Personal Narrative: Out To The Sioux Reservation In South Dakota-Home

Growing up on a reservation many challenges are thrown at you. Everyday people struggle whether it is with substance abuse, financial problems, or even staying in school. I have difficulties myself living on a reservation where poverty is a big issue. One big issue I had to overcome was trying to continue my education when things were not looking so well for me. I dropped out of high school when I was sixteen years old to help raise my younger siblings due certain circumstances. I shortly found myself going down the wrong path in life. I was searching for something that was not there but I knew in my heart, I was searching for myself. Later, I seen an advertisement on the TV. It was of a program called, 'Montana Youth Challenge' it is a program

I am a Native American born and raised in Jamestown, Virginia. It was always just my father and I, my mother passed away when I was an infant, so my father raised me to be an independent woman. My father is the head commander of the tribe. He only allowed me to go to the village near our tents. I never went further than the village, till this one day that I was feeling so curious about what was out there, so I decided to walk beyond the village to see what there is to explore.

"My People the Sioux" is a good literary work written in 1928. This book leaves an everlasting impression with some because it definitely intensifies the sympathy for the Indians. Luther Standing Bear, also known as Plenty Kill, portrays the dramatic and traumatic changes about the Sioux throughout their traditional way of life. As a young boy growing up, he experienced many of these hardships first hand between his people and the whites. This autobiography is quite valuable as it helps allow us to envision what really happened in the battling times of the Indians. Luther stated this quote, which to me, is unforgettable and very well said. It reads:

Who really are the Cheyenne Indians? According to historians, they were Indian people who became nomadic and moved to the Great Plains in the 18th century (Berkin 366). Another tribe, the Souix, developed the name of "people of a different language" for the Cheyenne. Some people said that the Cheyenne did not exist until the mid-1600s or at least this is when the earliest known records were found. They are one of the most famous and prominent Plains tribes, too.

On a warm February morning, I had the opportunity of interviewing someone who has heavily influenced the Choctaw Nation and as a result changed multiple communities throughout southeastern Oklahoma. That person was former chief of the Choctaw Nation, Greg Pyle. Greg Pyle was born in California, but moved to Oklahoma later in his childhood. He was heavily influenced by his father who never went to college, but read him books about business, which led him to obtain a bachelors in business, and a minor in psychology at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Despite having several achievements, including being assistant chief for thirteen years, principle chief for seventeen, and being inducted into the Oklahoma hall of fame, Mr. Pyle had a gentle, humble, and a family minded persona.

The Lakota Indians, are sometimes known as the Sioux, but they call themselves the Lakota, which is translated as ‘friend’ or ‘ally’ in their native tongue. Their description of themselves make sense when looking at their seven virtues that they live by, “These are Wóčhekiye (Prayer), Wóohola (Respect), Wówauŋšila (Compassion), Wówičakȟe (Honesty), Wówačhaŋtognaka (Generosity), Wówaȟwala (Humility) and Wóksape (Wisdom) (“Lakota Today”). A culture’s idea of the most importance qualities a good person should have gives a good idea of what kind of people they are. The Lakota’s virtues all revolve around a general concept of respect for everything, compassion, humility, and honesty. These things can either refer to their fellow man, or

            Virtues are usually taught through the eyes of the wise, also known as the elder. In the book The Lakota Way, by Joseph M. Marshall III, his tribe teaches virtues though story telling. The virtues of the Lakota tribe and those of my family are more similar then I had anticipated, although we do have our differences.

For the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, water is sacred, and if an oil pipeline is built it will damage sites that have great historical, religious, and cultural significance to the tribe. Aside from the desecration of sacred sites, the environmental hazards caused by the pipelines and the possibility of a spill will be catastrophic. The US does not need another oil pipeline robbing innocent people of their culture, and threatening a source that keeps us alive.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe currently fights to save its only water source from natural gas and oil contamination. This troubling current event has a somewhat forgotten historical analogue where very similar themes presented themselves. The Kinzua Dam Controversy, which took place in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, resulted in the displacement of over 600 Seneca Indian families and the acquisition of a large tract of traditional Seneca Land for dam building. Additionally, the acquisition of Seneca land represented a breach of “The Treaty with the Six Nations of 1794,” which explicated prevented such action by the US Government. The dam and its construction, which primarily benefitted Pittsburg, inspired a heated discourse concerning the ethics of native relocation.

By 1876, gold had been discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The gold was found on Sioux land, and this region was considered sacred to the Lakota Sioux Indians. The he land was to be protected and respected by the United States Army, because of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 18681, but the Army could not keep miners off the Sioux ground, which led to the increase of Sioux grievances towards the Americans; some grievances that are still taken offense to today. These battles and negotiations soon were known at the Great Sioux War of 1876.

singing, and lots of food. The Sioux were deeply spiritual people, they also communed with the

The tribe I chose was Sioux. Sioux sounded like such a fun tribe to learn more information about. Plus little side note every summer I went to camp I always stayed in the Sioux cabin. A little background info on the Sioux tribe. The Sioux tribe migrated from Asia. The word Sioux means little snake which the name came from the Chippewa Indians. (“Sioux Indians”) A way you could describe the Sioux tribe is that they had "AHDD" because they hardly ever stayed in one place, they always were on the move. From the movie we watched it mentioned that they follow the buffalo.

At this service we understand that cultural obligations such as celebrations and rituals are a part of everyday life within indigenous communities and we endeavour to protect this and encourage children to attend ceremonies and rites when

The summer of my junior year was a busy but memorable one. I met new people and made memories I will not forget. I stayed busy by going to Sioux Falls for a friend’s surgery, working, and playing sports.

A time in my life I want to relive is when I took a summer trip to Pierre, South Dakota. My dad and I were going for the 4th of July to celebrate with his parents. The drive was a 12 hour long dreadful pain, I absolutely hate traveling in a car. When we finally arrived my dad and I went to his hometown burger shop, these burgers were the bee’s knees! I had never tasted such a juicy, tender, tasty burger that completely disintegrated in my mouth. After the feast my dad and I drove to his parent’s house in Brookings. They welcomed me with hugs and smiles. The next day we went boating in Pierre for the 4th of July, there was nothing but warm summer breezes, brisk lake air, and the solitude of the countryside. The sunshine started to recede into