While missing persons cases involving white women often receive national attention, the stories of the more than 5,700 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) across the country often remain overlooked by news media and law enforcement. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Indigenous women in certain areas of the US are 10 times more likely to be kidnapped or murdered than any other demographic, and the perpetrators of these crimes often face no conviction.

​Despite their increased risk of experiencing violence, Indigenous women who are missing or murdered receive significantly less media coverage than female white victims of violence, and there is still no official data count on the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the United States. This crisis also extends into Canada's Indigenous communities, and the term Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) has been used to include the girls, men, and two-spirit Indigenous people affected by violence across the continent.

In an effort to bring awareness to the violence and invisibility faced by MMIW, Duane Garvais Lawrence launched the second annual MMIW Bike-Run USA in mid-July of this year. Runners, cyclists, and supporters on the journey made their way from Washington state to the nation’s Capital, where the Bike-Run came to a close last Friday. We recently caught up with Mary Weasel Bear, who traveled with the Bike-Run from South Dakota to Washington D.C. She told us about her experience and the spirit of remembrance that motivates her to advocate for MMIW:

​“For me, it's really important because I lost my friend.” Mary was inspired to join the cross-country bike-run in order to honor her friend Lakota Renville. Lakota was found murdered in 2005, and her name adorns the RV pictured above, alongside the names of many more victims of violence against Indigenous people. “I feel obligated to her mother to help find justice for my friend,” Mary said of her motivation to advocate for the investigation of Lakota’s case and the cases of all MMIW. She feels that if resources had been dedicated to finding her friend in the same way that they are devoted to the search for missing white women, Lakota may have been found sooner. Mary also biked in honor of her sister-in-law, Susan Fast Eagle-Chief Eagle, who has been missing from Rapid City, SD since May 2021.

The federal government has recently undertaken efforts to address this crisis and begin tracking related data. Two bills signed into law in October 2020, Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act, aim to increase coordination between tribal, state, and federal law enforcement, to require the collection of data on MMIW, and to allocate more resources to tribal governments for the investigation of MMIW cases. Deb Haaland, US Secretary of the Interior and member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, has also created a Missing & Murdered Unit (MMU) within the Bureau of Indian Affairs. But with so many cases continuing to go unsolved, under-investigated by law enforcement, and underreported in the media, activists have highlighted the importance of continued efforts to protect Native women and to raise public awareness around this issue. 

As Mary Weasel Bear told us: “There’s 6,000 families out there wondering about their loved ones. It’s about time America wakes up and acknowledges it.” Thank you, Mary, for sharing your insight on this topic and for the work you are doing to advocate for MMIW.

Last week, we highlighted the MMIW Bike-Run on our social media channels and, in an effort to continue to bring awareness to this topic, we will be holding an online conversation with Mary Weasel Bear about MMIW on Wednesday, October 27th. Use this link to join or to call in: 1 669 900 6833  Use Passcode: 873683

Additional resources on the MMIW crisis listed below.

Resource Links

On the current epidemic of violence against Indigenous people and the invisibility faced by MMIW/MMIP:

“#NotInvisible: Why are Native American women vanishing?” from The Associated Press:
https://apnews.com/article/missing-in-indian-country-north-america-mountains-mo-state-wire-sd-state-wire-cb6efc4ec93e4e92900ec99ccbcb7e05

“No one knows how many Native women are murdered each year. That makes deaths hard to stop.” from NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/no-one-knows-how-many-indigenous-women-are-murdered-each-n1277565

“As Petito case captivates U.S., missing Native women ignored” from Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/petito-case-captivates-us-missing-native-women-ignored-2021-09-22/

"Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls," a report from the Urban Indian Health Institute on the MMIW crisis and institutional practices that make them invisible in life, in the media, and in data:
https://www.uihi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Missing-and-Murdered-Indigenous-Women-and-Girls-Report.pdf
 

On the MMIW-Bike-Run USA 2021, which came to a close last Friday:

