Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
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PIERRE, SD - In the midst of drum beats and sacred songs, approximately 200 people stood around a large campfire and watched as the seven Lakota men occupying a Spiritual Camp on LaFramboise Island in the Missouri River were inducted into an ancient warrior society. The sacred ceremony was held on Apr 20, following a day-long meeting of the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council.

In their fourth week of tending the First fire of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council fires of the Lakota Nation), the men were named members of the "Most dependable Warriors Society" (called Fool Soldiers by the 1st white men) because of their dedication the the Great Sioux Nation as exhibited by their presence on the Island. They are building awareness of the transfer of almost 200,000 acres of land along the Missouri River to the state of SD, The Cheyenne River and Lower Brule Sioux Tribes. They are also educating the public to the violation this land transfer is to the Ft. Laramie Treaties of 1851 and 1868 which were made between the US and the Great Sioux Nation (GSN).

Although the Cheyenne River (CRST) and Lower Brule Sioux Tribes (LBST) are also part of the GSN, their govt's which agreed to the transfer were created in 1934 by the US under the Wheeler-Howard Act, aka the Indian Reorganization Act. Many members of those two reservations have protested their governments participation in the passage of this piece of federal legislation. A dozen horseback riders from Cheyenne River in support of the Spiritual Camp, and two adult volunteers who work with youth were also recognized and will receive eagle feathers.

The ceremony was conducted by Harry Charger of the Sans Arc band which is located on the Cheyenne River Reservation, while most of the seven inductees are Oglala Lakota from the Pine Ridge Reservation. Members of the Great Sioux Nation contend the land area including the Missouri River was held in common by all of the Sioux bands (tribes).

The US House of Representatives in Jul 98 recognized the complications inherent in the bill with the treaties, and refused to pass the CRST, LBST, and State of SD Terrestrial Wildlife Habitat Restoration Act, aka the Mitigation Act. But under the steerage of Minority Leader Sen Tom Daschle, D-SD, the piece of legislation was attached as Title VI of the 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Act last fall. With the enormity of the fed. budget, most Congressmen failed to cross-reference any treaty obligations at that late date following months of the Presidential impeachment hearings.

Peter Capossela, an attorney working with many of the Sioux tribes, explained a discrepancy in Title VI which was overlooked in its passage. The transfer of the land is authorized under Sec 605(a). However, Sec 605(h) allows for the protection of Native American grave sites under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. According to Capossela, the NAGPRA applies only to federal and tribal land but not state land.

This leads to the question of how Native American graves in this specific land area along the Missouri River will be protected. A Kansas archaeologist unearthed a human skull and some other bones just days prior to the mtg, according to an article in the Pierre newspaper, the Capital Journal, on April 19, 1999. The BHSNTC contends that the find clearly shows a need for a consistent application of the NAGPRA along the Missouri River. That need would be thwarted by the transfer of the land to the state.

The 7 warriors were further buoyed by the passage of a resolution by the BHSNTC designating Laframbois Island a sacred site and Tribal Cultural property. Such a designation is allowed under the National Park Service's regulations for sites eligible under the National Register of Historic Places because of the "cultural practices or beliefs of a living community that are rooted in that community's history." Tim Mentz, Historic Preservation officer for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, stated that more than 700 sites can be found in the land area to be transferred.

The US Army Corps of Engineers which manages the land in question asked for the removal of the camp by April 20. The designation by the BHSNTC protects the camp and the men from any removal until the issue is resolved.

Representatives of the BHSNTC will be attending a forum sponsored by Congressman Patrick Kennedy, D_RI, on tribal rights and Sovereignty in Washington, D.C. on May 12, 1999. They hope to bring the issue of the violation of the treaties with the passage of the federal budget will to the attention of federal lawmakers.

Another gathering is planned on Laframbois Island for April 29 1999, the 131st anniversary of the signing of the Ft. Laramie Treaty of 1868.