{"id":37870,"date":"2024-09-17T03:15:54","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T08:15:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/lakota-oyate-topa-treaty-council-continues-to-seek-tribal-recognition-funding\/"},"modified":"2024-09-17T03:15:59","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T08:15:59","slug":"lakota-oyate-topa-treaty-council-continues-to-seek-tribal-recognition-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/lakota-oyate-topa-treaty-council-continues-to-seek-tribal-recognition-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakota Oyate Topa Treaty Council continues to seek tribal recognition, funding"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Manny Iron Hawk (Okowozu), Emanuel Red Bear (Oohenumpa), and Harry Little Thunder (seated; Itazipco) are members of the Lakota Oyate Topa Treaty Council.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

EAGLE BUTTE, SD \u2013 On August 15, 2024, two of the four members of the Lakota Oyate Topa Treaty Council (LOTTC) spoke to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) Tribal Council, again seeking collaboration, recognition, and funding. Harry Little Thunder (Itazipco) and Manny Iron Hawk (Titunwan Okowozu) say they were \u201cdisappointed\u201d in the response.<\/p>\n

According to Little Thunder, the majority of the members present were on their phones and laptops while he was speaking to the Tribal Council, not listening. He says their behavior was \u201cdisrespectful\u201d and \u201cunprofessional.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also said that one member of the Tribal Council interrupted him, which was \u201cinappropriate\u201d according to proper parliamentary procedure and \u201cdisrespectful.\u201d Little Thunder said that neither the Sergeant-at-Arms nor the Tribal Chairman who was chairing the meeting corrected the Council member who interrupted. Little Thunder himself had to say to the person who interrupted, \u201cI have the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the LOTTC members concluded their presentation, the Tribal Council said that the matter would be referred to the Tribal Attorney General (AG) for legal review, which is merely a repetition of what the Treaty Council had been told in previous meetings. According to Little Thunder, the Tribal AG received the Treaty Council\u2019s request for review in April, 2024, and has not responded.<\/p>\n

Along with Little Thunder and Iron Hawk, the LOTTC includes Ivan Looking Horse (Siha Sapa) and Emanuel Red Bear (Oohenumpa). Renee Iron Hawk (Tituwan Oohenumpa) serves as the LOTTC treasurer. Both Little Thunder and Iron Hawk are direct descendants of nineteenth century Lakota treaty signers.<\/p>\n

The LOTTC was recognized by the Oceti Sakowin Oyate Treaty omniciye (meeting) at He Sapa (Black Hills) in May, 2021. Also, at a regional Treaty Council summit in Rapid City hosted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe on May 17-19, 2023, LOTTC members were ceremonially recognized, smudged, and blessed.<\/p>\n

For several years the LOTTC has sought recognition, funding, and collaboration with the CRST Tribal Council (see May 10, 2023, article in the West River Eagle at tinyurl.com\/5n73wcda<\/a> and June 7, 2023, article in West River Eagle at tinyurl.com\/74pnxdz6<\/a>).<\/p>\n

As of press time, they have received no formal response from the Tribal Council to their repeated requests in spite of verbal assurances of support from the Tribal Chairman and others. While seeking recognition and funding from the CRST Tribal Council, the LOTTC is operating as effectively as possible with all expenses paid out of the Tribal Council members\u2019 personal funds.<\/p>\n

As of press time, there has been no response to the West River Eagle\u2019s requests for comment from the CRST Tribal Chairman\u2019s office, the Tribal Secretary\u2019s office, or the Tribal Sergeant-at-Arms.<\/p>\n

A Treaty Council such as the LOTTC is an entity separate from and complementary to the Tribal Council. The LOTTC notes these fundamental differences between the Tribal Council and the Treaty Council:<\/p>\n