“MMIW relay passes through Rosebud on way to Washington” from Indian Country Today:
https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/mmiw-relay-passes-through-rosebud-on-way-to-washington
​
"Native American Runners Honor A Kansas City Murder Victim On Their Months-Long Journey To D.C." from KCUR: https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-09-23/native-american-runners-honor-a-kansas-city-murder-victim-on-their-months-long-journey-to-d-c

 
Organizations leading the way for change in the ongoing MMIW crisis:

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA https://mmiwusa.org/

Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women https://www.csvanw.org/mmiw

MMIWhoIsMissing https://mmiwhoismissing.org/

Not Our Native Daughters https://www.notournativedaughters.org/

Sovereign Bodies Institute https://www.sovereign-bodies.org/

While Native representation in media has slowly grown in recent years, erasure and invisibility in classrooms and beyond continue to marginalize Indigenous people and cloud the public understanding of the truth surrounding our shared histories.

In a set of social studies standards released on August 6th, officials of South Dakota's Department of Education omitted over a dozen learning objectives related to the Oceti Sakowin that had been proposed by a working group ten days prior. The Oceti Sakowin, or Seven Council Fires, refers to the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota peoples Indigenous to the Dakotas and the surrounding region. The erasure of Indigenous history is an issue in school districts across the country: a 2019 report on Native education by the National Congress of American Indians revealed that less than half of the 28 states surveyed require that Native education curricula be taught in K-12 schools.

In a letter sent to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem by the Oglala Sioux Tribe following the release of the standards, Tribal President Kevin Killer stated "Our children, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, deserve an education that does not shy away from the ugly realities in this country's history or the perspectives of peoples of color who have too long been marginalized."

Despite these efforts to erase Indigenous people and their histories, recently released data from the 2020 US Census revealed that the Native population is at its largest size in modern times. Experts have identified several factors potentially contributing to the rise in the Native population, including changes to the census questionnaire, an increase in the number of mixed-race families, effective outreach campaigns, and a rise in Latino individuals identifying with their Indigenous heritage. This census data is likely to impact state legislative and congressional redistricting processes, as well as the allocation of federal funds for services and programs in Native communities.

Though the increase in population was celebrated by Native-led organizations, advocates and officials have also expressed that Indigenous people were likely undercounted in the census. It is estimated that 1 in 3 Indigenous people live in hard-to-count US census tracts, and Native people living on reservations and in Alaska Native communities have been historically underrepresented in census data as a result of various factors including economic hardship, lack of telephones, and rural locations.

As the Indigenous population grows, so too do the calls to address the historical and present-day injustices committed against Native communities. Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed executive orders on August 17th rescinding two 1864 proclamations which had called for forced relocation and violence against Indigenous people in the state. The proclamations, issued 157 years ago by then-territorial Governor John Evans, required “friendly” Indigenous people in Colorado to relocate to designated camps, and authorized Colorado settlers to steal from and “kill and destroy” any Native people they deemed hostile.

Evans' proclamations later incited the Sand Creek Massacre of November 1864, in which US soldiers attacked a Cheyenne and Arapaho village in southeast Colorado and killed hundreds of Indigenous people- primarily women, children, and the elderly. Indigenous leaders who attended the signing of the recent executive orders expressed that government responsibility for past injustices is an important step in the healing process. However, they also highlighted the need for more efforts towards redress and reconciliation, such as the renaming of Mount Evans.

Additional resources on the recently released South Dakota social studies standards, the increase in the Native population identified in the 2020 Census, and Governor Polis' August 17th executive orders listed below.

Resource Links

On the erasure of the Oceti Sakowin from South Dakota social studies standards:
 
"South Dakota Department of Education contributes to 'Native erasure' in new social studies standards" from Native News Online: 
https://nativenewsonline.net/education/south-dakota-department-of-education-contributes-to-native-erasure-in-new-social-studies-standards
 
A letter from the Oglala Sioux Tribe to SD Governor Kristi Noem in opposition to the erasure of Indigenous history from state curricula: https://www.facebook.com/withkevwecan/posts/10158402733663174
 
"Becoming Visible," a report from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and Illuminative on current efforts towards Native Education across the US: https://www.ncai.org/policy-research-center/research-data/prc-publications/NCAI-Becoming_Visible_Report-Digital_FINAL_10_2019.pdf
 
