Sioux Nation Treaty Council - est 1894

Newsletter – January, 2025

Hello Everyone,

We have been very busy since our last Special Newsletter in September, so I will get right to the information.

1. Horse Nation Spirit Ride and Decolonization Day, Sept. 16, 2024

We hosted a Day to learn about Decolonization, the day before the start of the Horse Nation Spirit Ride at Standing Rock. An elder from the Acoma Nation in New Mexico, Petuuche Gilbert, gives workshops on Decolonization and came to help us. The organizers had invited three high schools and a treatment center for youth. However, the Friday before our event, the Tribal Council released all of the schools to attend a workshop at Prairie Knights Casino on the same day as our Decolonization Day.

Although there were not the youth we had hoped to reach, we still had a very good meeting with about a dozen adults in attendance. We talked about many things and hopefully they learned more about Decolonization, Self-sufficiency, and the International work. We chose to do this event as the Horse Nation Spirit Ride is a good example of Decolonization.

2. Ruby Valley Treaty Conference, Elko, Nevada, Sept. 27, 28, 29, 2024

Edward Valandra and I had been asked to speak at the Ruby Valley Treaty Conference. The Western Shoshone nation have a treaty called the Ruby Valley Treaty of 1863. They taught us their history and showed us where their treaty was signed under duress.

Mary and Carrie Dann and the Western Shoshone Defense Project (WSDP) fought for their Treaty and won in the Organization of American States Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IHCHR). However, the United States (US) has not agreed to the jurisdiction of the IHCHR so nothing could be done. There was major publicity about the US violating the Ruby Valley Treaty, and the WSDP took their case to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD). The delegates from the SNTC met the Western Shoshone at that meeting in Geneva, Switzerland in 2006. Regarding their case at the UN CERD, the Western Shoshone proved their case, but the US totally ignored the UN CERD recommendations.

It was an honor to speak at their conference. Edward spoke about ‘Treaties and Restorative Justice’ and I spoke about ‘History and Current Participation at the United Nations’. We were both on a panel also about participation at the UN. (Pictures at the end of this newsletter.)

3. United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (HRCAC)

There is a grave injustice that has happened to all Indigenous nations and peoples of the world by the UN General Assembly (GA), and that was the passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007. [This is written in detail in the book Indigenous Nations Rights in the Balance published by Living Justice Press. If you wish a copy, let me know.]

This past summer, it was revealed that Australia and Canada worked secretly to weaken the Declaration in the final years of the debates. This is a violation of the human rights of all Indigenous peoples and nations. Therefore, we, along with other allied Indigenous nations, planned on approaching the HRCAC in August, 2024, during their regular meeting. We wanted to begin the process of rescinding the resolutions going to the GA. We were funded by Honor the Earth for our air fare, and our allies in Geneva were going to assist with our other needs. However, the meeting was canceled only 10 days before it was to start. The reason stated was budgetary constraints. The HRCAC meeting was again canceled in Dec. 2024. Interesting, eh?

4. UN Justice Report

There was a call for input by the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, on Indigenous Justice. The report will be presented to the Human Rights Council (HRC) in June, 2025. We submitted a report (attached) and it will be made public on her website. Our report is titled “Native Americans and the U.S. Justice System.” You may copy and share all of this information with others as you wish.

5. Solidarity Statement with Mapuche Nation

The Mapuche Nation celebrated 200 years of their Treaty of Tapihue on Jan. 7, 2025. We were invited to attend but our resources would not allow it. However, we did submit a Statement of Solidarity for the Mapuche People of Wallmapuche. (Attached)

6. Solidarity Statement with Indigenous Nations in Brazil

Our relative, Edward Valandra, was invited to Brazil for his work with Restorative Justice. He met with many Indigenous nations while he was there, and took our Statement of Solidarity for the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, Oct. 8, 2024. (Attached) This is a way of forming relationships and allies with other Indigenous nations.

7. Statement sent to New Zealand Parliament for Maori Nations

New Zealand is currently trying to pass a Treaty Principles Bill that will affect the Maori nations and their Treaty of Waitangi. On Jan. 4, 2025, we submitted a comment to the NZ Parliament Justice Committee regarding International laws (attached). Dr. Valandra also submitted a 14 page comment comparing the Bill to efforts by the US. [If you wish a copy of his comments, please let me know.]

8. Ancient Laws of Oceti Sakowin being translated into Lakota

One of our people, Ben Good Buffalo from Oglala, who is fluent in the Lakota language, has offered to translate our Ancient Laws into the Lakota language. After this is finished, it would be a good teaching tool in the schools, along with the 1868 Treaty.

9. Treaty Study Guide and Treaty Knowledge Bowl in Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Reservation

Another of our people, Julie Hernandez, from the Pine Ridge Reservation has been trying to get a Treaty Knowledge Bowl started for all of our young people. She hopes to have this ready in April, 2025. Currently, I have been working on a Treaty Study Guide for the 1868 Treaty and will send that out when it is ready. It will be another good educational tool for all of us, and help us to strengthen our knowledge and support for the Treaty.

10. UN Human Rights Council (HRC) – March 2025

The UN HRC meets from Feb. 25^th to April 4^th, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland. I am hoping to attend and present information on the Declaration as well as the recommendation that as we are a nation, currently illegally occupied by the US, we need to be recommended to the Decolonization Committee to help us get our freedom and independence. The Original Declaration had Article 36 which would have helped us. However, the final Declaration removed that and we can now prove that Australia and Canada helped weaken the Declaration, therefore, the Original needs to be passed.

11. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (PFII) – April 2025

The PFII has been conducting meetings since 2002. However, their mandate does not allow them to address violations of treaties. We attended their meetings for about five years, but as they could not help us, we stopped going. Since the publication of the book, Indigenous Nations rights in the Balance, and many requests for the book, I will be attending the PFII in April. We hope to also have a side event called “Nations with Treaties with Colonizing Governments” and delete the word ‘Indigenous’ as that is stereotyping and marginalizing all of us taking our issues to the UN.

So, you see, it has been a very busy time. With the Climate crisis, and a new US administration, our people need to be more self-sufficient, independent, and aware of the times ahead for us. I will keep doing what I can at the International level.

My thanks to Ben, Julie, Edward, Ardyce Taken Alive and the Horse Nation spirit Ride Committee, Steve W. for the postage, and Jennifer S. for the envelopes. Wishing everyone a Wonderful Winter.