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May 22, 2004

Fact vs. fiction regarding Indigenous Red Nations and people

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INDIGENOUS RED NATIONS AND PEOPLES: Fiction and Fact

Much the same as foreign, european-based, white “immigrants” – currently called “Americans” – dislike the word “honky”, and African “blacks” disagree with the word “negro”, Indigenous Red “Indian” Nations and Peoples must be afforded the same respect – not to be associated with the following misconceptions. Discard everything you have been “taught” so far in your life, as the following information are probably facts you have never been allowed or fortunate to have heard about. So hang on and open your mind – which can also bring you true happiness! Read on for the real facts.

…IGNORANCE …EDUCATED

misnomer/misconception actual appropriate terminology

 “Indian” Indigenous

 “Native American” Indigenous Red Person

 “American Indians” Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples

 “scalping”

The Dutch brought this despicable act against Indigenous Red “Indian” Nations and Peoples (this was brought from Europe) – yet the “Indians” were blamed and are wrongly associated with this barbaric European practice brought to Great Turtle Island (the “western hemisphere”) after 1492.

 “savage”

Indigenous Red People were content with their lives and way of living prior to 1492, as they had been for millions and millions of years. Had “Indians” been savage, Columbus would not have been allowed to land. In fact, the diaries of those who did land, contradict much of what has been passed on through the efforts of propagandists & the mis-educated. In contrast, the writings actually remark on the curious & yet welcoming behavior of many of the People they encountered. Immigrant europeans believed themselves to be quite ‘civilized’, and yet behaved otherwise in aggressive & offensive unprovoked attacks of rape of women as well as children, dismemberment & death by boiling alive in water & burning while alive in fire (President Abe Lincoln himself who wrongly hung 38 Santee Dakota Indians in 1862 the day after xmas in the world’s largest mass hanging in history).

Indigenous Peoples had plenty to eat and drink, and community decisions were made by both male and female and therefore did not have “greed” or “control” issues – the cause of all violence, genocide and destruction. The belief that the Earth is Sacred and “Grand Mother Earth” must first be removed from an individuals psyche before greed and control can occur upon the masses.

 “Bering Strait” (Indians migrated; “came from somewhere else”)

Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples have always been here, upon Great Turtle Island. Their origin stories (which are usually ignored, disrespected, or discarded by those in denial about the genocide of 100 million innocent Red lives between 1492 and today) never refer to a “Bering Strait Theory”, espoused by one lonely anthropologist. Yet the “bering lie” is allowed to be repeated in American schools. Recent DNA discoveries find Indigenous Red Nation blood totally unique and entirely different from “Mongolians/Asians/Siberians” – which the bering lie insinuates some direct relation to. It is also common sense that horses, man, and other animals would not journey across 1000-mile stretches of nothing but “ice anywhere – from their homes where food and water is plentiful. This “cave-man” dehumanizing stereotype is racist and derogatory and should never be used against Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples.

“Peace Pipe”

Canunpa represents male and female balance; used in Seven Ceremonies of the Nakota (misnomer “Sioux”) Nation and Peoples by selected few qualified individuals who utilize such on behalf of the community. The Sacred Red Stone has been abused and is facing extinction at the only place on Grand Mother Earth where it exists – Pipestone, MN. For years, the u.s. government and citizens exploited the stone – even making entire buildings out of the soft stone. Often, individuals not selected by their community misuse them and do not fully understand them, the Canunpa stone is sold to “tourists”, and sometimes the sacred stone is carved into trinkets in violation of the sole intent of the stone – for making the Canunpa only.

“Western Hemisphere”

Great Turtle Island Global division and control by utilizing “hemispheric terms” is foreign to Indigenous Red People’s and harmful to Grand Mother Earth. Currently, the “United Nations” (actually under the control of large corporations who control national policy of the controlling nations) refuses to allow Indigenous Red Nations to participate in their governing body. The rest of the world’s human races are represented, the white, black, yellow – but no Red.

“Globe/Planet” Grand Mother Earth; as a living being; not an “object” for disrespect, exploitation, destruction, abuse, digging and drilling. Grand Mother Earth today is abused by greedy, male-dominating governments and religious societies.

“Uncivilized; native; Cave-man-like”

Great ways of life existed for millions of years upon Great Turtle Island; peaceful, healthy, clean air, pure water, plenty to eat, gather. Nakota Peoples utilized the hide from Ptehcaka “Buffalo” for their homes and robes in order to easily live life during cold winter months (not dependent upon nor stressed about not being able to pay government company or other controlling factor “money” to survive). Indigenous Peoples dried food during the summer to never ‘be without’ or hungry in winter, and so as not to be controlled by greedy individuals, companies, and governments. They were most intelligent humans – similar to how the white, black and yellow nations of the world used to be before 10,000 years ago with the beginning of male-dominating, domesticated animal, religious “god” societies began destroying the natural world and forgetting Grand Mother Earth.