 
On the 2020 Census and the increase in the Native population:
 
"Native American population jumps to largest size in modern history" from Axios: https://www.axios.com/census-native-american-alaska-population-surges-1be8eef6-d09f-4249-86b0-7bf8cfbfc801.html
 
"Why the jump in the Native American population may be one of the hardest to explain" from CNN: 
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/19/us/census-native-americans-rise-population/index.html
 
An overview of the importance of the census for Indigenous communities and the challenges to accurately counting the Native population from the NCAI: 
https://www.ncai.org/policy-issues/economic-development-commerce/census
 
 
On the 1864 proclamations recently rescinded via executive order by Colorado Governor Jared Polis:
 
"Colorado governor rescinds proclamations that led to Sand Creek Massacre" from the Colorado Sun:
 https://coloradosun.com/2021/08/17/sand-creek-rescind-evans-proclamation/
 
"Colorado governor voids 1864 order to kill Natives" from Indian Country Today: 
https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/colorado-governor-voids-1864-order-to-kill-natives
 
"Colorado Experience: Sand Creek Massacre," a one-hour documentary from PBS on the history of Evans' proclamations and the Sand Creek Massacre, available to watch for free at the following link:
 https://www.pbs.org/video/colorado-experience-sand-creek-massacre/

Sources for this newsletter include: Coverage of these topics from Indian Country Today, Native News Online, Axios, the Associated Press, CNN, NPR, Colorado Public Radio, the Colorado Sun, the National Park Service, the Argus Leader, US News, the National Congress of American Indians, and USA Today, as well as a 2017 report on hard-to-count census tracts from the University of New Hampshire and recent statements on the erasure of Native people from SD educational standards from NDN Collective and the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

State legislatures, professional sports teams, and public schools across the country have recently been reckoning with the harm caused by offensive Native mascots. In Colorado, years of advocacy by the Ute, Southern Ute, and Northern Arapaho nations led to the June enactment of SB21-116, a bill banning the use of Native mascots in the state’s public schools. In Ohio, the July 23rd announcement by Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team that they will be changing their name to the Cleveland Guardians was commended by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) as a step forward in educating the public on this topic. And in the nation’s capital, the Washington Football team recently confirmed that they will not be choosing a mascot with Native-related imagery in the wake of the summer 2020 retirement of their previous offensive mascot. This progress follows years of academic research on the detrimental impact of Native mascots and decades-long efforts from advocacy groups and Indigenous activists like Suzan Harjo (Hodulgee Muscogee and Cheyenne), Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee), and Amanda Blackhorse (Diné) to retire such mascots.

Studies have shown that Native mascots have a number of negative effects on Indigenous people and, in particular, on Indigenous youth. These effects include low self-esteem, depression, a decreased sense of community worth, and increased stress levels. The same studies have also shown that the mascots contribute to negative stereotypes of Indigenous populations amongst non-Native people and make it more difficult to build positive cross-cultural relationships. The negative impact of caricatured sports mascots is further magnified by the stark lack of Indigenous representation in other media.

While the NCAI has identified over 1,800 k-12 schools across the country which still have a Native mascot, activists and Native advocacy groups have expressed their hope that the recent mascot bans and name changes are a step in the right direction towards the removal of dehumanizing Native mascots and towards an increase in the visibility of Indigenous people through more accurate and positive representation.

Last week, we spoke to Gen7 youth Exodus to hear his thoughts as an Indigenous young person on mascots and the importance of positive Native representation. Exodus expressed support for the Colorado legislature’s recent ban on Native mascots in the state's public schools, as he feels the mascots make fun of how Indigenous people historically lived and dressed. "That's setting a bad view to us and our sacred lands," he said of the mascots. When asked about his thoughts on Indigenous representation, Exodus stated that he would like to see more positivity and respect towards Native people. We offer him our gratitude for sharing his insight on this topic with us!

Additional resources on Native mascots, their harmful effects, and the ongoing movement to retire them listed below.

