After riveting days for ASEAN in Southeast Asia last month, this time at another corner of the world, in the Redskin’s continent, some thing of the kind happened on Thursday, December 20th, that even Malcolm X did and could have not imagined such thing during his dynamic life. Such thing happened that even those most fanciful ones had not crossed such event on their minds: Red-nations living in the US declared independence.
THE MOST CHIVALROUS INDEPENDENCE
The ground landlord of the New World, the Red-skins have withdrawn from treaties their forefathers signed with the US government. Russell Means, the representative of the Lakota Sioux Indians whose ancestors include Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, said on behalf of the “Lakota Freedom Delegation” saying that “We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five-state area that encompasses our country are free to join us”.
The Lakota Sioux Indians composed of six Sioux tribes that is part of the Great Sioux Nation living in the northern part of America declared last week on their web site that they would declare sovereign nation status but no one paltered with. The Lakota leaders including the old Hollywood star and a long time activist Russell Means had written to kindle the interest of the media even that “At our declaration of independence local foods and appetizer will be served”. However only a few press member and a delegation from the Bolivian Embassy which has a high-level local American population participated in the press conference held at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Washington D.C. on December, 20th. But the declaration of independence by Means who has taken the spokesman of the Indians has henceforth had repercussions.
Means also said that the new country would issue its own passports and driving licenses living their own territories provided that residents renounce their US citizenship. However, Indians who will apply for citizenship of the new country need to burn their US passports and driving licenses. A delegation of Lakota leaders delivered a message to the State Department on Monday, announcing they were unilaterally withdrawing from treaties they signed with the Federal Government of the United States, some of them more than 150 years old. The Lakota freedom activists say on their web site that the treaties signed with the United States are merely “worthless words on worthless paper” and add that the treaties have been “repeatedly violated in order to steal our culture, our land and our ability to maintain our way of life”. Phyllis Young, a well known activist who advocates for the rights of the Red Nations and who helped to organize first international conference on indigenous rights in Geneva in 1977 said that they have signed 33 treaties with the United States that they have not lived by.
The new country “Lakota Country” founded by the Lakota Sioux Indians includes five-state area of the United States, namely Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. The Lakota Sioux Indians have declared that this is according to the laws of the United States, specifically Article 6 of the Constitution, and treaties passed at the Vienna Convention put into effect by the US and the rest of the international community in 1980.
So far Evo Morales’ Bolivia and Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela have declared that they have recognized the Lakota declaration of independence. At the same day with the declaration of independence Lakota’s efforts have gained traction as Bolivia, home to indigenous President Evo Morales and “my country that I’ve never been before” Venezuela recognized the Lakota country.
THE NEW LAKOTA COUNTRY
The Lakota Indians gave the world legendary warriors Sitting Bull, the world’s most famous leader of the Sioux Indians and the Crazy Horse, the warrior who fighted against the United States in their eight-tribe federation. However the Lakota men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, the lowest of any country in the world despite the Lakota territories are ruled by the “leisured” US. And the suicide rate of the Indian teenage living in the “special reservations” is 150% higher than U.S. national average for this group whereas the Lakota infant mortality rate is five times more and the incarceration rate is eight times more than the U.S. average.
Newly established “Lakota Country” includes five-state area of the United States. These are: Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming.
Nebraska: The capital of Nebraska State is Lincoln with a population of 241.167. The capital built in 1856 bears the name of President Abraham Lincoln who abolished slavery and thus appended a great transformation. With 200.520 square kilometres area (four times smaller than Turkey) Nebraska has, as of 2007, an estimated population of 1,774,571 and 8.8 people per square kilometer. 88.6 % of the population is white and 7.4% is Hispanic. Black, that is Afro-Americans are 4.1% of total population and Asians are 1.7% whereas American Indians are only of 0.9%.
Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867; the name is in Siouan Indian language. The name “Nebraska” is a Siouan Indian word which comes from the native name for Platte River, which is Nibthaska (in Omaha-Ponca) or Nibrathka (in Otoe). These words mean “Flat River”.
