February 28, 2013

nprradiopictures:

Forty years ago, a caravan of more than 50 cars full of demonstrators pulled into Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. That day marked the beginning of a 71-day occupation led by members of the Oglala Lakota tribe and followers of the American Indian Movement, attempting to address long-standing grievances — not only with the U.S. government but also with tribal leaders.

Over those 71 days, Pine Ridge was effectively barricaded from the outside world. Electricity was turned off even though it was winter, and food and medical supplies were halted. Two Native Americans and one FBI agent died before the standoff ended.

A young Owen Luck got there on the fourth day. He had been a medic in the Vietnam War and was a fledgling photojournalist. “I had very little experience, and this would be considered my first shoot,” he says.

Forty years later, we chatted on the phone about the photos he took at Pine Ridge while serving as a medic and what he sees in them today.

A Photographer Remembers Wounded Knee, 40 Years Later

Photo Credit: Owen Luck

Beautiful photos.

February 6, 2013
lakotapeopleslawproject:

Friends, check out this NPR coverage of a huge success for South Dakota Sioux tribes!!: http://lakota.cc/WRvFzu. SD’s Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) directors and tribal councils sent reports to Congress last week saying SD tramples on ICWA. Please join the Lakota People’s Law Project and the Last Real Indians in petitioning Congress to fix this!!:http://lakota.cc/XkHLCA.

Sovereignty! YEAH!

lakotapeopleslawproject:

Friends, check out this NPR coverage of a huge success for South Dakota Sioux tribes!!: http://lakota.cc/WRvFzu. SD’s Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) directors and tribal councils sent reports to Congress last week saying SD tramples on ICWA. Please join the Lakota People’s Law Project and the Last Real Indians in petitioning Congress to fix this!!:http://lakota.cc/XkHLCA.

Sovereignty! YEAH!

January 17, 2013


Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses (Tashun-Kakokipa), an Oglala Sioux; standing in front of his lodge, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, 01/17/1891 

Young-Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses (Tashun-Kakokipa), an Oglala Sioux; standing in front of his lodge, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, 01/17/1891 

(via todaysdocument)

January 4, 2013
bygoneamericana:

Gordon Swift Hawk. The ‘Red Power’ sticker was a hint of the rising native pride across America’s reservations. South Dakota, circa 1970s.
By Don Dell

bygoneamericana:

Gordon Swift Hawk. The ‘Red Power’ sticker was a hint of the rising native pride across America’s reservations. South Dakota, circa 1970s.

By Don Dell

(Source: The New York Times)

December 9, 2012

Ah, yes. Way back in my first semester of Lakota, when the class was complaining about a particularly confusing text translation, the AI warned us about the day when we would get a text to translate where rocks walk.

Today is that day.

We’ve got gigantic, walking rocks in this story, people.

(And ginormous snakes that look like sticks, and big men that live in a river, but nobody really seems to care about all that. It’s all about the rocks, people!)

November 30, 2012
lastrealindians:

Sioux Tribes Purchase Pe’Sla!
By: Chase Iron Eyes
The unthinkable has happened! The world has shown its support and the Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation) has provided a powerful new narrative for Indigenous people. Indigenous is not a human construct as is “race.” Indigenous is a respect relationship between families, nations and life’s creatures, land, sacred sites, water, with each other, and with the holy powers of the Universe. Indigenous is not anthropocentric, but biocentric. Mitakuye Oyasin -We Are All Related. Even western science has reached this conclusion, finally. Pe’Sla is secured. Our ancestors are watching us, expecting us to fulfill our roles and reach our potential.
 The Pe’Sla effort was driven and shared by many throughout the world, including Dr. Sara Jumping Eagle, Dana Lone Hill, Ruth Hopkins and all who donated time, energy, money and artwork for perks in the first campaign. There are simply too many people in too many capacities to thank. What a whirlwind when we activate. LRI wants to extend its gratitude to the bands of the Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation) who stepped up to make this happen along with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. We owe a special shout out to DJ Two Bears, Sol Guy, Ezra Miller, Anneliese Vandenberg, and Piet Suess who helped spring the movement back into consciousness with the second campaign. Additionally, thanks to celebrities P. Diddy, Bette Midler, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rosanne Barr, Whoopi Goldberg, Ashley Judd, and Susan Sarandon who retweeted to raise awareness to help save Pe’Sla. Most thankfully, we send a voice to our spiritual leaders who answer the call to travel to our sacred sites to perform obligations on our behalf.
 From the bottom of my heart and spirit I know the world is a better place because of the Pe’Sla campaign. Lastrealindians, Inc. has contributed over $900,000 toward the total purchase price of $9 Million. All the day-to-day hustle to meet our basic needs in the artificial, destructive corporate economy fades away when we are engaged in prayer. Our spirits are lifted. I know that when considerable numbers of people around the globe are all thinking and praying about Pe’Sla, our collective human consciousness ascends in a prayer bringing us all to the center. This is a story that transcends race, space and linear time. Ceremonies have been conducted at Pe’Sla for untold millennia. Indeed, the ceremonies carried out at Pe’Sla are for the survival of humanity and the renewal of life’s gifts.
 These are times of prophecy. White buffalo calves are being born, earthquakes and tsunamis abound, droughts ravage our lands, we as humans have lost our way; but there is still hope. We want hope and our spirits require more than what money, oil, and pop “culture” can offer us. As Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle, says, “We humans send sacred energy, we have power, but we don’t use it and we need to in these times; our prophecies tell us to return to the Black Hills.” It is time we come together as one. When we are at our center we are one with the Universe. There is nothing more powerful than dedicated humans strong in their love for Creator. Indeed, this is the only thing that will save us. I believe this is a sign that humans are returning to their center as Crazy Horse said they would…READ THE REST HERE:  http://www.lastrealindians.com/axCommentDetails.php?postId=2138

They did it!!! They really, truly did it! WOO HOO!
THE BLACK HILLS ARE NOT FOR SALE .  .  . ANYMORE.

lastrealindians:

Sioux Tribes Purchase Pe’Sla!

By: Chase Iron Eyes

The unthinkable has happened! The world has shown its support and the Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation) has provided a powerful new narrative for Indigenous people. Indigenous is not a human construct as is “race.” Indigenous is a respect relationship between families, nations and life’s creatures, land, sacred sites, water, with each other, and with the holy powers of the Universe. Indigenous is not anthropocentric, but biocentric. Mitakuye Oyasin -We Are All Related. Even western science has reached this conclusion, finally. Pe’Sla is secured. Our ancestors are watching us, expecting us to fulfill our roles and reach our potential.

The Pe’Sla effort was driven and shared by many throughout the world, including Dr. Sara Jumping Eagle, Dana Lone Hill, Ruth Hopkins and all who donated time, energy, money and artwork for perks in the first campaign. There are simply too many people in too many capacities to thank. What a whirlwind when we activate. LRI wants to extend its gratitude to the bands of the Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation) who stepped up to make this happen along with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation. We owe a special shout out to DJ Two Bears, Sol Guy, Ezra Miller, Anneliese Vandenberg, and Piet Suess who helped spring the movement back into consciousness with the second campaign. Additionally, thanks to celebrities P. Diddy, Bette Midler, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rosanne Barr, Whoopi Goldberg, Ashley Judd, and Susan Sarandon who retweeted to raise awareness to help save Pe’Sla. Most thankfully, we send a voice to our spiritual leaders who answer the call to travel to our sacred sites to perform obligations on our behalf.

From the bottom of my heart and spirit I know the world is a better place because of the Pe’Sla campaign. Lastrealindians, Inc. has contributed over $900,000 toward the total purchase price of $9 Million. All the day-to-day hustle to meet our basic needs in the artificial, destructive corporate economy fades away when we are engaged in prayer. Our spirits are lifted. I know that when considerable numbers of people around the globe are all thinking and praying about Pe’Sla, our collective human consciousness ascends in a prayer bringing us all to the center. This is a story that transcends race, space and linear time. Ceremonies have been conducted at Pe’Sla for untold millennia. Indeed, the ceremonies carried out at Pe’Sla are for the survival of humanity and the renewal of life’s gifts.