Resource Links

A Time Magazine interview with Adrienne Keene (Cherokee) on the history and impact of Native mascots: https://time.com/5866481/native-american-mascots/

A documentary which analyzes the derogatory Washington Football Team name and discusses the appropriation of Native cultures. Available on Kanopy with a university login or public library card for participating colleges, universities, and libraries: https://www.kanopy.com/product/more-word


Research on the harmful effects of Native mascots:

A 2008 study on the psychological effects of Native mascots by Stephanie A. Fryberg, Hazel Rose Markus, Daphna Oyserman, and Joseph M. Stone: http://www.indianmascots.com/fryberg--web-psychological_.pdf

A summary, created by Illuminatives, of a recent study on the relationship between Native American identity and attitudes toward Native mascots: 
https://illuminatives.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/UnpackingTheMascotDebate.Explainer.pdf?x18008


On recent name changes and bans on Native mascots:

“The long road to a reckoning on racist team names” from Vox: 
https://www.vox.com/first-person/22596477/cleveland-indians-racist-name-change

“Indigenous parents explain why Cleveland Guardians name change means so much” from Today: 
https://www.today.com/parents/cleveland-indians-become-guardians-indigenous-parents-cheer-t226405

“Washington NFL Team says no Native-themed mascot” from Indian Country Today: 
https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/washington-nfl-team-says-no-native-themed-mascot

A summary of Colorado SB21-116: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb21-116


Organizations leading the movement to remove dehumanizing Native Mascots:

Illuminatives https://illuminatives.org/change-the-name/

The National Congress of American Indians: https://www.ncai.org/proudtobe

No More Native Mascots: http://www.nomorenativemascots.org/

Change the Mascot: https://www.changethemascot.org/

In a typical year, the dust from the LakotaRide would now be settling. Riders would be gently easing back into the rhythms of their daily lives, processing the lessons learned on horseback and around the sacred circle, and taking time to reflect. But even amidst the postponement of the LakotaRide, the Spirit of the Tsunka Wakan Oyate (Horse Nation) and the commitment to reconciliation central to the Ride have continued to inspire us. Recently, Keeper of the Firewood Norbert "Nobby" Bell generously shared his experiences and knowledge of horses with us in honor of the LakotaRide:

“The Tsunka Wakan is a holy animal. It’s sacred,” said Bell of horses within the cultures of Plains tribes. The Horse, he explained, is sacred for its presence in the everyday lives of Indigenous people on the Plains. Horses originated millions of years ago in North America before spreading to Asia and Europe. After several millennia of extinction on their native continent, they quickly readapted to the land upon their reintroduction by the Spanish. Whether carrying riders and heavy loads across long distances, making hunting more efficient, participating in ceremonies, or guiding warriors in battle, horses played a crucial role in the history of tribes across the continent. Bell expressed that the role of the horse as a companion is still key to the Plains tribes, stating “Once you make that connection [with a horse], they’re your best friend for life.”

Nobby is a Northern Arapaho tribal elder living on Pine Ridge and has been working with horses his entire life. We offer him our gratitude for sharing this knowledge!

While the LakotaRide is rooted in horse medicine, it is also characterized by a dedication to the sacred work of reconciliation. On the LakotaRide - and during Tipi Raisers gatherings throughout the year - reconciliation takes many forms. It reveals itself in nightly circles as Native and non-Native people engage in honest dialogue, in warm meals eaten together after a long day riding through the Front Range, in the faces of Lakota elders who graciously share their wisdom and of volunteers who return year after year. Often, reconciliation hurts. It is a deep-seated and Spirit-fed obligation to one another, fulfilled through laughter, struggle, teaching, and learning, through speaking bravely and listening earnestly. It requires an unlearning of the whitewashed history so many of us have been taught, and calls us to learn the truth of our shared history from the Indigenous perspective.

While reconciliation in the Tipi Raisers context is centered on relationship-building, a nationwide conversation has recently been emerging around what a US government-led reconciliation initiative with Indigenous communities should look like.