Nebraska has a large agriculture sector, and is an important producer of beef, pork, corn and soybean. The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln but the biggest city is Omaha with a population of 414 521. The name “Omaha” is equally Siouan Indian word. Really do you know Omaha? Omaha, dear readers, is the city where brave man, great fighter Malcolm X was born at. Malcolm, this great person, was born on 19 May 1925 in Omaha. His father was a black Baptist minister and his mother was a white homemaker and he, himself, was one of 11 children. Other than Malcolm X, 38th President of the United States Gerald Ford was also from Nebraska.
South Dakota: South Dakota is located in the Midwestern region of the United States. The state capital is the centrally-located small city of Pierre built in 1880 with 13.876 people. With 199.905 square kilometres area 781.919 people live in South Dakota and 3.9 people in per square kilometre. 82.7% of the population is white. Then real landlords of the State, Sioux Indians, come with 8.6% of the population. 2% of South Dakotans are Hispanic and 0.9% is Asian and 0.7% is black.
South Dakota became the 40th state of the United States on November 2, 1889 and “Dakota” is the largest division of the Siouan family and the name “Dakota” means allies.
Historically dominated by an agricultural economy what keeps the State afloat is education and there are six universities in South Dakota. Pierre, the state capital, is the 7th largest city in South Dakota. The largest city is Sioux Falls with 150,000 people. Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park (nearly one million visitors in a year) are located in the south-western part of the state. Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and Red Cloud and Russell Means, a human rights activist who has declared independence of Sioux Indian on 20 December 2007 are sons of these territories.
North Dakota: The State capital of North Dakota is a small city Bismarck built in 1872 with 56.619 residents. The name of the state capital is the German Kaiser Otto von Bismarck because Bismarck visited this small village. With 183.272 square kilometres area (between ¼ and 1/5 of Turkish territory) 635.867 residents live in North Dakota and 3.5 people per square kilometre. The state has the 4th lowest density in population in the United States. The overwhelming majority of the population is white European descents; 43.9% of North Dakotans are Germans, and 30.1% are Norwegians, 7.7% are Irish and 5% are Swedish. The ground landlords of the State, the Native American Indians are 5% of the total population. 6.1% of North Dakotans are children under 5 ages. And 25% of North Dakotans are under 18 age whereas those 65 and above compose 14.67% of total population. In such a case North Dakota has experienced virtually constant decline in population, particularly among younger people with university degrees.
North Dakota became 39th state (on the same day with South Dakota) on November 2, 1889. The name is an ethnic word of American Indians. North Dakota has adjectives “Global Peace Garden” and the “Sioux State”.
The State capital Bismarck is the second largest city, and the largest city in the state is Fargo with 91.048 residents. The TV station named KVLY-TV-Mast is in Fargo, and this station of 628.8 meters is the highest place in the world.
Agriculture is the largest industry in North Dakota; cereal, potato and linen are major products. Also Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is visited by half a million tourists in a year. The Bonanza region that we know from TVs is also located in the State.
Montana: Montana is a state in the Pacific Northwest and Great Plains regions of the United States. The State capital Helena built in 1864 has an estimated population of 25.780. With 381.156 square kilometres area (half of Turkey’s geographical area) 944.632 residents live in and there is 2.5 people pear square kilometre. 89.7% of the population is white and the ground landlords of the state, American Indians are 6.3%. Then, Latin America descents are 2.2%. Montana’s American Indian tribes are Assiniboine, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Absarokee, Flathead and Anishinabe. 2/3 of Montana’s American Indians live in “reservations” just like Aborigines in Australia.
Montana became the 41st state of the United States on 8 November 1889, and the state is named from Spanish word “montana” and Latin word “montanus”, both of which mean “mountain, mountainous”.
One of the most popular nicknames for Montana is “The Treasure State”. The reason for the nickname is Montana’s rich mineral reserves. The minerals of oil, coal, gold, silver and copper gave rise to the nickname. The State Capital, Helena is the sixth largest city. The largest city in the state is Billings with an estimated population of 98. 721.
