PRESORTED SWST hosts public health issues forum last week Sota Iya Ye Yapi P.O. Box 628 STANDARD SWST officials travel to Washington, D.C. to meet S.D. delegates U.S. POSTAGE Agency Village, SD 57262 PAID Highlights of Tiospa Zina Native American Careers Day Postmaster: SISSETON, SD Tribal Health Fair this Wednesday, May 2nd at Veterans Memorial Gym Address service requested PERMIT NO. 6 “Skywarn” storm spotter training workshop on Thursday, May 3rd Contents: Time-Dated News/Do Not Delay This edition mailed at Sisseton, SD 57262 on or before April 30, 2001 Serving the Lake Traverse Reservation since 1968 Still ¢ Only50 Vol. 32 May - Wozupi-wi - “Planting moon” - Wednesday, May 2, 2001 No. 18 Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribe holds health issues forum Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribal Secretary Mike attend. Peters welcomed Aberdeen Area Indian Health Tribal Secretary Mike Peters welcomed guests Service (IHS) officials, aides to South Dakota and Tribal members. Congressional delegates, local Tribal and IHS staff He emphasized the need to continue lobbying personnel, and interested Tribal members to a for more funding. The lack of financial support for forum on health issues last Tuesday afternoon at the great, existing need, he said, is a major concern the SWST elderly center. for the SWST. Representing Aberdeen Area IHS were: Area Mike Peters spoke of knowing, first-hand, what Director Bruce Bad Moccasin; Tony Peterson, Area it means to confront lack of medical services and Executive Officer; and Rick Sorenson, Office of not having needed care. Tribal Affairs. Richard Huff, Sisseton IHS Director, The Aberdeen Area IHS Executive Officer gave was also present. a presentation on the budget-setting process. Congressional aides in attendance were: Beth He began by acknowledging that there are SWST HOLDS PUBLIC FORUM ON HEALTH ISSUES -- Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Smith, aide to U.S. Senator Tom Daschle; and Judy Tribal Secretary Mike Peters (above) welcomes Aberdeen Area IHS officials, including Tribal health issues forum Vrchota, aide to U.S. Congressman John Thune. Aberdeen Area Director Bruce Bad Moccasin (seated, second from left in above photo) to cont’d on page 2 An aide to Senator Tim Johnson was unable to the Lake Traverse Reservation for a community forum on health issues last Tuesday afternoon, April 24th. IHS Area Executive Officer Tony Peterson (below) takes SWST Lou Robertson receives U.S. members through the lengthy and complex budget-setting process with help from Tribal Health Coordinator Sara DeCoteau. (For a photo of others participating in the presentation, Department of Justice award see page two inside this issue of the Sota.) As his last official act before stepping down as violence and to make sure that his investigation is South Dakota’s U.S. Attorney, Ted McBride thorough and documented.” recognized a handful of individuals and staff of a Prior to his present position, he was employed domestic abuse shelter for outstanding service to by the BIA Tribal Law Enforcement and has served crime victims. Those honored include Sisseton- as an instructor at the BIA Law Enforcement Wahpeton Sioux Tribal member and BIA Criminal Training Academy in New Mexico. Investigator Lou Robertson. The Department of Justice commendation The ceremony, held in conjunction with stated, “Lou sets an example worthy of emulation; National Crime Victims Week April 22-28, 2001, he is well respected by local law enforcement.” took place in the U.S. Department of Justice Lou is cross-deputized in the Northern Plains headquarters in downtown Sioux Falls last Safe Trails Drug Task Force. Thursday, April 27th. He and his wife Rochelle, who comes from San Lou Robertson, SWST member and Criminal Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico, have four children. Investigator for his Tribe since November 1999, Their youngest, nine-month-old Stevie Rae, was commended for maintaining “a very high attended the honoring ceremony with her parents. standard for the support of victims and victims Also present for the ceremony was Lou’s rights.” supervisor, Aberdeen Area BIA District I He ensures “he is always available and willing Commander Martin Hansford. to go above and beyond to support victims of SWST establishes “Bring Back the Boundaries” Committee (Editor’s note: Here is a statement from for our Tribal archives. SWST Secretary Mike Peters concerning the on- In addition, we would like to establish a going investigation into the legal process that “Bring Back the Boundaries” Committee through resulted in loss of the Lake Traverse Reservation District appointments. So, any interested Tribal boundaries in the 1970s. A committee will be members who would like to be involved in these formed to study means of restoring the efforts, please bring it up to your District officials boundaries by Congressional