Truth and reconciliation commissions have been implemented by over 40 countries since the mid-20th century with the purpose of addressing, documenting, and healing traumatic and unjust histories. The June announcement of an investigation into Native boarding schools by the US Department of the Interior has prompted some to compare the initiative with Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The TRC, formed by the Canadian government in 2008, was tasked with investigating the history and ongoing effects of abuses committed against Indigenous children at the country's state and church-run residential schools. Some residential school survivors stated that the TRC’s 2015 presentation of its findings contributed to their journey towards healing, while other individuals and groups have since criticized the TRC’s efficacy and its failure to fully investigate mass graves at school sites.

A bill to establish a truth and reconciliation commission on Native boarding schools similar to Canada's TRC was introduced into the US House of Representatives in 2020 by then-congresswoman Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), but has yet to move out of committee. Despite this delay on a congressional effort towards reconciliation, activists have expressed hope that the Department of the Interior’s investigation under now-Secretary Haaland’s leadership will begin to address the injustices of Native boarding schools in the US.

Additional resources on the role of horses in Indigenous cultures, reconciliation and more listed below.

Resource Links

Archives from a 2009-2013 exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian on the history and significance of the Horse in Native cultures:
https://americanindian.si.edu/static/exhibitions/horsenation/index.html

An article from The Conversation discussing restorative justice and the efficacy of truth commissions in over 40 countries worldwide:
https://theconversation.com/do-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions-heal-divided-nations-109925
 

On Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the criticisms it has faced:
 
The archived official website of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, including links to its official report and findings, exhibitions, and additional resources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20200507221904/http://www.trc.ca/index.html
 
“'Cultural Genocide,' Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls Residential Schools” from Indian Country Today
https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/coming-full-circle-truth-and-reconciliation-calls-residential-schools-cultural-genocide
 
“Much work remains on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action” from the National Post https://nationalpost.com/news/much-work-remains-on-the-truth-and-reconciliation-commissions-94-calls-to-action
 
 
On US-government led reconciliation initiatives in regards to Native Boarding Schools: 
 
“Canada, US differ on boarding schools” from Indian Country Today
https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/canada-u-s-differ-on-boarding-school-policies
 
Full text of HR. 8420, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policy Act
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8420/text
 

On local reconciliation efforts in Colorado and beyond:
 
“Search for remains at Colorado’s Native American boarding schools to proceed slowly, respectfully” from the Denver Post https://www.denverpost.com/2021/07/25/colorado-indian-boarding-schools-remains-graves/
 
“Dawnland” - A documentary which follows Native and non-Native officials across Maine as they investigate the impact of harmful child welfare practices against Native children and engage in the first government-sanctioned truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) in the United States. Available with a PBS passport subscription here: https://www.pbs.org/video/dawnland-t0dsij/#

July 15th marked the 5th anniversary of a prayer run that brought the #NoDAPL movement into the public consciousness. On that date in 2016, Indigenous youth living in the Sacred Stone Camp at Standing Rock began a 2,000+ mile run from North Dakota to Washington D.C. to demand a stop to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) by oil/gas company Energy Transfer Partners. The pipeline, which began operating in 2017, is opposed by Native water protectors and allies of the #NoDAPL movement for various reasons, including its high risk of polluting water sources for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the communities in its path, its disturbance of sacred burial sites during construction, and its role in the larger climate crisis facing the world today.

United by the belief that Water is Life (Mni Wiconi in Lakota), the #NoDAPL movement began to grow throughout 2016 as water protectors came together at the Sacred Stone Camp on the Standing Rock Reservation. The camp, located near the site of DAPL construction, would eventually become the largest gathering of Indigenous nations in modern American history. Following months of demonstrations at the camp and across the nation, construction of the pipeline was briefly halted by the federal government in December 2016. However, an executive order by then-President Trump rebooted the DAPL project and led to its completion in mid-2017.

There were at least five leaks from the DAPL during its first six months of operation, and though the pipeline is currently under environmental review by the Army Corps of Engineers, oil continues to flow through it today.  As a result, Lakota youth leaders recently announced plans for another youth run to demand a full shutdown of the DAPL by President Biden.