The Glacier National Park is overrun with 2 million tourists in a year, and Yellowstone National Park, one of the world famous national parks which are overrun with 3 million tourists in a year is located in the state.
Wyoming: The capital of Wyoming located in the midwestern region of the United States is Cheyenne built in 1867 with an estimated population of 55.362. With 253.544 square kilometres area (1/4 of Turkey’s geographical area) 515.004 residents live in the State and 2 people land per square kilometre. 11.000 residents living in the state are foreign residents, they are no the citizens of the US. 88.9% of people living in Wyoming are white, 6.4% are Hispanic, and 2.3% are American Indian, 0.8% is blacks and 0.8% is Asian descents.
Wyoming became the 44th state of the United States on 10 July 1890, and it has the lowest density in population other than Alaska. The name “Wyoming” is an Algonquin Indian word meaning “large prairie place”.
Agriculture has been an important component of Wyoming’s economic identity. The main means of existence of the state is stock and sheep farming. And the Grand Teton National Park which is overrun with more than 2.5 million tourists in a year and the Yellowstone National Park with nearly 3 million visitors in a year, and Devils Tower National Monument with 400.000 visitors and Fossil Butte National Monument with nearly 18.000 visitors are a number of specific areas in Wyoming.
THE LAKOTA SIOUX INDIANS
The Lakota is a North American Indian tribe, and they speak Lakota, one of the three major dialects of Sioux language. The Lakota, Dakota and Nakota tribes are the name what is called Sioux nation. These three tribes are very close relatives.
The name Lakota, sometimes known as the “Laxota” and “Teton” or “Tetonwan” comes from the Lakota autonym, lakhóta “feeling affection, friendly, united, allied”. The marked difference among the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota dialects is “d”, “l” and “n” letters, therefore the first letter of the names of tribes is formed with these letters. To the effect that all the words that includes “l” letter in the Lakota language is replaced with “d” in the Dakota language and “n” letter in the Nakota language. For example the word “bird” means “zintkala” in the Lakota language, “zintkada” in the Dakota language and “zintkana” in the Nakota language. Just like that the sentence in English “I see” means “wanblake” in the Lakota language, “wanbdake” in the Dakota and “wanbnake” in the Nakota language. Equally the sentence “I have a problem” is pronounced as “wokakiye wan bluha” in the Lakota language, “wokakiye wan bduha” in the Dakota and “wokakiye wan bnuha” in the Nakota language. Again the sentence “I do not know” means “slolwaye sni” in the Lakota language, “sdodwaye sni” in the Dakota and “snonwaye sni” in the Nakota language.
The Lakota tribe has eight branches or “sub-tribes” which are Brule, Hunkpapa, Minneconjou, Oglala, Sans Arc, Sihasapa, Two Kettles and Saone. The long-established tribes among eight are Oglala, Brule and Saone. The Oglala Lakota live in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota bordering Nebraska and 50 miles east of Wyoming, the second largest reservation in the United States and the Brule Lakota live in the east part of the Lakota area whereas the Saone Lakota live in the north. All these Sioux tribes have also sub-branches.
The Lakota settled down a particular geography in the half of the 19th century then they accepted there as their homeland. The borders of this region are Little Missouri Rive in the northwest, Missouri River in the northeast and Platte River in the south. This border includes today parts of South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. The Black Hills which the Lakota accepted as the centre and heart of their homeland believed that “noble minds” live here and they declared the Black Hills sacred.
GREVIOUS AND TEARING HISTORY OF THE LAKOTA
When the Lakota encountered the firearms of the French attacked from the north and the mounted arms of the British attacked form the south, they were yet a small and very weak tribe. The first killers of their women, children, buffalos and the first ones who plundered their homes and commodities and those who defoliated their rivers and trees were these whites. The Lakota men who braved and fought against the White Man who has no “humane” aim other than killing people and animals and poisoning rivers and trees, and stealing their wealth to Europe got strong as they waged war, then strong Lakota tribe was born. This was a great power such that it would have seized Black Hills, and it would have unfurled the Lakota flag and calls the Black Hills “sacred”. But how long these resistance fighters would abut? Whites, who debarked from tens of vessels that set ashore every day, executed the most dread genocide included in every part of the continent in history without any humane bounds with firearms and gunpowder.