These are times of prophecy. White buffalo calves are being born, earthquakes and tsunamis abound, droughts ravage our lands, we as humans have lost our way; but there is still hope. We want hope and our spirits require more than what money, oil, and pop “culture” can offer us. As Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle, says, “We humans send sacred energy, we have power, but we don’t use it and we need to in these times; our prophecies tell us to return to the Black Hills.” It is time we come together as one. When we are at our center we are one with the Universe. There is nothing more powerful than dedicated humans strong in their love for Creator. Indeed, this is the only thing that will save us. I believe this is a sign that humans are returning to their center as Crazy Horse said they would…READ THE REST HERE:  http://www.lastrealindians.com/axCommentDetails.php?postId=2138

They did it!!! They really, truly did it! WOO HOO!

THE BLACK HILLS ARE NOT FOR SALE .  .  . ANYMORE.

November 30, 2012
lakotapeopleslawproject:

NPR BREAKING NEWS ON NPR! In a strong showing of solidarity, the Coalition of Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Directors in South Dakota voted 6-0 to submit a report to Congress confirming S.D.’s systematic violations of ICWA. The directors demanded that the Bureau of Indian Affairs live up to its months-old promise of hosting a summit on Native American foster care in S.D. LISTEN TO THE NPR REPORT HERE: http://n.pr/TyfUfb

YES. GOOD.

lakotapeopleslawproject:

NPR BREAKING NEWS ON NPR! In a strong showing of solidarity, the Coalition of Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Directors in South Dakota voted 6-0 to submit a report to Congress confirming S.D.’s systematic violations of ICWA. The directors demanded that the Bureau of Indian Affairs live up to its months-old promise of hosting a summit on Native American foster care in S.D. LISTEN TO THE NPR REPORT HERE: http://n.pr/TyfUfb

YES. GOOD.

November 30, 2012
lastrealindians:

Joint Press Release from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Tribe- Historic Reacquisition of Pe-Sla Sacred Site Was Signed Today

lastrealindians:

Joint Press Release from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Tribe- Historic Reacquisition of Pe-Sla Sacred Site Was Signed Today

November 28, 2012
lakotapeopleslawproject:

ACTION ALERT! This coming Thursday South Dakota’s nine Indian Child Welfare Act Directors will vote on whether to make D.S.S. follow the law by placing Lakota foster children with Native families. Right now 90% of children are placed in non-Native homes. HAVE YOU SIGNED OUR PETITION TO ENCOURAGE A YES VOTE? Join us at Lakota People’s Law Project and the Last Real Indians in defending ICWA. Please LIKE and SHARE this post! http://on.fb.me/S1CL4c

Last year I posted an NPR report on Facebook about this. Hopefully things will change now.

lakotapeopleslawproject:

ACTION ALERT! This coming Thursday South Dakota’s nine Indian Child Welfare Act Directors will vote on whether to make D.S.S. follow the law by placing Lakota foster children with Native families. Right now 90% of children are placed in non-Native homes. HAVE YOU SIGNED OUR PETITION TO ENCOURAGE A YES VOTE? Join us at Lakota People’s Law Project and the Last Real Indians in defending ICWA. Please LIKE and SHARE this post! http://on.fb.me/S1CL4c

Last year I posted an NPR report on Facebook about this. Hopefully things will change now.

(via lastrealindians)

November 28, 2012
lastrealindians:

Lastrealindian Chase Iron Eyes is going to be on American Public Media’s ‘The Story’ TODAY. Click on the link to find out where and when you can to tune in to listen to him discuss Pe’Sla: http://thestory.org/Stations

lastrealindians:

Lastrealindian Chase Iron Eyes is going to be on American Public Media’s ‘The Story’ TODAY. Click on the link to find out where and when you can to tune in to listen to him discuss Pe’Sla: http://thestory.org/Stations

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