THE TREATY OF LONG MEADOWS

Tatanka Iyotake "Sitting Bull" and Tasunke Witko "Crazy Horse" were young boys as their Lakota parents witnessed the historic September 17, 1851 signing of "The Treaty of Long Meadows". In the 359th year a.c. (after columbus), along "Horse Creek" in what is now called Nebraska, over 60 thousand people - representing seven northern plains Indigenous "Indian" Red Nations - gathered together with representatives of the u.s. government to develop a legal document that insured perpetual Indigenous rights to their homelands. Article VI of the U.S. Constitution, which states, "treaties made with Indian Nations shall be the supreme law of the land", is to forever protect The Treaty of Long Meadows from violation. The largest gathering in recent history of Indigenous nations, the immense encampment moved three times within three weeks along Horse Creek before the nations present agreed upon The Treaty of Long Meadows, which is known to the Cheyenne as" The Great Horse Creek Treaty" and to the u.s. government as the "1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie".

In order to secure such a unique and exceptional treaty, the seven nations fully understood that the coming flood of "wasin icuna" - "the greedy ones" (gold & resource exploiters), across the midwest plains could make it difficult to later secure a Treaty, let alone maintain their physical existence in coming times. They realized an agreement "on paper" was needed to insure that their future generations - the Indigenous people of today - would have the legal document necessary for continued survival as nations of people.

Development of the 1851 Treaty began in 1847 and was known as "The Big Issue". Authorization for this development and the eventual signing of The Treaty of Long Meadows came from every adult female and male of each community encampment of each of the seven plains nations through their female inclusive, truly democratic form of governance called "Oyate Omniciye", or "Circle Meetings of The People". The principal "signer" of each 1851 Treaty Nation was a most trustworthy individual and the best international "orator" of that nation. Signers attained such duties through unanimous recognition from their authority - The People - through Oyate Omniciye mandate.

The Treaty of Long Meadows, ratified by congress in 1853, is the last legitimate, legal document of, by and for the seven signatory nations. All unilateral "treaties, congressional acts and agreements" concocted after 1851 remain illegal, null and void under national and international law, as the legal and necessary female-inclusive Oyate Omniciye Indigenous manner of governing is totally ignored and disregarded.

Tatanka Iyotake and Tasunke Witko never signed a Treaty when they grew into Itacan because they and their parents had witnessed the signing ceremonies of The Treaty of Long Meadows in 1851. They realized that the Oyate Omniciye-mandated 1851 Treaty guaranteed their legal right to forever travel, hunt, gather, and otherwise live anywhere on Great Turtle Island (misnomer, "western hemisphere"). No other international document of law affording such necessary freedom could ever be developed or more beneficial to the great Lakota nation. The Treaty of Long Meadows was to be protected from violation by Article VI of the United States constitution, which states, "treaties made with Indian Nations shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby." Not even "supreme court rulings" are to adversely affect this "supreme law", as they are supreme. Tragically, immense oppression of Indigenous peoples occurred during the "reservation, boarding school era". The true reality of the Lakota's struggle to exist as a people and as a nation of people is whitewashed and hidden from view. Forced "taxation" of Indigenous nations and peoples since the 1940's - in total violation of Article 1, Section 2, Part 3 ("1, 2, 3") of the U.S. Constitution which states, "Indians not taxed" - are leading towards even more dangerous times for Indigenous people.

Bringing u.s. government officials into Constitutional compliance to honor the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie is the vehicle through which the Indigenous voice can be heard throughout the beautiful and sacred Grand Mother Earth.