Education Page Things are added here from previous years' education pages Information from Dave Larson 1980's reburial of those who died in Fort Kearney Reburial of 21 Dakota warriors and 10 Dakota women who died of disease or exposure in this prison camp where the men had been sent with their families in 1862/3 Information from Oyate Duta Ob'Mani Jackson Report from Camp Kearney, Davenport Iowa’s Rendezvous Camps, 1861-1866 Chapter 19 – Camps at Davenport – Camp Kearney Pages 551 - 581 in the spirit of celebrating Dakota literature that contributes to the re-writing of history I will post a few articles with themes related to U.S Dakota relations examined by law students and professors alike... this first one is from Angelique Eagle Woman SWO member. Wintertime for Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate.. Rethinking the effect of the Abrogation of the Dakota Treaties Minnesota Bounties on Dakota men during the US - Dakota war Indian Boarding Schools (Historical and Intergenerational Trauma,) Documentary Premier: The Legacy of the Boarding School Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience Video - Haskell Indian Nations University Remembrance In the cemetery, stand 103 old army-issue, unpolished marble headstones that mark the death of young Native people who died between 1885 and 1913. Most of those died at about ten years of age. The youngest and first death was Harry White Wolf who died at 6 months old. As one walks among the unnaturally serene stones, an image that stays with you is not only the names and brief lifespan of these young people, but that in this small half-acre space, thirty-seven tribes are represented. Ponca lies next to Pawnee and Miami next to Navajo. The above is an excerpt from the work of Stephen A. Colmant, MA, LPC, Lahoma Shultz, MS, LPC (Creek Seminole) and Andrea Dudley, MA (Cherokee), titled Haskell Cemetery: A Symbol for Healing and Growt Video - The Wellbriety Journey to Forgiveness Documentary on the Abuses of the Indian Boarding Schools. Discusses the intergenerational trauma in native communities. This documentary is over an hour long, and gives information about how these Historical and Intergenerational Traumas can be healed. It is a MUST SEE. (Gloria) The "Wellbriety Movement: Journey of Forgiveness" is now available on Youtube, www.whitebison.org , or free on DVD. Email info@whitebison.org for DVD, include mailing address. There is no charge for this DVD. It is hoped that it will be shared by everyone who sees it. Traditions Givaways Submitted by Nancy Kohn Raven so that people unfamiliar with the ways will have a small understanding. A long time ago Give Aways were held as a sacred event. Today, Tribal celebrations and public events often feature a Give Away. The person who does the Give Away may do this with the help of his family and relatives. It is held sometimes in the name of a deceased relative or to honor a person who is going through a Sundance Ceremony as a participant, or for someone joining or leaving the Military. Sometimes a Give Away is held when a prayer or vow has been granted. For example somebody might have made a vow two years before and that vow has been fulfilled by that person and family. Therefore they honor that event and that person with a Give Away. Sometimes an individual may spend two years or more collecting and making the gifts: Horses, blankets, money, shawls, automobiles and whatever else the person and his family deem appropriate to be given away. Giveaways can also include a gift of time, talents or skills. The Give Away is often a public event. An announcer will say ''We have a gift here and we want to give it to a visitor from Alberta Canada" for example Anyone from Alberta Canada may step forward to receive the gift. It does not have to be given to a specific identifiable person. It may be announced after everything planned has been given away."All you people who are here, the rest of these gifts are for visitors only who are not members of this tribe" if you are there and whether or not you know that person who is giving away, you can take the gift. There are no receipts given and no attempt is made to put a monetary value on a item given away. I would also like to say that Natives do not take this as a tax deduction on their Tax form either. It is a Sacred event. We do this because we have respect for ourselves and out of recognition that a prayer has been granted, that a vow has been made and honored, or someone has recovered health. There are various sacred and spiritual reasons why Give Aways are conducted the way they are, and why we will continue as long as there are Natives. If you see this sort of ceremonial thing happening, you will truly know you are among Indian people who give a great deal of attention to their customs, traditions and beliefs. You will find the poorest of individuals and families carrying on this traditions. Additionally Natives give things not only to other Natives and to members of their tribe, but also to non-Natives. If they know someone is present from a different country, say from Germany, Japan or wherever, then during the course of the Give Away it might happen that they will announce for one of those visitors to step forward, that there is a gift for them. There were times in the past when the Federal Government tried to stop the Give Away. They saw this happening where the Indian was giving away everything. It was a abhorrent practice to the non-Native whose cultures teach saving, and hoarding of material possessions. To our way of thinking as Indian people, Give Away signifies our respect for other people.. What good we do for other people will come back to us in many ways.We have stories that verify this. Giving is a mark of a person truly involved in his culture. They are the generous ones. When people die their relatives will sometimes give away their belongings. Giving away a Ceremonial Pipe is an important way of passing on our culture to the generations who come after us. The Ceremonies of the