He-Dog
NAME: SUNKA BLOKA..
The Sioux Nation Treaty Council was established in 1894 by He Dog shortly after the Wounded Knee Massacre. It was established at a time when it was very dangerous to speak of the Treaty. He Dog knew the people would forget about the Treaty as the forced assimilation efforts were very strong at that time, and would get stronger. The work of the Treaty Council, to support each other and to continue to educate the Sioux people quietly, had to be accomplished underground. It is only in these last few years that more people have become aware of the continued work of the Sioux Nation Treaty Council. Antoine ‘Tony’ Black Feather was the Spokesperson from 1984 to 2004 when he passed away. Charmaine White Face, Zumila Wobaga, was given the lifetime appointment as the Spokesperson by the Treaty Council in 1994, and after Mr. Black Feather’s death in 2004, she continued the work to today.
A summary of the 1851 and 1868 treaties
The Great Sioux Nation, whose real name is the Oceti Sakowin, is comprised of seven sub-nations who spoke the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota language. The Tituwan sub-nation spoke the Lakota dialect and lived in the western most portion. The Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation) occupied a vast land area that covered 24 American states and parts of 4 Canadian Provinces. Other smaller nations also lived within the area as the Indigenous concept of territory followed natural law and was much different than the European concept of territory. The people of the Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation) originated from the mouth of Wind Cave in the Black Hills. The Black Hills were so sacred that they were used for ceremonial, prayers, medicinal, and burial purposes only.
Read more: A Summary of the 1851 and 1868 Treaties
Spokesperson
Charmaine White Face Zumila Wobaga
US Treaty Violations with Indigenous Nations
In 1868, the United States entered into a treaty for peace with the last remaining sub-nation of the Great Sioux Nation, the Tituwan, who were located in the center of North America. Our nation is situated on the western portion of our original territory, encompassing 24 American states and 4 Canadian provinces. By the time the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty was finalized, white invaders surrounded our nation. Only a few survivors of the other six sub-nations of the Great Sioux Nation remained and were existing on reservations east of the Missouri River. The 1868 Treaty provided for the Sioux survivors of the genocide, a territory “for the undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians.” (Article 2, 1868 Treaty)
Hello Everyone,
There are a number of people and organizations to be thanked for the ability to get out our 1894 Sioux Nation Treaty Council (SNTC) newsletter, AND for the trip to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland to attend the Human Rights Council (HRC) meeting. Our deepest gratitude – Wopila Tanka to Honor the Earth, Tonatierra, CAGI, Incomindios, and Ken H., Steve, W., Jennifer S., Lukas R., Robin W., Marc W., Sylvia L., Theresa S., Corina E., Tupac E., Therese S., Pascal E., Anita W., Emmanuel C., Chester C., Akia C., and Pete K. Thank you all so much for your kindness and generosity and answering the call that we needed help. We never have received any help from any government: tribal, federal, or state. It is only through small grants and individual help that we have been able to do the work since 1894. A special thank you to Tonatierra for the feast and ceremony for a safe trip the night before we left, and for the prayers during the Butterfly Sun. All of you are part of a group of extraordinary people.
One of the most wrongful and harmful actions that the United States (U.S.) did to us was to try to take our memory away from us of who we are. If it wasn’t for some courageous men and women, all the knowledge of who we are would be lost. In the late 1800s and early 1900s to the1950s, an Oceti Sakowin (Sioux) person could be jailed or worse for teaching their children or grandchildren our language, our ceremonies, how to pray, to attend our spiritual ceremonies, and especially talking about the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty.
When I was a child, my grandmother, Maggie, always called the United States (US), the ‘enemy.’ She was the one who taught me who I was as Oglala Tituwan Oceti Sakowin (AKA Sioux), and also about the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. At first I didn’t understand why she called the US the ‘enemy’. All three of her children, including my father, had been in the military service during World War II, and her husband, my grandpa, had served dring World War I. But as I got older and heard the stories about the boarding schools, about the Wounded Knee Massacre, and experienced racism myself on the first day of first grade, I finally started learning what exactly she meant.
Hello Everyone, First, I want to publicly thank Ryan White Feather for his frequent donations for postage. We have always been blessed with generosity from some of our people. The late Denver American Horse always, once a month, sent a book of stamps. These are the unsung heroes who continue to help with the work
Re: Financing of Reparations owed to victims of serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law
Dear Sir
This is submitted in response to your request for Inputs to examine the question of the financing of reparations owed to victims of serious violation of human rights and humanitarian law. The perspective of financing for reparations is incomplete. Reparations also present the opportunity for restoration and nation-building. You touch on this briefly in your questionnaire.
Hello everyone
Hoping you are warm and prepared for a long, cold, snowy winter. We have been spoiled by the last two years with very little snow and the extreme cold. We have to follow what our ancestors did and always be prepared. That means having enough food, water, and fuel to get us through these extreme times. Yes, these are the kind of things we would be talking about if we were able to gather for a big meeting. But with the Covid still ravaging the people, it is safer to just send out this newsletter. The good part is that the UN is now doing Zoom calls and accepting emailed documents, so we are able to participate more. The attached documents would be the handouts on a table. This is an update on our participation at the UN since our last newsletter on July 23,2022
Donate
Donations may be sent by check or money order to:
Sioux Nation Treaty Council,
PO Box 2003, Rapid City, SD 57709.
Or, purchase the book, Indigenous Nations Rights in the Balance, from Living Justice Press and all royalties go to the Treaty Council. Thank you
Contact
Sioux Nation Treaty Council
PO Box 2003
Rapid City
SD 57709 USA
Email: cwhiteface@gmail.com
"...CONCLUSION Various historians has determined that the "Sioux Nation Treaty Council" formally formed in 1894, shortly after the Wounded Knee massacre. The Sioux Nation Treaty Council represents all of the Sioux Tribes (Approx 49 Tribes), and all other Sioux Treaty Councils would be subordinate to it, regardless of the Treaty Council's name...." See Bielecki Report pages 7 & 8, Oct. 5, 2008 (Bielecki Report)