Bobbi Jean Three Legs, who helped organize the 2016 run to DC, joined the Tipi Raisers and Colorado Young Leaders for the Inspiring Action Speaker series earlier this year to share her experiences living at the Sacred Stone Camp and organizing the run. Three Legs, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (Hunkpapa Oyate), was inspired to become a water protector after imagining what it would be like if there was no clean water to give to her young daughter. She continues to organize youth in her community around efforts to protect their land and water (Inspiring Action Speaker Series with Bobbi Jean Three Legs).

As we continue to commemorate five years since the height of the #NoDAPL movement throughout the fall and winter, stay tuned for future Reconciliation through Education newsletters on this topic.

More resources on Standing Rock listed below.

Resource Links

A comprehensive history of the events at Standing Rock from the Reclaiming Native Truth project:
https://www.firstnations.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Compressed-Standing-Rock-Report-Screen.pdf

A reflection by Sacred Stone Camp founder LaDonna Brave Bull Allard on the past and present desecration of Indigenous land, water, and life at the hands of government officials and extractive industries:
https://www.yesmagazine.org/democracy/2016/09/03/why-the-founder-of-standing-rock-sioux-camp-cant-forget-the-whitestone-massacre


On Indigenous resistance at Standing Rock and the environmental and cultural concerns surrounding pipelines: 

“Tribes Across North America Converge at Standing Rock, Hoping to be Heard” A report from PBS NewsHour
https://youtu.be/9-EQ7BuhQq4

“The Standing Rock resistance and our fight for Indigenous rights” A TED Talk from Tribal Attorney Tara Houska, Couchiching First Nation https://youtu.be/wD3-6JIUF7M


On the Indigenous youth activism that inspired the movement and continues to create change today:

 “The Youth Group that Launched a Movement at Standing Rock” from the New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/31/magazine/the-youth-group-that-launched-a-movement-at-standing-rock.html

“Native Youth Deliver Petition Against Pipeline to White House” from Colorlines
https://www.colorlines.com/articles/photos-native-youth-deliver-petition-against-pipeline-white-house

“Standing Rock Lakota youth announce 93-mile relay run calling for Biden to shut down Dakota Access Pipeline” from Indian Country Today https://indiancountrytoday.com/the-press-pool/standing-rock-lakota-youth-announce-93-mile-relay-run-calling-for-biden-to-shut-down-dakota-access-pipeline

The recent discoveries of mass graves at several Canadian residential school sites have prompted discussions around the painful history of boarding schools for Native children in the United States. Beginning in the 19th century, children at the over 367 Native boarding schools run by government and religious officials in the US often faced abuse and neglect (Seattle Times). Many of these schools remained in operation until the 1990s, and around 70 Native boarding schools are still operating today. A 1928 report ordered by the Department of the Interior found that death rates for Indigenous children in boarding schools were around 6 times higher than the average death rate for other ethnicities (NARF- Meriam Report). A new initiative announced in June by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland aims to identify boarding schools, locate burial sites, and coordinate with tribes to repatriate the remains of the children buried in mass graves.

While the stories of boarding school survivors are often horrifying, we believe they are necessary to hear if we are to begin reconciling this history.

More resources on this topic listed below.

Last week our Gen7 Youth Leadership group stayed at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO.  We visited a display on campus chronicling the history of the school - which started as a military fort and then became an "Indian Boarding School".  The school acknowledges that the display is white-centered and has a plan to replace it in a way that more accurately reflects the real history.  

The school offers free tuition to qualified Native American students which make up 26% of all degrees awarded at the school. "In 1911, the fort's property and buildings in Hesperus were transferred to the state of Colorado to establish an "agricultural and mechanic arts high school." That deed came with two conditions: that the land would be used for an educational institution, and was “to be maintained as an institution of learning to which Indian students will be admitted free of tuition and on an equality with white students” in perpetuity (Act of 61st Congress, 1911). Both conditions have been the Fort Lewis school's missions and guides over the past century". Source: https://www.fortlewis.edu/about-flc/history

Resource Links
Account from Lakota tribal member, Walter Little Moon, of his experiences at various boarding schools: https://listen.sdpb.org/post/boarding-school-memories-haunt-lakota-man?fbclid=IwAR02uWcBrwYM-50yMH4t-Yje6qvn8k2ZjP10BCydscVEk3aGbrUg6ebG63w
 