act.) and get appointed. The Committee will be In recent weeks, the Tribal Council has structured in the usual, seven-District member continued to gather information about the 1975 board with a chairperson from Tribal Council. DeCoteau vs. District County Court case which This is an issue that Tribal government feels has left a lasting impression on our Reservation the time has come to begin addressing. The boundaries. logical course of action is to lobby for a federal I would like to express my gratitude to those Act of Congress to reorganize the 1867 Lake Tribal members how have volunteered Traverse Reservation boundaries. As a Tribal BIA CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR, SWST MEMBER IS HONORED -- Lou Robertson information as to the climate in the surrounding government, we continue to recognize our receives this plaque recognizing him for outstanding service during National Crime Victims area during the early 1970s and the thinking jurisdiction within the original boundaries, Week last Thursday, April 26, in Sioux Falls. Making the presentation, one of his final acts behind the 1970-1975 Tribal Council’s decisions however, we will continue to struggle on the while still in office, is U.S. Attorney Ted McBride, who resigned effective the end of last in regard to the case. I would also like to continue state, federal, and local levels until federal to invite Tribal members and interested recognition is reinstated. week. The post will be filled by the Bush administration’s new Attorney General John community members to continue to call in, or Thank you. Ashcroft. Also pictured are Lou’s wife Rochelle, their nine-month-old daughter Stevie stop by, with the facts as they remember them Michael Peters, Tribal Secretary. Rae, and Lou’s commanding officer Aberdeen Area District I Commander Martin Hansford. TIOSPA ZINA TRIBAL SCHOOL HOLDS ANNUAL NATIVE AMERICAN CAREERS DAY -- Here is a scene from the 2001 Native American Careers Day held last Friday at Dakota Connection, Sisseton. Dr. Cecelia Kitto, M.D., encourages these students to pursue higher education and to consider a professional medical career. For photo highlights of activities, see pages four and five inside this edition of the Sota. Sota guest editorial— The “Forgiveness Program” by Fr. Stan Maudlin, OSB (Editor’s note: The following special feature is provided to Sota readers by Fr. Stanislaus Maudlin, OSB, of Blue Cloud Abbey, Marvin, S.D. It provides insight into the mission of the Benedictine monks who came to Dakota Territory and how that mission has changed, adapting to today’s challenges in “Indian country.”) We Benedictine Monastics came to Dakota Territory in 1876. When Benedictines are planted at a place, we become part of the soil and part of the people. We become part of the environment. Benedictines are that way. That way of ours, or that quality in us, is called Stability. Monastics are identified by “place”. None of us as individuals need to be known. It’s important, though, that Blue Cloud Abbey be known and the Mother of God Monastery of our Sisters. In the past few years the news has been breaking heavily over us. In all the world there is a flood of spiritual and mental depression. No one is exempt, whether they be in sports, in business, or in religion. All have been hurt by a society that is more and more godless, more and more secular and vengeful. Anger has grown. Hope has gone. Violence is the answer. The ones who suffer most are the youth. They do not know how to weather the storms. Their escape is suicide. And we watch. Their fathers were our partners in building the Church in the Dakotas. Their mothers made us welcome. The youth are, in a way, us. And we Monks and Nuns have, in some way, to take PARTICIPANTS IN SWST HEALTH ISSUES FORUM -- Seated at the back table, far responsibility for them and to them restore Hope. left to the right of Tribal Secretary Mike Peters, is Rick Sorenson of the IHS Office of In 1998 four of us Benedictines, Father Guy Gau, Sister Rose Palm, Sister Jeanne Giese and I, all Tribal Affairs. At the front table are, from left: Beth Smith, Director of U.S. Senator Tom from Blue Cloud Abbey and Mother of God Monastery, invited Indian professional counselors to a prayerful meeting with us. Most of those men and women had grown up with us in our schools on the Daschle’s Aberdeen office; and Judy Vrchota, aide to U.S. Congressman John Thune. Reservations. They knew us well. We asked them to tell us how we could best take our Benedictine Tribal health issues forum Ideally, he said, the goal is “decentralizing.” spirit of Peace and Forgiveness and share it with all hurting people. cont’d from page 1 “Plan your own services, own departments that The word got out about our plan. The response was instant. From the Dakotas and from Minnesota control their own budgets.” special groups called us and asked us to spend time with them.