The Lakota nation signed the first written agreement w The White Man to whom they called “bifurcated spoken” in early years of the 19th century. This first agreement signed between the Lakota nation and the United States Government, “guaranteed” the “sovereignty” of the Sioux tribe in their own territories. But this did not so happen. Sioux Indians were once more wrong to believe in Evil’s “bifurcated talk” and “pale face”.
The chief of the Sioux Indian tribe Sitting Bull had said: “The White Man has given many promises to us, as much as stars in the sky. However, they only kept their one promise. They said, ‘We will send you away from your territories’ and they did it.”
In 1851 ten thousand of American Indians from Lakota, Yankton, Arapaho, Cheyenne, East Shoshone, Absarokee, Asiniboine, Arickaree, Mandan and Hidatsa tribes met with the Federal Government in Horse Creek near Fort Laramie. Two weeks later an agreement was signed that the 1805 agreement would have been put into effect. The white promised (!) not to disrupt the Sioux Indians and guaranteed that no one would disturb them in their territories and demanded in return to levy taxes. Just so, I would have showed gratitude to the foreigner who invaded my territory but not kill me and I would have given money in return for their goodness. Thus, this treaty allowed the Sioux Indians to establish roads, communication and breed buffalos, if any buffalos needless to say that were left. The white did not “disturb” the Lakota Sioux Indians with their firearms after the agreement but they first bereaved their bizons from them, then they let many Lakota people die through spreading various diseases.
Whereupon in 1854, that is three years later, a great war that was never to be seen till that time, erupted between the White Man and the Lakota Sioux Indians. For those readers that are curious on historical information let me tell the cause of this great war: A Lakota Sioux Indian that could not have bear on killing hundreds of bison and buffalos killed a cow belong to a white resident to “get revenge”. True, he only killed a cow of which owner was with blond hair and blue eyes. Then, the greatest war that had ever seen so far thus erupted. With a good qualm (ought to be that they never use it) the white wan who state his “love of animals” on all occasions “whose heart could did not keep good in “cattle massacre” that Muslims did in Kurban Bayrams would, of course, get revenge. Hundreds of Lakota Sioux Indian women, men and children were killed during this war. Two-year long war ended in 1856. How it did come to an end? The Lakota people accepted to pay the diet for white man’s killed cow.
In the resistance movement of 1862 that the Sioux started in Minnesota the Lakota, Yanktonai, Santee, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes were included. The resistance stops up late, it took long years. In 1864 warriors of Lakota, Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes conducted great roundups against the white residents. Those were followed by other roundups conducted by Oglala and Red Cloud warriors. The thing what seemed impossible was succeeded and the Lakota Sioux Indians gained victory. The White Man accepted Lakota borders to expand till between Missouri and Platte rivers. There was named the “Great Sioux Reservation”. Besides the United States had to accept to establish a military base in that region, fit broken and destroyed roads, build new roads and transfer aid to the region from the state budget. Moreover, it was bound by the agreement that North Pacific Railways were to be constructed in the Lakota region, and the construction of that railroad was completed in 1873.
In 1875 the United States Government wanted to buy the Black Hills which are sacred to the Lakota Sioux Indians, but the Lakota wrote a letter to the US State and said “The White Man say it wants to buy our soil. We are not owner of the land therefore we cannot sell it. Land is mother of the people. How a man could own his mother? How a man could sell his mother?” and declined the offer. The White Man’s aim was to exile the Lakota people after they bought the Black Hills. The “pale faces” organized various campaigns for this sake. When the Lakota could not have been persuaded to this “dealing” they collided with American Indians once again, assaulted them to recover the Black Hills, and they attacked with an organized and strictly disciplined army. Because what important for the White Man was not the “honour of the mother earth” but the “power and authority of supremacy post”. This battle started with the White Man’s attack was the “most interesting war” between American Indians and US army. Because US army had 215 soldiers and all of them, 215 soldiers were killed at this war. Then, the war ended because “no soldiers were left to be killed.” This war was written to the history as “Battle of the Little Big Horn”. This was the last serious resistance movement of the Lakota people against the White Man.