​
On the history and lasting effects of boarding schools in the United States:
 
“Death by Civilization” from Mary Annette Pember for the Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/03/traumatic-legacy-indian-boarding-schools/584293/
 
“American Indian Boarding Schools Haunt Many” Part 1 of a story from NPR
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16516865
 
"American Indian School a Far Cry from the Past" Part 2 of a story from NPR
 https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17645287
 

On the recent discoveries of mass graves at Kamloops and other residential school sites around Canada:
​
"How Some Children at the Kamloops Residential School Died"- Source: CBC News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP90HOp08Mc&t=568s
 

On truth, reconciliation, reparations, and the recently announced federal initiative to investigate boarding schools:

“Interior  Secretary Deb Haaland Announces Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to Shed Light on Dark History of the Boarding School System” 
https://nativenewsonline.net/currents/interior-sec-haaland-announces-federal-indian-boarding-school-initiative-to-shed-light-on-the-dark-history-of-the-boarding-school-system
 
“U.S. Boarding Schools Were The Blueprint For Indigenous Family Separation In Canada” an interview and article from NPR
www.npr.org/2021/06/03/1003020286/u-s-boarding-schools-were-the-blueprint-for-indigenous-family-separation-in-cana
 
A list of books on this topic, primarily by Indigenous authors, can be found at this link:
https://boardingschoolhealing.org/education/resources/book-list-for-indigenous-peoples-day-2020/

A Lakota elder who speaks to our groups teaches us that reconciliation is "moving toward our own divinity" and that is where you will find forgiveness. Other – more traditional – definitions would say that it is simply about moving on after a disagreement. This is complex work with no agreed-upon definitions. It is wrought with generations of trauma from broken treaties, attempted genocide, overt racism and white guilt. We approach it with humility, curiosity and a deeply held conviction to get it right over time.
​
Our Reconciliation through Education newsletter seeks to engage us all in the work of reconciliation by deconstructing misconceptions, illuminating truths, and guiding us toward a deeper understanding of the shared history between Native and non-Native people.

It is only in understanding this history that we may begin to reconcile it. We invite you all to join us in this space as we discuss and share resources on various historical, cultural, and current events topics. We also invite you to follow along on our Facebook page each Friday as we continue to share out some of our Reconciliation through Education topics and resources - and check out our previous Friday posts if you have not already!

​The day had started out easily enough – it was hot, however a light breeze was coming in every now and then to cool both the horses and riders down.  A half dozen young riders had tacked up their horses early that morning, warmed them up in the corral and ridden towards Oglala without a problem. One of our young riders noted to himself something interesting he observed with a cow when we were tacking up- but for whatever reason, chose not to say anything.
 
The horses, this time of year, tend to be a little more frisky than normal – not having been ridden for most of the winter and super charged up on the nutrient rich grass that covers much of the reservation in the Spring.  And so, when the riders came back in – with no bumps or bruises, we thanked the horses, gave gratitude for a good ride and readied to go back to base camp, shade and ice water. . . until our wrangler noted that there was a cow lying under a nearby shade tree, looking mighty distressed as one tiny calf hoof and one miniature calf tongue appeared from its reproductive regions.  Well, that neither looks comfortable nor the way it should be, we all noted.
 
The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is an extraordinary place for so many reasons.  The bluffs, rolling hills, magnificent culture and historical significance have drawn so many for generations.  The rural and remote nature of it is (for many) a breath of fresh air when the chaos of daily life begin to take their inevitable toll.  Those same qualities also tend to help visitors learn to appreciate the conveniences normally taken for granted, one such convenience being…veterinarians.   There are NO veterinarians on the 3,000 square mile Pine Ridge reservation.  And so, when one sees a cow trying to give birth to a calf --- and the only body parts that are showing or moving are a tiny hoof and a tiny tongue ---- and mama is clearly in distress and not able to push her calf out, then one does what one does.
 
