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we're in trouble
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Sunkmanitu tanka Isnala Najin
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Jul 27, 2003 16:49 PDT
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Bison are in trouble. Earlier this spring I read an article in Native
Voice, an area newspaper, reporting on several dead bison on a
reservation in North Dakota. And just now, I've seen a similar story
online from CBC Saskatchewan, this story taking place in northern
Saskatchewan. Of course, everyone's already familiar with the genocidal
assault occuring yearly in Montana, with the Yellowstone bison.
Throughout history, the Pte Oyate (bison) & the Ikce Wicasa (Indians)
have been linked so closely that everything befalling one befalls the
other. Mass-murder, confinement, & introduced diseases, for instance.
The Lakota origin story relates how we evolved from the bison. And we
followed them, as they followed the stars, throughout our journey in
this life... Now I wonder if we're all about to return to the stars.
Violence at powwows, & actually, on reservations year-round, is
increasing. The stabbings at Carry The Kettle powwow in Saskatchewan a
couple weeks ago, & the attempted stabbing at Kicking Bear wacipi in
Manderson last night, are both commonalities of reservation life
nowadays.
Also, several days back, a guy shot his girlfriend in the stomach in
Pine Ridge. He & the tribal cops then had a shootout; a male tribal cop
eventually shot & killed this guy. His family & his buddys demanded a
review of Public Safety (the police). The cops were blasted by those
ones. Then a walk & candle light vigil was held for the dead shooter.
Are you wondering why I haven't mentioned anything about vigils or
meetings concerning the girl? Well, it's because there's been none! This
dead shooter was a member of some kind of gang too. (Several Pine Ridge
cops are also gang members.) And, his gangster buddys threatened the
police after their little candle light vigil last week. Only, the threat
wasn't aimed at cops in general, they were very specific. They've
threatened to take revenge on the female officers! And, the upcoming
Oglala Nation powwow, next week, is the time they're supposed to seek
retaliation.
If we get through these speedily-changing, violent times, I want to
suggest that we all make sure our children are raised to be responsable
human beings. People must learn to understand & respect the consequences
of their thoughts, words & actions! Take a good look around you; take
into consideration how much common-sense, accountability & respect each
generation looses. Think about how a seemingly intelligent & civilized
people should act towards one another.
All things are connected, all things are related. The bison are dieing
off, & we are dieing off. The bison once taught us how to live, & we
followed them to a healthy lifestyle. The seperation is killing us both.
http://sask.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=bison030724
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