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Mile Yellowhair and Gerald Clifford [possibly also Charlotte Blackelk], oral interview
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Title
Mile Yellowhair and Gerald Clifford [possibly also Charlotte Blackelk], oral interview
Place
Montana
,
Nebraska
,
North Dakota
Subject
Dakota Indians
,
Indigenous peoples
,
Journalists
,
National Geographic
,
Oral histories
Description
Begins with an unidentified man discussing treaty boundary lines. Talks about the discrepancy between how congress describes the boundaries and how they describe boundaries.
We learn the first speaker is a member of the Lakota Ogalala Sioux.
There are 26 tribes along the Missouri river, not all of them Sioux, but all have ties to Sioux.
Mass ethnocide has caused many groups to scatter.
Begins to talk about the Sacred Hoop, "Changlesha"
Young people have been asking to be taught more about ancestors and stories. Their parents have to work, so children have been raised by their grandparents and learn about that generation.
Talks about how many spiritual leaders have been lost, and how the new generation of children will eventually take up leadership roles.
Discusses Crazy Horse in the 1870's. He spoke at the last big meeting before people got scattered.
They are in a neutral area, where many people from different tribes can gather and learn from each other.
The speaker then talks about seeing his father who was previously in the marines get beat up by cops. He says this happened when he was 17-18, thinking about joining the marines. He decided not to because he couldn't understand why these police would beat up his father when his father had given so much of himself in the war so that they could have these jobs.
Speaker #2: Charlotte Blackelk - 31, 4 children. She is the great-granddaughter of Nick Blackelk. Ben Blackelk is her paternal grandfather. She is married to Gerald Clifford, who is the coordinator for Blackhill committee working on developing legislation for returning to Blackhills.
Sacred Hoop is discussed again
Names Nick and Ben come from the Christians who came to the tribe and baptized every one.
She talks about how Nick Blackelk wrote letter to a monk in Europe in 1949 about how the Lakota are strong because of all of the suffering they have had to endure. This letter is proof that although it is clear that the answer to return to tradition is becoming more and more popular, it has been building for quite a long time.
Talks about their creation legends vs. the Judeo-Christians legends.
In continuing to discuss creation, she works through the word "Wakantunga". She says it is incorrectly translated as great spirit, but if you go back to the source you see it is much more.
"Wa" That which is because it is.
"Kan" That which is beyond comprehension.
"Tun" That which makes it what it is.
"Ga" For all time.
Shows how many words encompass a thought English has no words for.
Discusses the gathering at Bearbutte
Has religious and historical significance to Lakota people.
Blackhills are a place you retreat to.
Bear Butte is a sacred mountain at the end of the trail when animals circled the mountain and made it sacred for the people.
It is a meeting place, and this year they are using the retreat to teach though activity and example.
She then discusses her education. She studied Biology at the University of Colorado.
Her maternal grandfather was a man named Halohorn. He was a man who said, "I will not live a day as a dog. I will fight for the rights of my people". He fought for the allowance of sacred ceremonies.
Mention of D'Arcy McNickle
Speaker #3: Gerald Clifford
Says Christian churches have stopped fighting against the rights of Native Americans.
There is a momentum of spiritual rebirth
People should be able to govern their own religion.
Clifford was born in Pine Ridge and went to a jesuit HS Holy Rosery. Got an engineering degree in Rapid City
Discusses the different groups and things he was a part of when he was younger. Goes through his personal timeline.
Creates ACKO company consulting firm, and designed tribal law enforcement program.
Currently, he works at his Law Firm Gerald Clifford and Associates based out of his home.
Discusses young people's involvement with the movement.
The ending of the recording repeats the beginning of the recording.
Duration
42m41s
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
97.70 MB
Original file name
9911612434105867_00000_00020.mp3
Unique Identifier
NL1V6DH
Visibility Class
Public
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