Pine Ridge - Lakota Views” of the Bradley H
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The original documents are located in Box 5, folder “Pine Ridge - Lakota Views” of the Bradley H. Patterson Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. c 31 loaded weapons-won pralise. even IN THE NATION from the Menominees. The lesson too late to prevent Kent State, Jaek· By Tom Wicker son State, Attica and other atrocities -is that gunfire need not be the-auto- ' matic recourse btf a challenged society. The settlement by which a Menomi- Some more militant Indians may nee Indian force peacefully evacuated continue to consider the criminal a Roman Catholic novitiate in. Wiscon- charges unwarranted, imd many whites sin, and under . which the 262-acre 1n the vicinity at the novitiate are property is to be dooded to the apparently angered by the settlement Menominee nation for $1 and "future on grounds that the. Menominees, in considerations" appears to have been effect, seized the property and were a triumph of good sense and humanity. rewarded with its ownership. But that Nobody was killed on. either side, the raises questions no white American forces of law and order are being offi- ought to consider without shame-to cially served, and the Me nominees will! whom . did these disputed lands origi regai:n possession of a property they nally belong? By ·what di'6reputable regarded as historically their own. means did non-Indian property owners The Menominee settlement, more- first take title· to 'them? over, may signal some easing of wha:t Those are questions that some American Indians consider the h<?-Stil- American Indians are determined to ity of the Roman Catholic Church press to a remarka!le conclusion-the toward them and their claims. At the renewed recognition by the United peak of ·the Wisconsin siege, when lt States of the· sovereignty of the 300- appeared possible that the National odd Indian nations. That sovereignty Guard would storm the .novitiate and would include the ownership of lands the Menominee warriors holding it, originally recognized in solemn treaties th Alexi.an Brothers Order of Chioago, with the Indian nations. who held title to the property, sought The United States has not been the counsel of the Apostolic Delegate making such treaties-which the Con in Washington. His advice was sensi- stitution decrees as "the supreme law ble and crucial-that an empty noviti· of the land"--,ince 1871, but it has ate was not worth a single life. never formally repudiated those made At abol,lt the same time, Governor before then. In s6me cases, the validity Pat Lucey of Wisconsin-who . was of a treaty is in dispute: in many it is frequently in direct telephone negotia- not. In practice, however, the United tion with the Menominees holding the States ·long since'~~ to treat any novitiate-was putting a hard question Indian tribe as a ~yeteigtt natl~n. to the Alexians. Did they really want If it did so ~coaruze the Indians, him to order force used tQ regain a th~re_ would be hun~ ot ~depend· property they had 8!ll but flibandoned? ent nations scatt~ct, ~ more · Particulartf \t'hen .Col. Hugh ~imon- ..· ~- ~irty. sta~ ·~:·1~:~, son, ·~g. tl1e ·-~tlooal' G~··"the'!24'!m1Uiott~ ....i'da1Di8ct "by ·the'· · umts: ~g < the novitiAte', had Shoshone. ill,' Nevada~ rand the ,huge • · saiQ, '~ ate. dedicated peopl~ fin tracts of. thE(:SjOUX· in the ~9~S, there, who c~ gojng to. stay untii . of .the .thPciaw::fncf.t1ie Cherokee- in they get ~ honorable ~ent.' I. Qktali,~a,:~~-.'ot .~e ~ix N!tUons in know there are people who' wUl die New: York. · EXactJy ·how· such sover for this cause." elgnty !night work Jrt praCtiCe is no~ The Alexians did not want to forqe clear, although Jim ·. Durham of the fua,t issue and iri the end they partie!- International· ;Indian· Treaty ··Council· pated in the necessary "honorable observes satdoniqlly that "we'd ·.ptOb• · agreement"-45 did the ·~pymg . ably let was~gt(Sii baDdle:'ourforei&il: Menominee ·w-arriors, who _drop~. p.olicy.'' . .·. · . ·.. · their demand for amnesty, ~d w_ho · W: .Durham ·rep~nts ~e. ~cil have now been. cha:rged Ioca:lly w1th -formed last June. at "Stariding Rock crimina.t offMSes (misdemeanors. Indian Country"-tO atiyone who wiU except ,for five felony coun·ts against listen at the· United.. N.tions. Hls. task the leaders). T~tle to the novitiate, t)lere is ultitnately to gail\ .. wllat the ho~~r. wl:ll be deeded t~ tbe "whole council called.J'~i,tlhi'l.:and;'Jlle~-. Men~ee nation. ' . bership of ·th¢. soVereiCJl Na~ve Na· Gove111or Lucey and Colonel Simon- . tions"; mo~bnptediatel1; h,ii. leek,~ to son seem to have handled this, prickly have an !