Articles

Opinion: In House race, reservations might be important

For the first time in history, two women will be competing for South Dakota’s lone U.S. House seat.
Kristi Noem entered the Republican primary late, but outdistanced her male opponents in a stretch run that saw her win the right to face off against the incumbent House of Representatives Democratic candidate, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.
Although lacking name recognition, Noem, a Republican from Castlewood, is well positioned to give Herseth Sandlin, a third-term incumbent, the fight of her political life.

Opinion: ‘Custer died for your sins’

The bumper stickers were born before the holiday.
They could be seen on cars coming and going from the Indian reservations in America. They read “Custer died for your sins,” or “Custer wore Arrow Shirts.” And then came the holiday.
The Indian holiday on June 25 marks the 134th anniversary of the thrashing of George Armstrong Custer’s Seventh Cavalry at the Little Big Horn, or Greasy Grass, as the Indians called it. On all of the Sioux Indian reservations in South Dakota, it is a statewide holiday. The Cheyenne and the Arapahoe, also participants in the great victory, also have joined the celebration.

Opinion: Death of the people

I don’t know who said, “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem,” but it certainly makes sense.
Teen suicide, it would appear, is a problem throughout America, but it seems to happen more frequently among young Native Americans.
A “study” on any topic usually does not offer a solution, but a “study” that gets to the bottom of why so many young Indians are taking their own lives would at least lay the groundwork for the traditionalists seeking a solution.

Opinion: No time limit on justice

An editorial on Indianz.com asks, “What happens if Congress doesn’t approve the $3.4 billion settlement to the Indian trust fund lawsuit?”
It answers its own question with, “Nothing. No one gets any money. Litigation will continue at the expense of the Bureau of Indian Affairs budget and Congress will continue to do nothing about trust reform.” It concludes with, “That’s not what Indian country deserves.” What Indian country got it also didn’t deserve.

Opinion: Burying the hatchet

I wrote, several years ago, that I was a recovering Catholic. Well, my recovery is complete, but the transition was a painful and emotional one.
For years, I had a lot of anger in my heart for the Roman Catholic Church’s boarding school, Holy Rosary Mission on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. In the past few years my anger against the school has subsided because it took me a lot of years to realize that it was not the school. Holy Rosary Mission is now Red Cloud Indian School. The school made many changes in the way the Jesuit priests and Franciscan nuns dealt with the Lakota students. They did so in such a way as to make Red Cloud one of the finest schools on any Indian reservation in America.

Opinion: Stop the madness

The old saying that one should never discuss politics or religion may have made sense 50 years ago, but in the year 2010 politics and religion are in the forefront of every conversation.
The 24/7 news channels and blogs are filled with stories highlighting the religious differences of Muslims and Christians and the two political parties in Washington, D.C. have become so partisan that a Democrat or a Republican would be humiliated to even be seen having lunch together. Muslims are killing Americans and vice versa.

Opinion: Hoping against the odds

It has been more than 30 years since a Democrat sat in the seat of the governor of South Dakota.
A Democrat who fashions his campaign on the past actions of former Sen. George McGovern, a Harvard man named Scott Heidepriem, hopes to open that door again.

Opinion: Another face of Rushmore

Very quietly, but with dignity, Baker began introducing elements of the native culture and traditions to the memorial. He had several tipis constructed near the site and introduced native speakers to talk to the tourists and visitors about the history of the Hills and of the region. Aside from having the opportunity to view the sculpted faces of the four presidents, the visitors to the memorial soon flocked to hear the native speakers and to look at the other native art and artifacts brought to the memorial by the Lakota and other tribes of the Northern Plains.

Opinion: ‘Heavy’ has the courage of his great grandfather

James Willard “Heavy” Garnette is my first cousin. He is a veteran who served in the United States Navy during the Korean War and he is the great grandson of William “Billy” Garnette, an Iyeska (interpreter) for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the only interpreter the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse trusted.

Opinion: Native American veterans claim racial discrimination

There is a credo lamented daily in the waiting rooms of the Veterans Administration Hospitals scattered across America. It goes, “First you apply, then they deny and hope you will die.” This has a special meaning to Native American veterans.
For too many Indian veterans it strikes close to the bone. They are so entangled in bureaucratic red tape they are all but suffocating. Many have been reduced to living lives well below the poverty level set by the very government they fought for and nearly died defending.

Columns

GIAGO: Anniversary of ‘Indian Raw Deal’ passes quietly

It was 75 years ago on June 18, 1934, when the Indian Reorganization Act became the law of the land. On the 50th anniversary of the IRA, a conference was held at Sun Valley, Idaho, to talk about the good and the bad of the act. On the 75th birthday of the act, there was nothing but silence.

• Tim Giago

GIAGO: GOP may be in for rough times in ’12

The owner of a trucking firm posted signs on his trucks that read, “New Company Policy: We are not hiring until Obama is gone.” Bill Looman denied that political motivation is keeping him from hiring employees. What is the point?

• Tim Giago

OPINION: Reviving languages is tough in face of technology

There have been a lot of reasons that caused the Native languages to diminish and in some cases to disappear entirely.

• Tim Giago

GIAGO: Janklow, Means careened along parallel paths

I find it ironic that two adversaries, two domineering personalities that clashed over a number of years, have both been diagnosed with cancer.

• Tim Giago

GIAGO: Through it all, Russell Means has been leader and enigma

As I look back on my life from the pinnacle of the seventh decade, my reflections turn to the life of Russell Means. He is suffering from incurable cancer.

• Tim Giago

GIAGO: Only matter of time until states butt in on gaming

As times get tight and budgets shrink, more states are looking at expanding gambling. State-owned casinos are bad news for Indian casinos.

• Tim Giago

OPINION: Tribal colleges are one of US’s best-kept secrets

“Butch” Felix, the Lakota Eyapaha (master of ceremonies) for the 39th annual graduation ceremonies of Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Reservation, stood at the podium and, after glancing behind him at the seated dignitaries in attendance, said, “There is a big hurricane about to hit Washington, D.C., so all of them fled the Capitol and ended up here on the Rosebud Reservation.”

• Tim Giago

GIAGO: Bachman, Perry leading to 'Onward Christian Soldiers'

Michele Bachman and Rick Perry appear to be leading a parade of GOP presidential candidates in front of a marching band playing “Onward Christian Soldiers.”

• Tim Giago

GIAGO: Republic among small newspapers still thriving

Suppose that every major newspaper in the United States decided to pull its paper from the Internet? Would they sink even faster?

GIAGO: Deadly encounter brings anxiety to Indian Country

The relationship between Native Americans and Rapid City’s law enforcement has been contentious at best.