{"id":29910,"date":"2022-11-30T18:58:24","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T23:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=29910"},"modified":"2022-11-30T18:59:25","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T23:59:25","slug":"harold-frazier-nation-to-nation-policy-must-be-law-of-the-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/11\/30\/harold-frazier-nation-to-nation-policy-must-be-law-of-the-land\/","title":{"rendered":"Harold Frazier: Nation-to-nation policy must be law of the land"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Harold<\/a><\/div>
NATION-TO-NATION: Chairman Harold Frazier of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, left, greets President Joe Biden of the United States at the White House on September 13, 2022. Photo courtesy Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe <\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>\r\n
The Creator\u2019s Gift of Life<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, November 30, 2022<\/div>\r\n
By Harold Frazier<\/div>\r\n
President, Great Plains Tribal Chairmen\u2019s Association<\/div>\r\n
gptca.net<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nLakota<\/em> know our origin. Wakan Tanka<\/em>, the Creator, gave the first woman and first man the breath of life and we emerged from Wind Cave in the Heart of the Black Hills, a free and visionary People with a sacred duty to protect Unci Maka<\/em>, Grandmother Earth. \r\n

<\/p>\r\nNative Sovereign Nations are prior sovereigns, embodying the inalienable and inherent rights of Native Peoples bestowed by our Creator. Our grandfathers and grandmothers put their minds together to see what lives they could make for the wakanyejea<\/em>, the Creator\u2019s sacred gifts<\/em>: our children and grandchildren. The Circle of the Beloved, Circle of Relatives<\/em> is the foundation of our democracy. Lakota<\/em> means Friends. Neighbors came among us. Through generosity and kindness, we adopted relatives to bring them into the Circle of Friendship. Mitakuye Oyasin<\/em> means \u201cwe are all related.\u201d\r\n

<\/p>\r\nNative Nation origins are prior to America. The 1805 Treaty with Sioux Nation of St. Peter\u2019s and St. Paul\u2019s Rivers extended Sioux Nation recognition to American sovereignty over two 10 square mile tracts, at America\u2019s request. We reserved our rights to use the lands. The Federally Recognized Tribe List Act acknowledges inherent sovereignty as the touchstone of nation-to-nation relations<\/em>. We are not subordinate to state law. \r\n

<\/p>\r\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\u2018Our\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t
\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\u2018Our policy is nation-to-nation\u2019: Tribes join President Biden for celebration at White House\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t
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Tribal leaders are looking forward to addressing climate change and improving economic conditions in their communities through the Inflation Reduction Act.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

\n\t\t\"Indianz.Com\"\t\tIndianz.Com\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n In the 1860s, Lakota<\/em> fought the Powder River War, the Battles of the Hundred in Hand, Kill Deer Mountain and the Badlands for Lakota<\/em> freedom, homeland, and People — the Oyate<\/em>. We were never a dependent nation. The United States sought a treaty with the Great Sioux Nation to restore peace with our Oceti Sakowin<\/em>, the Seven Council Fires. America pledged its honor to keep the peace: \u201cWar shall forever cease.\u201d \r\n

<\/p>\r\nLater, President Grant said we must have \u201ccivilization\u201d because the only alternative is \u201dextermination.\u201d Then Custer found gold, Sherman slaughtered our Buffalo and Grant ordered Scorched Earth War, burning our villages in the winter. The White Man\u2019s Burden<\/em> and the hunt for gold on our Indian lands was never constitutional and always a treaty violation.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n At the time the U.S. Constitution was framed, nation-to-nation relations between America and Native Sovereign Nations were vitally important. So, important that Georgia sought assurance from George Washington, Constitutional Convention Chair, that America would make peace with the Creek Nation because Georgia could not manage affairs with the Creek Nation alone. Georgia ratified the Constitution in 1789 and President Washington made the first treaty under the Constitution with the Creek Nation in 1790. It\u2019s the model for all future treaty ratifications, and that\u2019s the original understanding that underlies the original ratification of the Constitution.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

ICYMI: President Joe Biden promised to visit Indian Country next year during remarks at the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit.

Listen to his speech at #TribalNationsSummit<\/a>, with an introduction by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. #WHTNS<\/a>https:\/\/t.co\/uV69QCs9Ww<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nXwO5d31TS<\/a><\/p>— indianz.com (@indianz) November 30, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>