The history of Native Americans is rich in cultural customs, philosophies, and fundamental ideologies. This history has also been marked by injustice, tragedy, and suffering. No discussion of Native American tribes and the present land they possess, their reservations, can be complete without the mention of poverty. Many Native American tribes like the Oglala Lakota Nation are waist deep in poverty and economic conflict. The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples has recognized the plight of native peoples all across the world that are experiencing the same disenfranchisement as the Lakota peoples. In the mid 200’s the United Nations set a goal to establish the Declaration on the Rights for Indigenous People. Nearly 143 countries in the world adopted the declaration. None of those 143 countries was the United States. The neglect that the government has given Native American tribes throughout its history is appalling and continues to be a reason why many tribes such as the Lakota have struggled for so long. Yet, there are some tribes like the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux who have profited in recent years. The economic disparity between the Lakota and the Sioux are extreme and only through an analysis of past history, current issues, and future endeavors can this difference be truly observed.
Of course the United States has moved beyond the violence and deception that was so long the theme of Native American affairs in this country. However, there is still a natural feeling of distrust among some Native American tribes which is warranted. The Sioux arguably have one of the strongest cases to be skeptical of the government. In 1862 the U.S. government failed to honor a treaty to the Sioux. When the Sioux desperately ask...
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In the Lakota Way, Marshall teaches many different virtues that all are important to being a good person, but respect shines above them all. It is at the cornerstone of every virtue the author puts forth. It is clear in every story told by Marshall and in every lesson taught in The Lakota Way. Without at least a modicum of respect, the virtues taught by the Lakota would be less valuable to us as a society.
According to Tyler Troudt once said, “The past cannot be changed forgotten to edit or erased it can only be accepted.” In the book The Lakota Way, it is talking about all the old stories that no one talks about anymore. Some of the stories are about respect, honor, love, sacrifice, truth, bravery. Joseph M. Marshall III wrote this story so that young adults around the world and mainly the Lakota people know their culture, so they knew all the stories about the people long ago. What the author is writing about is all information that today’s generation will never know about the stories because most of the elder that even knew or know the stories have passed away or the young people just are not interested in listening to them anymore.
Black Elk plays a major role in retelling the history of the Lakota Native Americans. Having witnessed the Battle of Little Bighorn and living through the transfer of Native Americans to the Pine Ridge Reservation, Black Elk can attest to the treatment endured by Native Americans. Black Elk tells the story of a people injured in war and subject to sufferings for the years to follow.
The Sioux Indians are a tribe of Native Americans that have endured persecution, segregation, and isolation. Though they suffered greatly, they stuck together and fought for their beliefs and religion. They are a diverse people ranging from warriors to holy men to farmers. The Sioux were a culturally rich and kindhearted people who were not afraid to stand up for what they believed in.
Throughout history the attacks on Native American sovereignty proved to be too much and eventually tribes had to submit. The problems Native American tribes faced when fighting for and dealing with sovereignty in the 18th century are identical to the problems they are facing today. These
Lakota Woman Essay In Lakota Woman, Mary Crow Dog argues that in the 1970’s, the American Indian Movement used protests and militancy to improve their visibility in mainstream Anglo American society in an effort to secure sovereignty for all "full blood" American Indians in spite of generational gender, power, and financial conflicts on the reservations. When reading this book, one can see that this is indeed the case. The struggles these people underwent in their daily lives on the reservation eventually became too much, and the American Indian Movement was born. AIM, as we will see through several examples, made their case known to the people of the United States, and militancy ultimately became necessary in order to do so.
Throughout ancient history, many indigenous tribes and cultures have shown a common trait of being hunter/gatherer societies, relying solely on what nature had to offer. The geographical location influenced all aspects of tribal life including, spirituality, healing philosophy and healing practices. Despite vast differences in the geographical location, reports show various similarities relating to the spirituality, healing philosophy and healing practices of indigenous tribal cultures.