“creator, god, higher power” Wakan Tanka (Great Mystery)

Grand Mother Earth and Grand Father Sky comprise “All That Is”; No male (man-like; male-dominating) deity overriding the female nor Grand Mother Earth. A common statement of confusion regarding this ancient perception of life is the manipulated, religious-based thought, “Well there has to be something.”

 “Indians smoke pot”

Marijuana is a sacred medicine used only for certain rare illness. It is against nature to smoke marijuana for any other reason. Just like uranium or a rattlesnake shouldn’t be disturbed, humans must try to understand and live with the world around them. Marijuana is not the tobacco smoked in the sacred canupa.

“dirty Indians”

Indigenous Peoples continually bathed – even during winter – which awed european americans, who for hundreds of years had splashed on perfumes to cover their body odor (traveling the world looking for perfumes instead of simply bathing) instead of the bath; see Europe middle ages. Many bad and filthy habits remain with american culture even today, spreading illness and sickness.

“broken Treaties”

Treaties, like the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie, are still legal, only violated daily by US government officials. There are no “broken” treaties.

“squaw”

Nakota word “Winyan” means woman. Each Indigenous Nation has their unique language and word for “woman”, and “squaw” has been used in a derogatory way against Indigenous females in early America to reference a female body part. Many view the word as disrespecting to women in general, although one Canadian First Nation maintains that the word “skwa” means woman in their language.

“Indians inhibited, hampered settlement”

During the years of genocide and subsequent occupation against Indigenous Red Nations by explorers, pilgrims, and u.s. government officials, over 75 million Indians died through european disease and 25 million were murdered by european aliens as a direct result of military action. This was the largest, quickest, and deadliest “holocaust” the world has ever witnessed – all at the hands of the pilgrims and Americans and which has been kept the most secret of any of the world’s genocidal actions.

“lazy Indians”

Buffalo, Elk, Antelope, Deer, Moose, each roamed in herds of over 100 million population in similar numbers as which existed the Indigenous Red “humans” of Great Turtle Island. There was always plenty to hunt for the men and fruits and vegetables to gather and sun-dry for winter months. As long as duty was met, there was much time to socialize and be happy and content. As pilgrims/americans witnessed men also playing with children during the day near their homes and lodges, it seemed strange, as the “white” culture demanded the man in the field all day. Invented contraptions to “make life easy”, yet now forced work for eight or more hours a day, away from families for minimum wage, and often six or even seven days a week. 

“That was a long time ago”

The bible is older than all Treaties, as is the U.S. Constitution, yet these much older documents are revered by most americans and enforced by a code of moral, ethical and practical law. Such respect must be afforded to the recent and “newer” Treaties, which were created, signed & deemed worthy of recognition in a much more recent time (and which, according to Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, needs to be recognized and enforced into compliance). As with the Treaties that currently go ignored and the Constitution daily violated, so then are basic human rights and rights to Way of Life, land, and resources. It is a misconception and a form of “denial” that Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples should “accept” human rights abuse and ignore the American people’s violation of their own Constitutional Law and simply “assimilate” or “get over it”.

“Tribe” Nation.

Indigenous Red Nations are denied access to groups such as the “United Nations” (UN), which is disrespectful and denigrating to the Red Nations, as much smaller and weaker countries (Vatican, Liechtenstein, Monaco, etc.) are well represented as other “white” nations in the UN. (There are black, white, yellow – but no “Red” in the U.N.; unfortunately, anyway, the U.N. is controlled by the U.S. government – which is controlled by the whims of the large oil companies and corporations who enlarge these government “officials” Swiss bank accounts). The term “tribe” is an “uncivilized, cave-man” stereotype. 

“Mexican food”

Indigenous Red Nations contributed corn, potatoes, tomatoes, French fries, chocolate, catsup, peppers, & popcorn to the world, yet a big “thank you” or any recognition of these facts has yet to be afforded them (where would spaghetti be without the tomato!).

“rain dance”

A perception that attempts to portray Indigenous Peoples as “uncivilized, savage, heathen, barbaric, or witch-like”.

