Honoring Respect

Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples prefer to be known by their original and proper names. The Nakota Nation is comprised of four distinct community groupings with their own unique language dialect, which consist of the Nakota, DaNakota, Dakota, and Lakota. Examples of misnomers of a few Indigenous Nations are “Sioux” (Nakota Nation), “Winnebago” (Ho Cank of present day Wisconsin and refugee Ho Cank in Nebraska) and “Navajo” (Dine’ of Arizona). It is important to learn about those Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples whose ancestry lived upon these areas for millions of years. The legacy of those nations continues today through the remaining Indigenous people left who survived the world’s largest, quickest, and deadliest ”holocaust” known to human kind during this “occupation of Great Turtle Island”. Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples have always been here.

Misnomers for Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples include “American Indian”, “Native American”, and “Native American Indian”. The term “redskins” came about when European, white (believed to be Dutch in origin) bounty hunters murdered and scalped Indigenous peoples for monetary bounties.

The Nakota word for Indigenous Peoples is “Wica Sa” – Red Man, Red Human People (race). “Full blood” Indigenous Nakota are the same color as the sacred red stone found only in quarries (in endangered, limited supplies) in the heart of DaNakota Homelands near present day “Pipestone, MN”.

Contrary to the lone, ridiculous theory (concocted by one insecure european anthropologist) that Indigenous people “migrated and wandered to the western hemisphere over thousands of miles of ice and snow mountains through blizzards barefoot”, Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples know that they are from Great Turtle Island (a.k.a. “western hemisphere”). A further display of european ludicrousness, many white people believe they came originally from one set of parents and that they originated and migrated from Africa – somehow miraculously changing colors and hair styles!

Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples are just that – Indigenous. Just like the buffalo, horse, elk, coyote, antelope, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and chocolate.

Indigenous Peoples were hunters, gatherers, and fishers, providing for their families. The Nakota were expert hunters, greatly appreciating the sacrificed lives of the sacred Buffalo, Elk, Deer and Antelope – which numbered 100 million each in the “year 1492”. Nakota men were recently thought to be “warriors” - although the Nakota have no word for war or practice of such. But because they could shoot a bow and arrow very, very effectively – even while hunting from horseback - and used that great skill to protect Indigenous families once the european invaders began their occupation, white men incorrectly assumed they were a “warring society” (although had they been, they would have never let columbus land). It has been proven over and over that archeologists never uncover forts, fences, mass killing weaponry like catapults, etc., when disturbing the sacred remains of Indigenous ancestry – a fact they choose to keep secret in order to perpetuate the lies taught against Indigenous peoples. The only “evidence” of Indigenous dysfunction found were the remains of pyramids early middle-eastern pirates forced near-equator Indians to build thousands of years ago, but which were eventually abandoned because of their evilness.

Indigenous peoples had very spiritual, purposeful and meaningful names such as ‘Sitting Bull’. The famous Lakota medicine man “Tatanka Iyotake” (“Sitting Bull”) watched closely and with great respect the ways of the buffalo bulls, and how they conducted themselves. Tatanka Iyotake then lived accordingly. In fact, Sitting Bull defended the buffalo from extinction during his lifetime. The u.s. government policy during the mid and late 1800’s was to annihilate all buffalo in order to complete the total genocide of Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples, therefore occupying their homelands and exploiting Indigenous resources. Today, the great Bison has survived – just like the Nakota!

Indigenous newborn babies are called “Sacred Little Ones” (in contrast to a “sinner at birth” christian view of children) and are given names at birth, which could be altered or changed as lives progressed and significant occurrences happened in their life. Ridiculous names such as “whispering hatchet” or “running moccasin” would never be thought of by Indigenous peoples because they belittle the spiritual significance of the important meaning of names.

Indigenous Peoples treasured the Eagle Feather because the Eagle flies so high, walks on land, and swims in the water. It is believed that using the Eagle feather - from a superior-than-human life form such as a bird - when thinking good thoughts and giving thanks and appreciation for ‘all we have’ to the Great Mystery (Grand Mother Earth, Grand Father Sky and all that is) will assist the pitiful thoughts of humans.

