Tribes were addressing other pressing issues such as the growing list of missing and murdered indigenous people, the threat of the overturning of the Indian Child Welfare Act, opportunity for community based schools and protection of the Missouri River and its resources he said

“Perhaps most importantly we were busy taking action and helping to consistently remind everyone that our nine tribal nations have treaties with the federal government that established our existence and guaranteed among other things our rights as sovereign nations as secured in the constitution of the United States under Article 6, all treaties of which shall be made under the authority of the United States shall be the supreme law of the land and all judges in every state shall be bound thereby. Anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.”

He said removing references to the history of indigenous people of South Dakota is as absurd as the removing of such references to the states name, “It is our indigenous people after all that put the ‘Dakota’ in South Dakota.”

Lengkeek said that it is time to put aside divisive language, personal and political discord and embrace “our shared history” by participating in meaningful consultation which will serve to further “reconciliation efforts and partnerships among tribal and non-tribal communities and especially between state and tribal officials.”

He said there are “countless benefits of a functional working relationship between the state and the tribes, achieving an inclusive and accurate understanding of one another of our shared history and acknowledging tribal sovereignty are vital steps in building a respectful mutually beneficial relationship amongst all south Dakotans.”

After the conclusion of the State of Tribal Nations address Lengkeek read Catlin’s Creed:
I love a people that have always made me welcome to the very best that they had.
I love a people who are honest without laws, who have no jails and no poorhouses.
I love a people who keep the commandments without ever having read or heard them preached from the pulpit.
I love a people who never swear or take the name of God in vain.
I love a people “who love their neighbors as they love themselves”
I love a people who worship God without a Bible, for I believe that God loves them also.
I love a people whose religion is all the same, and who are free from religious animosities.
I love a people who have never raised a hand against me, or stolen my property, when there was no law to punish either.
I love and don’t fear mankind where God has made and left them, for they are his children.
I love a people who have never fought a battle with the white man, except on their own ground.
I love a people who live and keep what is their own without lock and keys.
I love a people who do the best they can. And oh how I love a people who don’t live for the love of money.

(Contact Ernestine Anunksasan Hupa at staffwriter@nativesunnews.today)

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