“Indian summer”

When weather would warm up during fall and winter, Indigenous Peoples would always take advantage of the mild conditions and jump in the lakes, rivers, streams. This seemed “barbaric” to the non-Indians – who were usually too frightened or intimidated by nature’s weather and didn’t like “bathing” that much anyway.

“Indian giver”

Indigenous Peoples were and are very generous people. They feel it is better to give than hoard. There was no concept of “greed” upon Great Turtle Island prior to 1492. When non-Indians witnessed this excessive giving manner, it was quite shocking to them. Later, the term would be used against the Indigenous peoples through a misconception that something given could be somehow taken back. Yet this is not conceivable to Indigenous Peoples – once something is given from the heart as a special gift – it becomes the receivers to do with as they wish.

“honest Injun”

Honesty among Indigenous Peoples was the norm prior to 1492. It was rare to non-Indigenous Peoples (kings and queens beat it out of those with european ancestry for thousands of years as they stole from and controlled the masses there) and so this virtue was placed as a “jab” against the Indigenous Peoples – “just who do those Indians think they are, being honest – let’s take all their gold!” said the pilgrim.

“superstitious; witchcraft”

Indigenous Peoples understand as a “Great Mystery” the Grand Mother Earth and Grand Father Sky – no god, witchcraft, jesus, or other fantasy “beliefs”. They lived within reality and understood all life was superior to the human being. Nature was and is looked down upon by europeans, pilgrims, and americans – foreigners to the ‘western hemisphere’ – so any natural activities were condemned and made fun of by the ignorant american masses (in denial of their abusive culture).

“chief” Expert (“Itacan”, Nakota);

Chief is a Latin word for “leader, dictator, king, president, chairman”, yet within Indigenous communities, all were equally respected with each voice heard through “Oyate Omniciye” – Circle Meeting of the People. Each individual was an expert at something – if they were fortunate enough to discover what that was. There was no “chief” – but there were representatives who were selected to speak on behalf of what the People were saying collectively, which may be the root of the “chief confusion” thing.

 
“2004” 512 a.c. (after columbus) is the modern day reference point of “time” for Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples. The pervasive, controlling manipulation by Christians to inflict their “time schedule” against the world’s people sometimes goes unchecked. To Indigenous Peoples, there are 13 “moons” per year comprised of significant and sacred twenty-eight day cycles of Earth purification (female-moon inclusive), with special interest also during the “Day Sun’s” solstice and equinox, both that afford balance within family, community, and nation.

“Indians eat dog”

There is a most sacred ceremony among the Nakota and other Indigenous Red nations in honor of the friend of man – the dog. In order to celebrate life and show appreciation to Grand Mother Earth and Grand Father Sky a seasonal recognition ceremony in honor of the “Sunka” (the sacred “dog”, pronounced “SHOONK ah”) takes place. The ceremonial is called the “Sacred Puppy Ceremony”. In the “Sacred Puppy Ceremony”, a most carefully cared for newborn puppy is “sacrificed”, prepared and boiled in a “soup”, whereby all members of the community gather in a large circle to “eat” a tiny portion of the dog’s flesh as “spiritual nourishment” in a special manner to and for all the people of the entire community in order to remind them of their life and living.

Sunka is the only animal to befriend human beings. Sunka watches over the children while playing, alerting them to rattle snakes, bear, and other natural beings that could possibly endanger the children. Sunka also provides security at night as humans sleep. The humility of Sunka is an important lesson for our own behavior. They are truly “two-legged’s best friend”. The elders speak to the children and share with them how all animals are sacred and are to be respected. The puppy traveling through the physical system of the human being as “spiritual food” affords humbleness to the “two-legged”, encouraging and allowing balance, peace, and harmony to be maintained within the community. Although the “Sacred Puppy Ceremony” may seem strange or even “barbaric” to some non-Indigenous people, others can look to their own “religions” to find unique ceremonials. As example, the wheat plant used to make bread offerings, which represent the human flesh of a man, and the grape plant spoiled to make religious wines mimicking an individual’s human blood are two examples of ‘rituals’ practiced in some of today’s churches (which could be viewed as “cannibalism”).

Today, many Ho Cank and DaNakota fail to conduct this most sacred ceremony and as such, communities can often be divided and imbalanced. It is important to understand Indigenous manners of living, so that these important exercises can take place to help human beings, who may in turn honor and protect Grand Mother Earth, instead of disrespecting and destroying the sacred Earth – and in effect their own ability to live upon her.

“man has dominion over the earth”

Plants, animals, birds, fish, insects, rocks – are all considered “superior life forms” to Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples. They are all equally sacred and holy. Simply because a man can chop down a tree, it does not make him better than the tree. The religious misunderstanding and expression has led to much confusion and has caused Grand Mother Earth to be disrespected and exploited ever since.

