The same for me ,too.I am out of here.Jennifer

windrider...my words were a question.... my point was that either you are indian or you are white....we all know how dominant soociety is.... if you have been to any reservation, you see the effects of that culture....

most of the internet is a waste of time.... i hear people say they have no one to teach them...no way to learn the language.... to much time is spent either out ndning one another or worrying about what the gov't is gonna do next.....

ndnhorseman,

You know this forum is not useless...where else can people go to learn the truth about the people, see Aaron Huey's pictures, learn the truth that Ghostwarrior writes, about the starvation and murder and kidnapping and all the grand promises contained in the treaties. All these things have been neatly categorized as history but it is still an open wound that bleeds...and you won't learn much of it down at the local college.

This is a place where we all share many experiences and if just one person is helped here, what is the harm in that?

There is much anger here at times and rightfully so. But even if our skin color is orange, (which it soon may be with all the crap in the environment) as so many have written before, what if we concentrate on what unites us instead of divides us and maybe this was your way of saying that.

I think many of the people come to the forum because they have a heart for the injustices done the Lakotah...while what they write about may not always pertain to the rez or being ndn I do believe a lot of them come for the right reasons and who knows maybe someday, someone will be able to offer some real help where it is needed the most.

I hope I can call you friend, my intentions are not to offend.

Well, I have probably said more than enough. Time for me and the Google bot to leave.

ndnhorseman, i have a bone to pick with you on your comment that age doesnt matter. Elders dont come in all ages unless a education factor that removes blind spots is in the equasion.The problem today is there are a bunch of lies flying around so that dysfuntion is to damn common. One big lie is about Jesus who the dominant society project as a myth rather than reality.They make the holy profane by their twisted history. He waited on those soldiers to get him and Judas was the one he trusted to tell them where he was.He was given a spiritual power in this action and he was a man like us. People who have stood up on issues will know what i say is true because when one stands up for what is right is when the spirituals come and help, I believe that when people pass who are concerned for their people sometimes take the form of eagles to get a view of what is happening. Experience has led me to believe this. It is a magical world

pahanna... the age comment was pointed towards jennifer...she said she was 59 in a previous post...i was saying that age does not matter when learning your language and culture.... i have a 70 year old sister that is learning both....

most Elders that i have met are actually around 70 and up....thier life experiences makes them who they are.... i have seen 30 yr olds say they are an "Elder".... i laugh...they are still "wet behind the ears"...as i am at 53

as for jesus... i really have no interest in him....that is dominant societies god...not mine....the Lakol wico'han is my life...just a statement , not meant to degrade christian beliefs....i just feel it was christian beliefs that has ruined the Nations.

Lilac... glad i could help...altho i do not know what i said that helped you....lol

Mollydee .... its all about perspective ... cousin ghostwarrior is involved with his people on his rez.... how he sees things and how i see things are different.... an example being, i read an article on treaties.... it said if the US honoured all the treaties with all the Nations, we would be 100 percent dependant on the federal gov't.... i never saw it like that.... just food for thought.

we can complain and exchange ideas all we want.... we can review history all we want.... but until the L/D/N nations practice true soveriegnty(sp) .... until we start to hold our own people and ourselves accountable.... until we return to our languages and our tribal identity....then we will continue to take part in our own cultural genocide.

altho forums like this help others that are ndn see what they must do....again....we as ndn people must ask those people that live in dominant society and have no ndn blood to allow us to become independant nations again by stepping aside and allowing us to do what needs to be done.

just think...we have a euro american group called the Lakota Language Consortium selling our own language back to us.... see Molly....this is just MY perspective .... no one elses....my thoughts and my beliefs ..... the same as when pahanna writes...or you write...or me.... i welcome people to challenge what i write....sometimes it gives me a new perspective on what i need to do and how i need to look at things.....hecatu welo

ndnhorseman, i understand your good logic, all i am saying is that religion and science are the same, and what is unseen does not make it not so, in a humble way, your friend

