'Supremacy of the law over any individual, including the Sovereign.' - Genghis Khan (This included the Aristocrats, like members of our Congress, all elected Officials, Bankers, CEOs, Organized Religion Heads, etc.!) Read Genghis Khan by Jack Weatherford, Crown, Three Rivers Publishers, Barnes & Noble or Borders.

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The Sioux were reluctant to ever enter into a binding agreement with any tribe and not keep their word. Making a Treaty with the White Man, this trait or characteristic was probably more magnified for they knew the White Man wrote down his words in a language that was a bit more exacting than a Winter Count even. A Winter Count was an annual reflection of a Tribe’s journey for each particular year on the smooth side of a buffalo hide which consisted of limited drawings of significant tribal events and happenings. The White Man was considered gifted with a written language that could more accurately and efficiently portray a tribe’s words, promises, oaths and decisions. A written Treaty with the whites would be considered highly Wakan Ahtaah- ‘Approaching the Holy.’ It would be forever recorded and on into the Spirit World. It would journey as a record of a tribe’s word.

 

Thus was the Indian’s concept of a written treaty upon which the Warrior Chiefs would put their identifying marks. Naturally it was expected that the White Man would also hold the same view for after all, did he not have the same God (Creator) of all? The Sioux had won their battles with the U. S. Army and had bargained from a position of strength therefore they believed the Army Generals would be steadfastly loyal to the words within the Treaty, probably not realizing fully that it was the politicians who controlled the generals.

 

The Army had burned down their own forts along the Bozeman Trail as an indication of their desire to make a peace treaty. This act on their behalf demonstrated at least that the White Man would hold to his written word. This written word was clearly spelled out. The lands west of the Missouri (River) and on past the Black Hills to its western side, and to the North as far as the Cannon Ball River and south to the Nebraska Sand Hills would be the Sioux tribe’s forever. They would be allowed to hunt from the Black Hills westward to the Big Horn Mountains for as long as the rivers flow and the grass will grow and their dead lie buried. This last passage was understood as forever.

 

The Indian’s concept of a Spirit World beyond was a place of total Truth and it would be highly incorrect, extremely offensive before the mind of Creator to break ones words or intentions with those whom your words and deeds were bound with solid oath backed up with ceremony- usually the smoking of the pipe to bind the agreement. In ceremony they believed that they were going before Creator itself and their words would be eternally recorded in that Spirit World Beyond where all Truth was supposed to reside for Creator was considered the Maker of All- Truth. Here again their Spirituality held them to a much higher degree of dependability than what the Religion of the White Man held out for himself, if we are to weigh the many broken treaties the White Man carried out or carried on against the Indian versus those same treaties which the Indian honored. In the end, despite the honesty of the Sioux, the White Man broke the Treaty of 1868. His promises described therein were false promises. Gold discovered in the Black Hills in but a few years after the signing – shameless Greed - was the major reason.

Historical

 

The first major deception for the Sioux, the Treaty, was historical but it reaches up into the present. The United States Government should honor the treaty by at least giving us a goodly portion of our land back; that which is stated in the treaty. The State and Federal Parks Department of the Black Hills holds millions of acres and most of it yet pristine and unsettled. The federal government has repeatedly attempted to buy us off with money settlements of which we have refused. For over a hundred years now we have lived on the most pitiful lands in South and North Dakota, in essence, contrary to the treaty. It was the Teton Lakota that won this Treaty therefore it is the Teton Lakota who should be allowed a livable area within the Black Hills. The Homestake Mine has finally played out after tons of gold. Good Riddance! They can keep their gold. A Black Hills stream or lake for Sioux children to play in is much better than a piece of gold wrapped around one's finger.

 

The Treaty was quite simple and understandable; its solution can equally be fairly simple and Truthfully resolvable. Remember: Creator is All-Truth. A nation that breaks its solemn promises made in ceremony will someday be severely punished as what is beginning to happen now. Ho-hetch-etu- aloh.

 

Sioux Treaty of 1868

 

 

By Ed McGaa (Eagle Man)

Copyright 2010