Many well known foods consist of ingredients that are Indigenous to, and originated from, Great Turtle Island (the “western hemisphere”). Indigenous Red Nations blessed the world with corn, popcorn, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, most squash and beans, chocolate, as well a majority of the world’s medicines and pharmaceuticals.

Indigenous peoples also provided sportsmanship, teamwork, and the basis of all organized “team” sports such as hockey, basketball, football, are all offshoots of the Indigenous game of “Stick Ball” (“lacrosse”) and other Indigenous community games.

For the world’s greatest gifts, the people of Grand Mother Earth offer a big THANK YOU to Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples!

The Nakota Nation

When Columbus landed in 1492, the Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples he met were gracious and friendly, as they had always been. Unfortunately, columbus murdered many of those “Indians” and took many back to Europe as “slaves”. This historical fact is discarded by u.s. schools and instead the “Hitler-Columbus” is celebrated as some type of “hero” while Indigenous existence, human rights, and nationhood is ignored.

In 1492, there were approximately 500 Indigenous Red Nations living true freedom, democracy and happiness upon Great Turtle Island, each having their own distinct and unique language and way of life. They had lived in harmony with nature – their superior – for millions and millions of years, having always been from these lands now occupied by “America”. But due to the largest, quickest and deadliest “holocaust” inflicted against any race ever known by the european pilgrims and the u.s. government and its citizenry upon the Indigenous Red Nations, some of those nations were wiped out – exterminated from existence.

As the foreign, European immigrant aliens moved westward, making friends with the “Indians” – then “stabbing them in the back”, they encountered the Nakota Nation. The Nakota (Nakota, DaNakota, Dakota, Lakota; misnomer “Sioux”) lived upon what is called the northern “great plains”, areas stretching across what is now called Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.

One of the last and most recent blatant attempts at annihilation by the u.s. government occurred against the Lakota Nation in what is wrongly known as “western South Dakota”. In 1890, as the u.s. tried so desperately to organize a “state of South Dakota” upon Lakota 1851 Treaty Homelands, it was decided that the Lakota who spoke the truth about what was happening to their great nation such as Tatanka Iyotake “Sitting Bull” needed to be “neutralized”. The government concocted a media hoax about and against a “ghost dance” ceremony some Lakota were participating in at the time. The simple dance and singing in a circle frightened the Americans. The government and media insinuated that Tatanka Iyotake was an active participant – although he was strictly a Canunpa (misnomer “peace pipe”) Caretaker and an avid facilitator of the Seven Sacred Canunpa Ceremonies of the Nakota Nation and hadn’t the time for extra dances/songs. He believed the Earth was Grand Mother and the Sky was Grand Father. Tatanka Iyotake did not believe in a “higher power, god, grandfather god” or any male-dominating society creation which confuses people and gives individuals an inferiority complex. His Canunpa facilitation enhanced female/male balance within his community.

Tatanka Iyotake professed and practiced “Oyate Omniciye” which his ancestors had practiced for millions of years. This greatly irritated government officials who tried fervently to control the minds and actions of the Lakota. In Oyate Omniciye, all men and women of the community come together to discuss and take action on an issue affecting their nation. This true democracy prevents “dictators, kings, leaders, chiefs, presidents” from controlling the masses and benefiting from mineral and resource exploitation, and instead celebrates each individuals importance and self worth. Sitting Bull believed like all true Lakota, that each person had an area of expertise, something he or she was good at that needed to be discovered and shared with the entire community. That is why in the ancient Lakota family and community there was never mind-altering drug use, suicide, sexual dysfunctions, sexual perversions, or other problems such as those, which so terribly plague America today.

On December 15, 1890, government agents swarmed Sitting Bull’s family home, forcibly removed him and shot him in the back. His relative and good friend Big Foot fled with his entire community as the government agents were coming to get him next. Big Foot and his group of mostly women, children, and old people fled towards the Pine Ridge Agency and “Red Cloud” – a “paper chief” and friend of the government, in order to save their lives from the crazed u.s. army marauders.

The group, however, was intercepted near present day “Porcupine, SD”, beaten, totally strip searched with even women’s sewing awls confiscated, then force marched a few miles down into Wounded Knee Creek. The following morning at the planned signal (a single shot fired by an army officer), the troops began opening fire with thousands of rounds from Hotchkiss machine guns that had been strategically placed around the hills overlooking the disarmed holding camp. 453 innocent Lakota were butchered by the U.S. army that day. Pregnant women were even bayoneted with their babies cut out and flung in the air – landing upon waiting military bayonets below.