A headdress worn by plains Indians has been mistaken as a “war bonnet”. Indigenous peoples never practiced war (as evidenced by no forts, fences, etc.). Feathers are often given to individuals when a great deed has been performed by the recipient. It is disrespectful and inappropriate to mimic the wearing of feathers by using such things as a “headband and chicken feathers” at a football game and committing the “tomahawk chop” – an exercise mimicking the practice of “scalping” which the early Dutch invented against Indians while bounty taking.

A Nakota woman or man who is an expert or master of their trade is referred to as an “Itacan”. All members of the community have a great talent and that greatness was always found within Indigenous communities of the past. Because an Itacan are fortunate and blessed with their great talent, they become servant of their community. A common misconception is a “chief” (which would actually be a “expert spokesperson”), having the same characteristics as a european “king” or “ruler” – one who steals from, kills, and oppresses others to become rich and controlling over the masses.

Prior to 1492, over 500 Indigenous Nations, each with their own language and Way of Life inhabited Great Turtle Island forever, having come forth from within Grand Mother Earth at their places of beginning upon Great Turtle Island. Many were annihilated and are now extinct when Europeans, the u.s. government, and other immigrant conquistadors and alien pilgrims came to Indigenous Homelands, thinking only of exploiting the land and obtaining personal wealth and power, while controlling the lives of others.

Indigenous personal daily living objects and clothing attire (misnomer “artifacts”) were homemade gifts from relatives and friends and should never be dug up, desecrated and destroyed by archaeologists, museums, and constructions companies. Indigenous attire and daily living objects were and are created by and gifted through visions, dreams, and family traditions – sometimes millions of years old. These gifts help the People to appreciate life and encompass nearly each aspect of the daily life of Indigenous Peoples. The vision of the fire, bow & arrow and renowned plains “tipi” are an example of how visions assist the people in their daily lives.

Individuals of Indigenous nations are often very resourceful, talented and artistic – never wasting needlessly. Many Indigenous Plains Nations Peoples utilize the hair from Sunka Wakan (Nakota “Mysterious Dog”, common “horse”) to finely decorate and adorn themselves and their homes, which was often mistaken for human hair.

Sunka Wakan is a very unique creature. Indigenous peoples witnessed over millions of years the mysterious physical changes of the Sunka Wakan. Growing from a smaller, three toes animal which roamed the prairies into a larger, two toed creature, and finally – millions of years later – growing into the taller, hoofed animal we see today.

The Sacred Canunpa (misnomer “peace pipe”) is a very sacred ceremonial object, consisting of a wood stem and red stone bowl. A person who takes care of a Canunpa and requires the utmost in responsibility and dedication must conduct seven Sacred Ceremonies, which insure balance within Indigenous communities. The Canunpa represents balance of Grand Mother Earth and Grand Father Sky. A very sacred ceremony always takes place once the stem and bowl of the Canunpa are connected together. A human body is a temple for the spirit and altering the mind or harming the body in any way is contrary to the most basic Indigenous spiritual beliefs. It is a falsehood and stereotype that “marijuana” or some other mind-altering drug is “smoked” in a Canunpa.

Nakota women give birth and insure the continuance of the Circle of Life. They are the mothers of the children and caretakers of the family. When girls become women (beginning their sacred time of monthly purification) one of the sacred ceremonies of the sacred Canunpa is celebrated.

Currently, much of Nakota Homelands are under occupation and u.s. government officials continue to exploit Nakota resources – while most Nakota remain in poverty and oppression. A crucial duty befalls all human kind with regard to Indigenous populations – the protection of the last, true democracy which remnants exists only in “Indian” country. The Yankton DaNakota Sioux of “South Dakota” managed to preserve their female inclusive “Oyate Omniciye” (“General Council”) manner of governing, despite pressures to relinquish it in 1934. Most Red Nations, however, succumbed to the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act I.R.A. (called by many the “Indian ‘retardation’ act”) dictatorship, puppet governments forced upon them and they began calling themselves “tribes” instead of nations, which further lowered their self esteem and pride.