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Alvina Alberts and Victor Michael Lancelotta, oral interview
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Title
Alvina Alberts and Victor Michael Lancelotta, oral interview
Place
Montana
,
Nebraska
,
North Dakota
Subject
Dakota Indians
,
Indigenous peoples
,
Journalists
,
National Geographic
,
Oral histories
Description
Interview begins with introducing and spelling the names of the two interviewees. Victor is Alvina's grandson, and he is 21 years old. He is visiting from Massachusetts, where his mother, Alvina's daughter lives. Alvina's family are mostly Yanktonai, with some Sisseton.
Alvina talks about her childhood, spending nine months of the year in a Catholic boarding school and three months of summer holidays "sleeping in a tipi." Her father was a successful farmer but "lost everything" in the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression, and Alvina had to withdraw from the Haskell School, where she only completed half a year, to work. She married George Alberts, and they had ten children. Eight of them are still living (one died in infancy, the other as an adult).
Alvina's maiden name was Jerome, a surname given to many people in the area, including her grandfather, by a local priest, Father Jerome Hunt. They discuss the impact of white-sounding names being forced on people.
She talks about the education that Victor's mother went through as a gifted child that led her to a job with the BIA in Washington DC.
They discuss tribal politics, and the new tribal chairman Arvol Lookinghorse. Alvina talks about selling star quilts and beadwork to white tourists.
Victor would like to start a video game arcade on the reservation after he finishes his degree in business administration, and thinks he can get an SBA loan to do so.
Another granddaughter, also named Alvina, and her husband Elmer White Jr. and their son Elmer White III, are in the background, and are introduced. Elmer White Sr. is on the tribal council.
The elder Alvina talks about the foster care system, and ways that the state separates children from their families. She is dimissive of the Indian Child Welfare act.
Duration
1h40s
Archival Collection Title
Edward E. Ayer Collection
Rights Status
Copyright Not Evaluated
Newberry Open Access Policy
The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to
these terms and conditions.
Link to Catalog
View record
Call Number
Ayer Modern MS Josephy
BibID
9911612434105867
Size
138.87 MB
Original file name
9911612434105867_00000_00017.mp3
Unique Identifier
NL1V6C0
Visibility Class
Public
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