Pipe carries with it our basic teachings and is the best way to come to know and understand our peoples cultures. Passing on valuable things in culture is something of an honor. It is a way of saying; 'My Relative believed in this Ceremony. In giving you this Pipe we hope that these Traditions or this Ceremony that my relative participated in, will be continued through you.' It is a way to keep traditions and beliefs alive. One value trait that the Indian people appreciate in themselves and in others is generosity. The greedy man causes trouble. Long ago in the beginning all things in Creation were able to talk with one another. We can no longer communicate with the plants and animals because man became greedy and as a punishment we cannot communicate or understand one another. Once we learn to love one another and respect one another and all that exists, we will regain the power to understand one another. Then there will be true harmony. We Indians are working to overcome the bad side of our nature. We ask that people recognize this Generosity is a cultural trait of high value. In fact anyone who is looking to become a leader, the people will always ask, 'Is this a generous man or woman?' If they are they will be recognized for the leadership role they seek or the one to be given to them signed by Long Standing Bear Chief. (Blackfoot elder) Photo from Adopt-a-Native-Elder program   The Meaning of the Shawl From Nancy Kohn Raven thought you ladies would like to hear the meaning of the shawl, what it means in every way. So many of us are making them, this really made sense to me and I wanted to share it with you,----------------------- I love you all Raven The shawl is square representing the 4 cardinal directions thus creating sacred Space. Each Fringe is 28 inches long representing the 28 ribs of the buffalo. The Buffalo symbolizes life to the people providing food, clothing shelter, tools. When folded in half each fringe is then 14 inches long representing the 7 Generations that came before and the 7 Generations to come. We each inherit the broken-ness from our ancestors from the past 7 generations our job is to heal this broken-ness so that we don't pass it along to the next 7 generations. We also inherit the prayer and hopes of our ancestors from the past 7 generations, we hold the Sacred Responsibility to pass on these hopes and prayers to our children, grand-children and the following 5 generations Each poke into the fabric to attach the fringe is a prayer, just like the prayer ties we make for gathering, each time the fringe is poked through the fabric of the shawl a prayer is put into it. There are 2 fringes for each poke, representing the duality, the feminine and the masculine, good and bad, right and wrong. The finished shawl represents the life of a woman. May you wear it and remember how sacred you are. May the shawl provide you protection and fill you with the knowledge of your Sacred Feminine. May you be blessed and filled with the love I carry for you as you walk your beauty path, the path of our Grandmothers. A question was asked about which material should be used.. Raven gave this answer on one of her posts... Gaberdine is good if you are using a lot during the day, like at Sundance, as it doesn't wrinkle, but lots of the Elder women just carry one over arm so other material works just as well. I usually always have a shawl going so when I set down I pick up and start tying fringe, and I take it with me whenever I go to a Native womens gathering, most always you will see Native women always with some busy work, beading, quilling ect. Usually if you offer small gift out of respect they will share with you maybe a special knot or tying method. One thing I learned was that for instance if you were to want to learn to quill, like I do it is not ok to just decide for yourself to learn to do it on your own or to get a book and just start, But you have to earn the right to be taught in the old way, that may mean helping the elder with things she may no longer do for herself or many what ever she wants you to do , she may tell you no more than three or four times, She may always tell you no. She may say we will see, But learning to quill in the old way is hers to teach, not for us young ones to just decide to do on our own, this is what is meant by stealing the culture, weither it is beading, quilling or maybe basket weaving. It is a honor to learn these things in the old way and to earn the right to do so. I am still waiting to be taught to quill , I have been told we will see, that's been a few years back now, but this year she called me daughter and allowed me to tye her Eagle feathers onto her arms. So there may still be some hope for me yet. - Raven As a dancer my first shawl was red. As I sewed fringe I put a different prayer in each. I was told that the color represented honoring the blood of the people and the giving of ones self. As the years passed I was gifted a few with different colors and I wore the shawls around my waist.... As the years passed health problems hindered me from dancing. I had 8 grandchildren when I could no longer dance and so I stepped into a new position of life.. A grandmother. I now wear my shawl around my shoulders to keep me warm and to place (my) young babies in my arms and wrap them with my warmth and love. When I have been sad and in mourning I can wrap my shoulders and hide my head and be alone. There are many teachings of the shawl and I honor them all up.... Let our grandmothers touch on this matter and add more........ My love to you all. Bright Sun Tutorials Making a Ribbon Skirt Here is a video on on youtube that shows how to make a ribbon skirt that people loved seeing worn by the Women during this year's Ride. Beginner Beadwork Here is a web site that shows various beading designs Bead Weaving (Peyote Stitch) Here is the web page for this stitch Two Needle Flat stitch Here is the youtube visdeo for this stitch   Page 1 of Education Page 2 of Education Page 3 of Education Page 4 of Education