Mitakuye Oyasin

and what they are proposing, is simply awesome….

The Lakota are fully within their right to reclaim their land. They were here first, and every treaty they have signed has been violated as they were shuffled from less and less desirable plots of land so that the State could claim their resources, and weaken and dilute their culture so as to make them less of a threat.

If you think anything else, you need to read your history.

An excellent, light introduction to the plight of indigenous natives to the western hemisphere is shown in ‘500 Nations’ and 8 part dvd. Narrated by Kevin Costner, for all those of you who need some ‘trustworthy branding’.

America is an incredibly ironic culture in that we send billions of dollars annually to the middle east to purchase arms to establish ‘homelands’ and encourage ‘freedom’ and yet we systematically decimate the local actual homelands of the natives who were here long before the first Spanish gold lusting war party arrived.

So what will happen to non-natives who live on the Lakota land? Well, gosh, you might have to move! Imagine that, being forced to move from the place you called home…….hmmmmm sound familiar?

Or maybe they would be nice and let you stay. Your income taxes could go to your lease on your land and the new infrastructure. You’d probably actually come out with more money as you wouldn’t be supporting a huge federal war.

When lands were appropriated from the natives in the early history of the US, they took signatures from anyone who could make a mark- including children. They were counted as part of the tribe with a voice and a vote according to those who drew out the paperwork… Pretty low, huh? And although tribes were independent from each other, and the US knew this, because they were of the same “kind” any agreement made with one tribe of “X” was binding to all “X” people. All in all, the US is sadly misled by their history books and horn tooting. If people really educated themselves they would be ashamed of the things this country has done and continues to do to the original people of this land.

History has recently been revisited and today you can find volumes that have stated, with documentation, how the US has treated the Natives of this land. History is not quite as pretty as the public school system would have you believe. There is more than enough documentation out there for those interested to see what the US has done, and not done. With the Freedom of Information Act, all you have to do is ask. You can start with the Native’s claims and corroborate with the treaties, minutes, transcripts and other legal documentation that is available from your very own US government offices. You will see how time and again the US has broken the very laws it claims to fight for.

Those who don’t know any better don’t want to know any better.

To paraphrase a certain movie featuring pirates, its more a guideline than a law. Adding your support to any cause should start with some research and critical thinking. A good rule of thumb is to listen to what tribal leaders, indigenous-run press sources, and the “indigenous street” are saying, since activists can often make sweeping claims that are over-exaggerated at times. Waiting for what the cooler heads have to say is often good advice.

But having said that, I stand by my oft-repeated insistence that modern Pagans should practice solidarity with indigenous groups. But solidarity doesn’t mean abandoning our own judgment or wisdom.