Two years later, in 1877, the US pressured the Lakota country with its all power. Almost all the remained bisons and buffalos were killed. The US exiled the Lakota people to “prevent them to live in together and water down their power”. The Lakota people whose chief was the Sitting Bull were exiled to the north where as the Lakota people subordinate to the Crazy Horse were put an embargo and they were brought on the brink of starvation. Thousands of Lakota people from the Crazy Horse’s tribe died of famine whereas the Sitting Bull who was exiled to Canada was assassinated at the Camp Robinson on 5 September 1877.
The day that the Sitting Bull was killed was the day that the Lakota resistance ended, at the same time.
LIFE IN THE RESERVATIONS
The Lakota people just like the Aborigines in Australia live off the reservations organized by the United States. There are five reservations in the Lakota country. These reservations and number of American Indians live off the reservations according to 2000 census are as follows:
– Cheyenne River Reservation: 9.064 American Indians live off the reservation. They are members of Brule Indian Sioux tribe.
– Lower- Brule Reservation: 1687 American Indians live off there. They belong to the Oglala Lakota tribal family.
– Rosebund Reservation: 14.37 American Indians live off the reservation. These are members of the Brule and Two Kettles tribes.
– Standing- Rock Reservation: 8.714 American Indians live off. They belong to the Sihasapa and Hunkpapa tribes.
THE WORLD CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT
The Sioux American Indian declaration of independence on 20 December 2007 and the Lakota country including parts of five-state area of the United States is one of the most important events in last centuries whatever political, social, geographical and economic impacts would be. If this gets enough support in the world, it is even possible to claim that American Indians have a golden chance to get revenge of 1492.
On the same day with the declaration of independence it is very positive to hear from Bolivia and “my country that I have never been before” Venezuela that they have recognized the decision. However this recognition should not be limited to these two states. States which are not accepted as part of “International society” (what it means so) like Cuba first and foremost, Argentina, Libya, Sudan, Congo, South Africa, Belarus, Syria, Iran, India, China, North Korea and Vietnam and states which respect for their own nations and countries just a little bit should declare that they recognize this decision. We can claim that Iran has felt behind on this issue. When considered American Indians’ willing support to the Islam Revolution this should not be a “gesture” on the contrary this should be a “binding duty” for Iran.
Another in fact the most important point is that if states recognize the Lakota country and American Indians succeed, developments will not be limited with this, this would have “domino” effect, this earthquake would cause “background quaking” firstly in the US then other places in the world where indigenous nations live. In case Lakota secedes from the United States, the US would rapidly start to break up, first Alaska and Hawaii Islands would demand independence then California and Texas would demand annexation with Mexico. The fault line of this earthquake of which epicentre is the United States’ territories would go to Canada, in the north of Canada in consequence in the north of the continent an Eskimo state would be established. Maybe Alaska, North Canada and Greenland would unify and there would be a big Eskimo state in the world’s map. Such development would undoubtedly inspire Aborigines in Australia and Maoris in New Zealand.
I oppose all borders and I do not want any country to break up; I believe that every disintegrated country and geography means disintegrated nations, lives and hopes. But, if the case in question is American Indians, if it is turned back to 1492, and if everyone brings up what they have in their hands and if a court is established to hear international cases starting from 1492, I am ready to bring all the principles I have defend thus far to that court.
But only if this is to begin from “there”.
As I have repeatedly said, if it is to start working from 1492 to the present.
If the cloud of sticks is to smoke again, rivers and trees are not to be poisoned and if buffalo herd are to get around again.
Also, why cannot we do such thing? Without hauling the United States over the year 1492, is not it clear that the world and humanity could not live in ease, and that blood and tears would not wane in the world?
That is why we should be receptive to everything.
But; as I’ve said, if it is to begin from “there”.
sediyani@gmail.com
UNITED NATIONS – TURKEY
NUMBER 17
APRIL 2008
