‘Feeding the people is Wolakota’

RAPID CITY – Lloyd Big Crow held his weekly community picnic Friday, June 30, at the band-shell in Memorial Park in spite of the recent controversy surrounding the weekly meal.

Volunteers helped unload the meal onto fold out tables. As the tables are being prepared the community gathered around. Mary Haan, (volunteer) walked around offering sanitizer to the relatives to wash before the meal. Everyone was all smiles and laughing as they prepare for the meal about to be served. A spirit plate is made to honor those who have gone before us which is a custom done at gatherings to represent and honor our past relatives.

Autumn Twobulls sang a prayer song taught to her by her uncle Rick Two Dogs. The song was about the struggle and addiction, it is praying for healing for the Oyate. In the song it says the land is a gift given to us to heal us, it says we are gifts from the stars. As she sang the entire group of people stood in a circle, from all walks of life, elderly, children, everyone in harmony and peace with one another.

“Everybody loves each other, and all of us Lakota need to stick together,” Belle Bluebird said.

“Lloyd started doing this and he’s doing a good job.” Darrell Chase in Water said.

Gina Whistler said, “Thank you for feeding us, and praying for us. We pray that those who are hosting this picnic are doing a good job.”

Kerry Middle Tent who does much of the cooking for the community meals that feed many of the relatives living on the streets of Rapid City said, “Everything I do is for the people, making sure the community can get a meal once a week every Friday.”

Last month the City decided to enforce a mandatory $100 fee on Big Crow and his organization Oyáte kiŋ čhaŋtéwaštepi, for the use of the band shell which they say must be paid 90 days in advance, which put the weekly meal at risk.

However resentment from city officials toward our homeless relatives appears to run much deeper than just providing a meal.

Former Mayor Allender who was at the forefront of the enforcement of the fee said earlier “As far as a government organization, we have zero obligation to do anything for the homeless.”

As for Lloyd Big Crow and Oyáte kiŋ čhaŋtéwaštepi, the weekly meal is a gesture from the heart that elicits healing.

“We use each other to heal each other, when we give back we get a healing in ourselves. We gain compassion and empathy and something changes in your mind and in your heart,” Big Crow said.

When Big Crow started the meals to feed the homeless at the band shell in 2018, he said the bathrooms were open and there were picnic tables throughout the area as well as electricity. He said since that time the city has taken away the picnic tables, locked the bathrooms and turned off the electricity.

The mayor claimed that feeding the homeless at the band shell has led to increased cleanup by the City Parks Department.

“They’re forced to clean up human waste, graffiti and trash, taking the area from a place for special events and making it an undesirable space right in downtown Rapid City,” Allender said.

“It’s been a tough one on our guys too, you know, because you want to be compassionate…you want to be helpful and we want to do the right thing,” Allender said. “You spend most your time cleaning up after somebody that shouldn’t be there in the first place…it’s a drain on that and on the guys.”

However Big Crow disagrees with the former Mayor and said his organization and other volunteers are meticulous about cleaning up after every meal.

According to Ernestine Anunkasan Hopa editor of Native Sun News Today, “Common sense should prevail here but apparently city officials have none. If bathrooms were available to the homeless, who are also Rapid City citizens that should be treated with the same dignity and respect as any other citizen, the city would not have this self-inflicted problem.”

“The former mayor’s statement ‘You spend your time cleaning up after people that shouldn’t be there in the first place’ is a direct insult to people who have every right to be here on 1868 Treaty Territory land,” she continued. “In reality who are the ones who don’t have the right to be here on stolen Indian land?”

Big Crow agrees and he said that he will exercise his treaty rights and continue to serve meals at the band shell location until an alternative location is available. Lloyd said he sat with the Mayor and the Chief of Police trying to come to a consensus and help heal the community and has invited him to come and help serve the meals. The mayor has never honored his invitation.

Friday night’s meal was provided by Dakota Rural Action who served the relatives pizza.

“Wopila to all the people who sponsored the feed, Dakota Rural Action, Oyate Kin, and to all the servers who helped,” Big Crow said.

Big Crow said that it is not just the homeless who enjoy the evening meal, but also families who are looking to make ends meet, people who are living in Motels as well as elders and handicapped members of the community.

“This became a community meal over the years where there are a lot of Uncis’ and their grandchildren who attend. A lot of people come from the community in the summer,” he said.

For Tonia Stands, “Feeding the people is WoLakota. This is creating community togetherness.”

Tokala Win Stands and Yamni White Hat were youth who volunteered to serve, “It’s helping out right now, we enjoy it.”

Lloyd has been consistent and he tries to get the whole community involved. He feels like everyone wants to help give back to the community but a lot of people don’t know how.

“We still need a lot of help. So come serve and come get some healing for yourself. If something is bothering you or there are any burdens on your shoulders coming to help serve is a healing activity,” he said.

Big Crow’s mission is to help the elders and heal the youth so that way they don’t end up on the streets. He has helped over twenty relatives receive treatment as well as find the resources that will help each individual.

On average Oyáte kiŋ čhaŋtéwaštepi helps over a hundred people during the community gathering. The reason the meal is provided in a central part of town is because transportation is another issue and the homeless population generally gathers in the heart of the city.

They will serve every Friday at the band shell at 4:30. Any donations are welcome and anyone wishing to make a donation of food should contact them by Sunday.

This community event has become a place where people bring clothes and other items the homeless community needs such as hygiene products.

This gathering is welcome to whoever is hungry and anyone who has exhausted their resources. Big Crow believes we shouldn’t have to ask permission to do something as simple as helping our people. He will continue to host his meals until there is a better option for the community.

(Contact Christopher Piña at staffwriter3@nativesunnews.today)

The post ‘Feeding the people is Wolakota’ first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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