Two-dozen “medals of honor” were “awarded” to a few of the u.s. military servicemen who massacred large numbers of the innocent Lakota women, children, and elders that December 29th morning. These “medals of honor” have yet to be rescinded by Tom Daschle, Daniel Inouye, John Kerry, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Monica Lewinsky, or any other politician or congressional official who claims to be a “good Christian/Jewish person”.

The 1851 Treaty – the last legitimate Treaty made between the Lakota and the Untied States government – is protected from violation through Article VI of the United States Constitution. It is not broken, however; it is violated daily by the United States and its ignorant citizens. It remains “occupied territory” to this very day. This Lakota land remains within the boundaries of the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie, which therefore invalidates a legal existence of any “western South Dakota”.

Thousands of train boxcars roll off these 1851 Territories in “Wyoming” across state lines to provide energy wants for tens of millions of American people across America. While the true owners of this coal, the Nakota People, remain disenfranchised and impoverished as the daily crime takes place. Often, due to years of being taken from their families in infancy and forced into christian boarding schools, oppression and manipulation by unscrupulous government officials, many Lakota do not even realize the coal is theirs – let alone the existence on the 1851 Treaty, the sole deed to and legal document of their homelands.

The same type of theft has occurred regarding Lakota Black Hills gold reserves. Trillions of dollars of Nakota gold sits as stolen, occupied property in places like Fort Knox while Lakota on the “Pine Ridge Sioux Indian Reservation” are without jobs, with high rates of diabetes and other health problems, high infant mortality, and the shortest lifespan of all the world’s peoples remain – some near starvation.

 The Importance and Truth of Pure Language

The Nakota have a very beautiful language. It is very pleasant to hear a person speaking this language. Many words are very significant and explain their true meaning and the meaning of life. It is not a conglomerate of other languages – not a confused, “bastardization” such as is the case with the “English” language.

The Nakota word for “water”, for example, is MiNi – translated “My Life”. What a beautiful way to “describe” what “water” is!

Sunka Wakan (“Mysterious Dog”; horse) is another significant word in the Nakota language. Tens of millions of years ago, the “Dog on the Prairie” was small with three toes and roamed the plains in herds. Millions of years later, the “Dog” mysteriously grew taller and needed only two toes. Later (today) Sunka Wakan is tall and has one “hoof”. The importance of the word Sunka Wakan is that it reveals factual evidence that the Nakota are indigenous and were always from Great Turtle Island (not from Asia; bering strait theory lie). The language and word Sunka Wakan also serve as proof that the “horse” has always been here. “Historians” and government officials attempting to conceal facts and condemn the existence of Indigenous Nations claim (it is believed to be a from of denial, being ashamed of what their forefathers wrought) the Red People came from somewhere else, although recent DNA testing has proven the unique bloodline of Indigenous Red Nations and its total contrast to “Asian” or “Siberian” blood. This dysfunction is known as the “musical chairs syndrome”. They also tried to say the “Spanish” brought the horse to “america”. These “historians”, however, can never quite explain why the Nakota and other Indigenous Red Nations are of the world’s best horseback riders, the best horse trainers, and the world’s greatest “light cavalry” – it is surely not because the Spanish recently brought the horse!

The word Wakan Yeja means “Sacred Little One”. This is the word for “baby” or infant under seven winters old. To the Nakota, the newborn are sacred (not sinners at birth as some christian faiths believe) and special. There first language is what we all have had as first language – crying!

Before columbus, Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples were without “greed”. Greed is a foreign concept brought over by the “illegal aliens” now called “Americans”. The only way to describe this dysfunctional phenomenon is through the grouping of words describing a questionable action. The word Wasin Icuna or “Takes the Fat” is used to describe greedy, white men. An example of how this translates into “greed” is as follows. If you are a Nakota and you are sharing some meat with a friend, you always give that person the best part or portion – this is the Indigenous way. On a nice piece of Ptehcaka “Buffalo” meat, a good part would have a nice section of “fat” on it. Again, the Nakota would give the piece with the fat to their friend in a sharing, generous manner – which is all the Nakota knew!

The language of the Nakota throws out all the lies taught in America’s schools and can free the minds of the suffering children – if the truth is allowed into the minds of the adults who teach them, care for them, and are responsible for their well-being.

See www.1851treaty.com for more information about Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples.

Scott Barta

Ho Cank/DaNakota Nation

Culture and Tribal Customs
About Raven SiJohn

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