I was drawn to this forum because I agree with what ndnhorseman states, “....we as ndn people must ask those people that live in dominant society and have no ndn blood to allow us to become independant nations again by stepping aside and allowing us to do what needs to be done.” The American Indian is the heart of this land, brutally ripped out by the white man who still continues to stomp upon it. I do not ever intend to pretend to be as you are; it would be pretentious of me to try to adopt your ways. I can’t, I am who I am, however I can strive to understand your way of life, chiefly your spiritual ways and apply that to my journey and be a better human being for it (I don’t consider myself a “wannabe” but rather a “strive-to-be). Also I am so disgusted with the never-ending war machine mentality of this country; sick of the lies, bullshit, and dog eat dog attitude of the so-called leaders of this country. In my humble opinion anyone seeking to live a honorable life, regardless of race, would opt for the ROL over the machinations of this immoral government. I still am pissed over the fact that Black Feather continues occupation of foreign countries, burning another culture’s holy books and then saying, “Whoops, a mistake.” I fear so many in this society are so blinded by distractions and their quest for more, more, more that they will lose their humanity. I do not want this to happen to me so I come here and hope I will obtain an uncorrupted perspective.

Hau mitakuye
'if the US honoured all the treaties with all the Nations, we would be 100 percent dependant on the federal gov't.... '

If the US knew how to honour a treaty,we wouldn't be having this discussion in the first place.

ndnhorseman

I respect your words, and think I do see what you mean.

So why do I come here? Why should anybody care?
Do I have some idea I am going to find lost spirituality, (totally understand about the religion thing) or have some fancy product to sell, (not unless you consider sheep fancy) or aim to write the next romantic blockbuster

The real reason? I can read here about the things of concern to this Nation (Keystone for example). When you write about your history and through this understanding I honor (no, not worship) an ancient people and their ways, who were here long before the boat people.

Here is a place anyone who takes the time can understand a tiny bit how life really was, and is, and the everyday issues, real, not just what television wants you to believe. Only a strong people could still be enduring.

There are people out there who really have a heart for the Lakotah. Don't sell the forum short is all I am asking. Almost everyone I have forwarded the Aaron Huey link too ends up in tears knowing it is just plain wrong to have anyplace in America to be this poor especially for the kids. Give it time.

So I agree...it is good to hear different opinions and ideas. I also see things a little differently now my friend.

cousin Thermlin.... I agree 100 percent with that statement .... my perspective on it is this .... what we call POW camps now would be exactly that .... we as american indians would not even be allowed to leasve the rez if dominant societies gov't had thier way.

Sould have ...would have .... that makes us victims in a sense... the L/D/N nation has always been strong people , we are not now, nor have we ever been victims .... assimulation...accultaration(sp) .... have never stopped us as a people.

As a Nation, we surge forward , reclaiming our language and our identity .... we are starting with language projects... listening to what the Elders are saying .... maybe one day soon, our tribal gov't's will return to people placed there for thier good works...not election .... maybe one day I will come to this site and everyone will be writing in L/D/N .... and that to me would be awesome....

your words make me think .... pila

As I visit here again (And no NDN I don't mind at all) I see the same words the same arguments. Even if the names change the words are still the same. There will always be those who will never understand, those who do not want to understand, those who will find understanding, and those who have always undertood because they have lived what they speak.
One of my earliest memories is when my mother and grandparents and myself went off the reservation to visit relatives in AZ. I don't remember where it was that we stopped for a meal other than it being a small town with a small cafe and the words spoken to my family as we were sitting down......... "Ya'll need to git on out of here! We don't serve red niggers." It was not long after that I and my siblings were placed in foster care and scattered to the wind. For a long time white people scared me with their harsh words and fast fist, they awlways made me feel less than human and always pointed out the red "Taint" in my blood and said it was something to overcome. At some point in my youth I found no more fear of the white words or fist and embraced the red "taint" in my blood and saw that the whites were the ones who were affraid. I see that fear in many of the words here in these boards. A person I consider to be a wise woman once told me once that whites are really 3 people, Who they think they are, who others see them as, and who they really are. Perhaps if more people focused on who they really are and did not worry about the illusions they would not carry so much fear.

Stormsrider,that makes me angry what happened to you when you were little.My daughter is married to a black man and we have had some of the same experiences.My daughter's family is mixed.We all were at one of my granddaughter's 5th grade graduation.Afterwards the children were playing and another one of my granddaughter( who is fair in coloring )was hanging on to my son-in-law's oldest son's belt loops.A white lady gave them nasty looks and asked me why that little girl was hanging on to that nigger boy.I told her that they are stepbrother and stepsister and they are my grandchildren.Her face turned as red as a beet.Then she started acting all nice to us.We ignored her talk and left.Jennifer