Opinion: No laws needed to teach Indian history

Monday, January 8, 2007  

"An Argus Leader editorial discussed a proposed Indian Education Act. As a Lakota Sicangu from Rosebud, I wanted to state some of my opinions on the Indigenous Lakota people of South Dakota.

Why do educators need a law to teach the people of this state the culture, language and related information on the Lakota people, who were here thousands of years before foreigners ever stepped foot on this continent? This would simply rewrite the current history of not only the state but of the country. We know, of course, this will never happen.

When the first foreigners came to this part of the world, they broke the spirit or the backbone of the Lakota people. We were denied our language, culture and everything related. It also put the traditions of the Indian in a mental state of confusion and fear of practicing their ways, which is still affecting my people today. Culture, language and spirituality cannot be separated; they are all interrelated as one. This is one of the problems of trying to teach this culture.

The living examples of this culture are the responsibilities of the grandparents, parents and relatives. This is how the cycle works. Today, as Lakota people, we need to reevaluate ourselves and get our spirituality and culture back in sequence. I was raised the traditional way, and I have done several years of research on our ways. I talked with many people. I also took a survey on the powwow trail. In almost every state, it took me three years just for that."

Get the Story:
Wayne M. Star Boy: No law needed to teach Native American culture (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 1/5)

More Views and Opinions:
Dakota Comment: Indian Education Act (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 1/6)

National Indian Education Study:
Overview | Executive Summary | Full Report

Relevant Links:
National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov
Nation's Report Card - http://www.nationsreportcard.gov

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