>l.nerican ·, thdiari. :·del.tion matter with'· iritelligence and·"t!lrn\ness receivEid. and heard.· as''the,:••(me' color toward .both :sides::· Brfngblg.i 1ti fblt·· of Mm1klfid 'in the world whO are not. National Guard at the app.ropriace me- ' ,represented in the Unit~ Nations •.• ment enabled the GOvernor to super- the jndigenous Redman of the Western sede hostile local authorities without Hemisphere." That the Intlians do not appearing weak; and Colonel Simon- consider themselves represented by son's handling of the Guard-includ- the United States is something the ing ordering them to patrol with un- rest af us might ponder. --------------------~-· ... Digitized from Box 4 of the Bradley H. Patterson Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library LIST OF THE OGLALA LAKOTA DELEGATION The following names of Oglala Leaders were chosen at the last meeting held in Porcupine, South Dakota on Saturday, July 26, 1975, to accompany the Traditional Chiefs and Headmen to Washington, D. C. Four (4) representatives were chosen from each district on the reservation to carry. the voice of our people • In all due respect, we apoligize for those that were not able to depict, for we have many, many eligible and competent Traditional Lakota Leaders on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The representatives or delegates consists of; Tradi tional Chiefs, Headmen, District Chairmen and Council men, and other areas of responsibility for the general Lakota population. All of these delegates were life long residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation and have proven themselves time and time again, as leaders or spokesmen for the Oglala Lakota Nation: Treaty Chiefs, Six (6): 1. Frank Fools Crow 2. David Flying Hawk 3. Luke Weasel Bear 4. Charles Red Cloud 5. Frank Kills Enemy 6. Matthew Bear Shield Delegates of the districts: Oglala: 1. Frank Star 2. Francis He Crow 3. Russell Loud Hawk 4. Edwin Fills The Pipe Manderson -Wounded Knee: 1. Eugene White Hawk 2. Morris Afraid Of Hawk 3. Paul Red Star 4. Oscar Hollow Horn • Porcupine: 1. Jim Iron Cloud 2. Ramsey Red Hawk 3. Oscar Bear Runner 4. Frank Locke Kyle: 1. Guy Dull Knife 2. Matthew King 3. Birgil Kills Straight 4. Ray Bull Bear Batesland - Wakpamni: 1. Marvin Ghost Bear 2. David Two Lance 3. Dawson No Horse 4. Mario Gonzales Wanblee: 1. Jimmy Red Willow 2. Selo Black Crow 3. Jake Little Thunder 4. Jacob Yellow Hawk Pine Ridge: 1. Richard Little 2. Hobart Keith 3. David Long 4. Toby Eagle Bull Allen: 1. Dan Bad Wound 2. Jim Holy Eagle 3. Albert Red Bear 4. Louie Bad Wound - 2- • Sept. 12, 1975 Lakota Treaty Council To Whom It May Concern: We, the undersigned, as traditional chiefs and headsmen delegate responsibility to those other chiefs, headsmen and representatives of the Oglala Lakota Nation who remain in Washington,O.C. to continue pursuing our origirial goals and purposes for coming to Washington, D.C. i.e. to establish a meeting between ourselves and the President of the United States. We are returning to Pine Ridge Reservation to fulfill some prior com- mitments and will come back to Washington,D.C. next week. Chief Frank Fools Crow .AfJA...JTreaty Chief DaviFlyi ~~Au+ . ~ ~ c::=T,fj'_IL ti cr.A ~ ~ tffi, -,e ~· Treaty chDd""~r;;k~iT~ • Sept. 19, 1975 .. e, tL~ und~""r~iGned member~ of the 0Gl:.J.;o. L-.kote< Trea.ty delegation who ... re in ",';:..~hington to effectua.te a meeting between o~ Chief &nd the ?re~ident of the Unit.ed Sto..te:5 d; hereb;y ~t;..te in unrevoc;:ble terms that from this d-.y forw;..rd we will not engo..ge in <m;,; discu:s:sion:s with Dr· Tneodore F•rrs under •ny circumstance:!! • • 11 \"~ \~~ \ 1 T • (]_; ljte.~_-l- l.!s{-r,1-·'"'(' '' -~-· D.:::-n~-·-!-1-1'~"-''"lt__..,.~.,..-.i.. ,,_}_ L 1\..-ls of- '-Lllll- -·- 111 terl(); -~ BUREAC OF J~<DL\;..; AFFA!r~S \VASHL"iGTO~. D. C. 20245 ~;;:z?::.Y~-.o= Tribal Government Services MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION SUBJECT: "Traditional". Pine Ridge leaders meeting with the President PARTICIPANTS: Louis Bad Wound, Larry Red Shirt, Eugene White Hawk~ Zack Bear Shield, Lou Gurwitz (non-Indian attorney), MS. Kilberg (l~ite House) and Leslie Gay (BIA) At MS. Kilberg's invitation we met together from 4:30p.m.