So, we grabbed a rope – two actually.  One to rope and help hold mama down and the other to loop around the exposed hoof and pull.  And so, pull we did. 

Now, I’m not sure what a veterinarian would have done to rescue that calf and to help the mother.  I’m not sure what the chances were of a live birth, given that the calf’s tongue and hoof had been observed three hours prior.  I’m not sure if the calf is grateful to have been freed or angry that we didn’t let it stay right where we found it before we roped and pulled.  I do know that the bellowing of the mother cow and the sweet and startled mooing of that calf when it came flying out covered in birthing fluid was among the sweetest and happiest sound I had in a long time..
 
I also know that I am grateful every day for the lessons learned on Pine Ridge; the experiences gained; the people – and animals – that we meet. 
 
René Duamal once spoke about similar experiences and lessons learned when mountaineering and they seem especially applicable to my experiences, over the decades, on Pine Ridge:  “You cannot stay forever;  you have to come down again.  So, why bother in the first place?  Simply just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.”  And so it is.


Post Script-- Both mother and baby are doing great!

By Dave Ventimiglia

​I had a magical, educational, exhausting, fun, inspiring, and heartbreaking trip this past weekend to Pine Ridge Reservation.  I was extremely impressed with the impact that Tipi Raiser is making and the way they go about their business – and I suspect that this is the first of many trips I will make to learn and work alongside my Lakota brothers and sisters.
 
The exhausting part was the work that we were able to accomplish – reorganizing a food pantry, establishing two vegetable gardens, chopping wood to prepare for winter, completing a storage shed for fire bricks, starting a shed for bike repairs, and delivering furniture.  We accomplished a lot in just a few days – but the work never got in the way of building new friendships or deepening existing connections with our Lakota hosts.
 
The rhythms and rituals of the weekend were all structured around the Lakota way of life – providing an education in indigenous wisdom that we sorely need as we face the challenges of climate change and an increasingly polarized society.  We learned how to connect with each other through a sharing circle at the beginning and end of each day – how to both honor the wisdom of our elders and hold the young people accountable – and to see a glimpse of this rich culture through learning a bit of the Lakota language.
 
Magic was everywhere.  It was in the sage we burned as part of our sharing circle – in the magnificent sunrises – in the beautiful horses – and the wide-open spaces all around us.  It was in the Lakota prayers and songs we heard, the sweat lodge ceremony we were honored to be a part of, and the peace pipe that we passed.  It was in the Lakota people’s deep connection to this land and to their ancestors.
 
I was deeply inspired by the work that Tipi Raisers is doing at Pine Ridge.  Their values of alleviating poverty, doing the hard work of reconciliation, embracing indigenous wisdom, and empowering youth aren’t just empty words – they are lived out in the way that this organization partners with the Lakota people and with volunteers.  As part of the work of gratitude and reconciliation – we had the privilege of being a part of a tipi raising ceremony – a gift to recognize the long-term contributions of Pansy Weasel Bear and Nobby Bell to Tipi Raisers mission. 
 
I have done volunteer work in rural Haiti and have lived in Africa doing electricity access work for the past five years – so I am no stranger to the challenges of extreme poverty.  The suffering that is endured by the Lakota people is heartbreaking – dealing with a lack of running water, electricity, access to healthcare, and unemployment.  I had the chance to visit the massacre site at Wounded Knee and can feel the generational trauma from that event that remains with this place and its people more than 130 years later. 
 
In the midst of all these moving parts – Tipi Raisers does a great job in providing a fun and rewarding experience.  There is enough flexibility so that everyone can participate in ways that are most meaningful to them, enough structure to walk away with a sense of accomplishment, and enough of a focus on relationships that deep connections are forged among volunteers and with our Lakota hosts.  Executive Director Dave Ventimiglia somehow holds it all together – organizing a large group of volunteers, making sure that everyone is having a good trip, honoring the Lakota way of life, and making a lasting impact on the Pine Ridge reservation – he is a teacher, leader, and organizer – and maybe part magician all at the same time.  Last weekend was my first trip to Pine Ridge – I am quite sure it won’t be my last.

- David Gibson | May 28-31, 2021 Volunteer