Although poverty rates on some reservations are getting better because of gambling enterprises and natural resources, most reservations have unusually high poverty rates. In 2000, the poverty rate of the entire United States was about 11.3%. Compare that to a 25.9% poverty rate for Native Americans living on reservations. The poverty rate of Native Americans in 2000 was higher than the peak of the poverty rate of the Great Depression, which was 21.7% (Native American Statistics”). This statistic alone shows that Native Americans are not doing well financially.
Through Laws, treaties and proclamations it becomes clear of the transfer of power between Native Americas and colonizing powers within the US and Canada. One significant treaty was Treaty NO. 9 in which Native Americans gave up their aboriginal title and land for money, hunting right, entrance into the christian school system and a Canadian flag presented to the Chief. The treaties described define the cascading effect of how western powers came into control of land at which Native Americans resided in. Specifically converging on the using Native Americans “elites” to influence other Native Americans into adopting western cultural beliefs, overshadowing the diverse Native American cultural practices. The overshadowing and belittling of Native American culture is not only expressed through the several treaties presented to Native Americans across history but also through real life accounts of Native American children adopted into the western school system. This sections places into the prospective the monopolization of Native American land and
The Native American Indians have faced so many adversities of which some have kept them from flourishing. For example placing them in reservations has greatly decreased their chance to progress in life. They always have had to evolve their lives due to the changes of the environment due to the settlers. This inhibited them from having a solid place where they could settle and setup a foundation for their lives. The concept of freedom had been carried on throughout the history of the United States, yet it has failed to be carried with treating the American Indians. Reservations have been seen as the United States showing their gratitude towards the American Indians, but Carlos Motezuma who wrote What Indians Must do sees it as a wall of progress for them and must be done away with.
The movement westward during the late 1800’s created new tensions among already strained relations with current Native American inhabitants. Their lands, which were guaranteed to them via treaty with the United States, were now beginning to be intruded upon by the massive influx of people migrating from the east. This intrusion was not taken too kindly, as Native American lands had already been significantly reduced due to previous westward conquest. Growing resentment for the federal government’s Reservation movement could be felt among the native population. One Kiowa chief’s thoughts on this matter summarize the general feeling of the native populace. “All the land south of the Arkansas belongs to the Kiowas and Comanches, and I don’t want to give away any of it” (Edwards, 203). His words, “I don’t want to give away any of it”, seemed to a mantra among the Native Americans, and this thought would resound among them as the mounting tensions reached breaking point.
For the Lakota people of South Dakota, modern day capitalism is a frustrating network of impersonal commerce, resource and profit. Since colonialism, the global arena has replaced the values and needs of the Lakota with presupposed economic definitions of need, and has “forced deterioration of the traditional political system” existing in Lakota society (115). In the absence of traditional political organization and subsidence economy, the Lakota are impoverished and have little choice but to adhere to the economic prospects offered to them by the federal government. In doing so, Lakota people struggle with “economic opportunities” that damage community identity and marginalize their status in society. Economics greatly influences their ability to shape modern Lakota culture.
The circumstances the Native American people endured clarify their current issues. American Indians have poor education and a high percent are unemployed when equated to “U.S. all races” (Spector, 2009, p. 205). Many American Indians still live on reservations and work as a
Many people today know the story of the Indians that were native to this land, before “white men” came to live on this continent. Few people may know that white men pushed them to the west while many immigrants took over the east and moved westward. White men made “reservations” that were basically land that Indians were promised they could live on and run. What many Americans don’t know is what the Indians struggled though and continue to struggle through on the reservations.
All men are created equal (Declaration of Independence). Yet, the Native Americans continue their fight for decades since colonization. There is a constant struggle to urge for equality from William Apess in his 1833 essay, An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the White Man. In modern day, the fight continues after his lifetime. Equality and freedom is the goal for most Native Americans. Although securing the rights of the Native Americans are progressing, it is slow. Therefore, the inequality continues at a faster pace, as opposed to major changes that would impact the Native Americans positively. Throughout history, they are exploited for their land and natural resources and severely underfunded. As a matter of fact, the common theme seems to be that the Native Americans are continuously suppressed by the “superior race”, which showcases the prevalent thoughts in America. William Apess and