Wakan Tahoki Omniciye

WANBLEE — The third meeting of Wakan Tahoki Omniciye was held this past Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the TNT Building in Wanblee. The meeting commenced with an opening prayer from Richard Broken Nose which was followed by words of encouragement from Colin Gay. Twenty-five people were present. The word “omniciye” in Lakota means “a call to meet.” The focus of these meetings is to discuss concerns of tribal Elders whose lives are impacted by the following issues with the most important being housing, public safety and constitutional reforms:

– Law + Order (courts and jails)

– Public Safety (police)

– Violence

– Drug and Alcohol Abuse

– Housing

– Health Care

– Health Resources (ambulance, CHR, etc…)

– Elder Abuse

– Land Lease Issues

– Land and Water Contamination from Junk Cars

– Child Protection/ICWA

– MMIP

– Foster Grandparent Program

– Housing and Public Safety

– Protection for the Elderly and Everyone on the Reservation

This committee tried to work with the Executive Board of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation and decided to organize independently on a grassroots level at their own expense as volunteers, sharing resources whenever possible. Elders came together because they felt they were not being told what was happening on the Tribal Council floor. They wanted to know how they could help and support each other and the Oglala Sioux Tribe. With the onslaught of COVID, the ability of people to gather and get involved stopped abruptly and Elders were forced to turn to the radio for information. COVID only intensified their need to take action and motivate their communities to become more involved in tribal government.

The organizers of the Voice of the Elders committee meetings include Wilma Thin Elk, Linda Bull Bear, Bonnie Holy Rock, Rodger Iron Cloud, Robin Tapio and Marla Jean Big Boy. The location of each meeting rotates throughout the nine districts so that many more people will be able to attend. The possibility of organizing a bus for the Elders in order to facilitate attendance at these meetings was discussed. Some Elders are home bound because of their own health issues or due to caring for family members with health issues of their own. The group plans to meet once a month on an ongoing basis. It has the option of producing a program on KILI Radio as well.

It was suggested that each of the nine districts send a representative to the Tribal Council meetings each month. Jake Yellow Horse made the point that the Tribal Council must listen to the Elders. Tribal Council members are in office because the people elected them and put them in their positions of leadership.

It was strongly suggested that all officials, not only the president and vice president of the tribe, go through the election process as opposed to being selected to serve. That would mean that the secretary, treasurer, Sargent of Arms and the 5th Member of the tribe as well as the president and vice president be elected by the voting population of the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Attorney Marla Jean Big Boy spoke at length on the proposed amendment of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Constitution Article III Section 2 and Section 6. This proposed resolution is as follows:

The Voice of the Elders Committee would like to reduce the number of representatives from 21 down to 9. This would include one representative for each of the nine districts. This reduced payroll cost would loosen up funds for each of the districts to address much needed things such as repairing of roads, building repairs, addressing neighborhood meth houses and many other pressing issues. This would allow the Oglala Sioux Tribe to make a better life for their Oyate and empower the individual districts. One pressing issue that was discussed was rescuing children from meth houses. Issues such as this should take precedence over petty arguing within and between the Tribal Council and the districts.

Tribal Council member Robin Tapio made the point that little has changed on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the past several years. Term limits were discussed and need to be put in place. There is little change in tribal government which encourages things to stay the same. A strategic assessment of life on the reservation needs to be implemented. Meeting with the Bureau of Indian Affairs was discussed to put this assessment in place.

Veterans and Elders must be respected. Their knowledge and experience are invaluable assets to the Pine Ridge community. It was suggested that, as had been done in the past, any complaints against Tribal Council members be read aloud over the air on KILI Radio so that the members of the tribe are informed. This will create a state of transparency which will benefit both the Tribal Council members and Tribal members.

Another concern expressed is the fact that Tribal Council meetings are held in Box Elder and off the Pine Ridge Reservation in general. Questions were raised as to why Tribal Council members were not spending those dollars on the reservation when increased revenue supports Pine Ridge residents directly. It was suggested that Tribal Council meetings be prohibited from being held off the reservation.

The date of the next Wakan Tahoki Omniciye Meeting is to be announced. This writer has offered to attend future meetings to provide continued reporting to the public on vital topics under discussion by the senior members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

For information on the Voices of the Elders Meetings, please contact WakanTahoki Omniciye at wtomniciye@gmail.com.

 

(Contact Mia Feroleto at mia.feroleto@gmail.com)

 

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