Respect and honor to those remembering the ancestors today - those praying at Wounded Knee, and those who are retracing the steps of the ancestors, on foot and horseback through the snow.
Names of the Dead
December 29, 1890
Showing posts with label Wounded Knee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wounded Knee. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
December 29, 1890
Respect and honor to those remembering the ancestors today - those praying at Wounded Knee, and those who are retracing the steps of the ancestors, on foot and horseback through the snow.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Mystery Military Choppers = Intimidation, No Matter Who Sends Them
Now both the OST Tribal Council and the Colorado National Guard are saying the choppers that tried to land at Wounded Knee on Sat, May 1, 2010 were not Seventh Cavalry, but were Colorado National Guard.
It took them a few days to tell people this.
Things were further muddled by KOTA TV reporting on May 3 that the helicopters were not from the South Dakota National Guard.
The people on the ground, defending Wounded Knee, calling in what they saw as it was happening, had every reason to assume the worst. The people at large had not been given adequate information or notice, let alone been asked for their consent. People calling in live from underneath the choppers thought they were Seventh Cavalry, which made perfect sense given what little information had been leaked.
As Debra White Plume reported: "A few people present said they heard President Two Bulls on KILI Radio the previous day, asking people to go to Wounded Knee to hear the presentation, but not much information was provided other than that there would be members of the 7th Calvary and National Guardsmen arriving in military air transport."
No matter who sent the choppers, sending American miltary choppers to Wounded Knee is grossly insensitive. They're lucky the protesters were peaceful. As the Lakota are a sovereign nation, this invasion could be seen as an act of war, and some would have chosen to meet it with fire. Thankfully there is now a resolution that the Military will not be allowed to trespass on this sacred site.
People who are unaware of the history here may not understand what it's like to be invaded by a hostile force, or to grow up with the stories of your family members who were murdered by invading military. Try growing up in Wounded Knee, or Belfast, or Palestine. I'm pretty sure you'll see it differently.
When I heard the choppers were coming, I did not think, "Peaceful Visit for a Cup of Tea and Chitchat." I thought, Apocalypse Now. And I know I'm not alone in this.
It took them a few days to tell people this.
Things were further muddled by KOTA TV reporting on May 3 that the helicopters were not from the South Dakota National Guard.
The people on the ground, defending Wounded Knee, calling in what they saw as it was happening, had every reason to assume the worst. The people at large had not been given adequate information or notice, let alone been asked for their consent. People calling in live from underneath the choppers thought they were Seventh Cavalry, which made perfect sense given what little information had been leaked.
As Debra White Plume reported: "A few people present said they heard President Two Bulls on KILI Radio the previous day, asking people to go to Wounded Knee to hear the presentation, but not much information was provided other than that there would be members of the 7th Calvary and National Guardsmen arriving in military air transport."
No matter who sent the choppers, sending American miltary choppers to Wounded Knee is grossly insensitive. They're lucky the protesters were peaceful. As the Lakota are a sovereign nation, this invasion could be seen as an act of war, and some would have chosen to meet it with fire. Thankfully there is now a resolution that the Military will not be allowed to trespass on this sacred site.
People who are unaware of the history here may not understand what it's like to be invaded by a hostile force, or to grow up with the stories of your family members who were murdered by invading military. Try growing up in Wounded Knee, or Belfast, or Palestine. I'm pretty sure you'll see it differently.
When I heard the choppers were coming, I did not think, "Peaceful Visit for a Cup of Tea and Chitchat." I thought, Apocalypse Now. And I know I'm not alone in this.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Media Fail: Denver Post Spins Wounded Knee into Pro-Military PR
Censored News Page 2: Denver Post: Biased and twisted article about military helicopters at Wounded Knee
Watch the OST press conference yourself: http://www.youtube.com/user/OglalaSiouxTribe.
What I heard was Tribal President Theresa Two Bulls apologizing to the Lakota people for not communicating with the community before agreeing to let the choppers land. What I heard was her commending the protesters. What I heard was her agreeing the incident, and the events leading up to it, were handled badly by the Tribal Council. She apologized all around and asked for help and forgiveness. But the Denver post twisted this beyond recognition.
ETA: Additionally, a Resolution of the Oglala Sioux Tribe concerning the incident and future actions at Wounded Knee was PASSED, Monday, May 3, 2010. It reads in part:
Support the Lakota in requesting the Medals of Honor be rescinded
The Denver Post published a biased and twisted article concerning the Lakota protest of the military helicopters attempting to land at Wounded Knee on Saturday. The Denver Post twisted the facts into a pro-military press release, disguised as a news article, without quoting any of the Lakotas or their reasons for halting the helicopters.
The statements by Debra White Plume, Lakota, and others were easily available on the Internet on Monday, even an armchair journalist at the Denver Post could have found those.
Read full post...
Watch the OST press conference yourself: http://www.youtube.com/user/OglalaSiouxTribe.
What I heard was Tribal President Theresa Two Bulls apologizing to the Lakota people for not communicating with the community before agreeing to let the choppers land. What I heard was her commending the protesters. What I heard was her agreeing the incident, and the events leading up to it, were handled badly by the Tribal Council. She apologized all around and asked for help and forgiveness. But the Denver post twisted this beyond recognition.
ETA: Additionally, a Resolution of the Oglala Sioux Tribe concerning the incident and future actions at Wounded Knee was PASSED, Monday, May 3, 2010. It reads in part:
Whereas, the United States Military arrived at the Wounded Knee Mass Grave on May 1, 2010 in three Military Transport Helicopters that held 40 and more members of the Armed Services of the US without the free, prior, informed consent of the Oglala Lakota people and thus were prevented from landing.
Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Oglala Sioux Tribe will take every action to see that the United States Reclaims the Twenty Medals of Honor from the 7th Calvary for their role in the Massacre at Wounded Knee, to remove any recognition the US Military bestows to its entities for the Massacre at Wounded Knee, and to obtain the return of personal items taken from Lakota people at the 1890 Massacre.
Therefore Be It Further Resolved, that the Oglala Sioux Tribe, its members, any entity, organization, or resident on the Pine Ridge Reservation will not allow the United States Military from this time forward to come anywhere near the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre Mass Grave in order to demonstrate Honor and Respect for the Lakota people buried there, and to ensure a peaceful, nonviolent, weapon-free zone for the Mass Gravesite area.
Read the full resolution... (page down past Debra White Plume's report)
Monday, May 03, 2010
Wounded Knee 2010 - Additional Reports, Press Conference
Lakota man running toward the helicopters
May 1, 2010
from Censored News
Brenda Norrell continues her coverage of the Wounded Knee situation with an article by Debra White Plume, including a proposed resolution about the Wounded Knee site that is being presented to the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council: Debra White Plume: Military Helicopters at Wounded Knee? Traditional Lakota Elders Say 'NO WAY!'
This post has a press release by Tribal President Theresa Two Bulls: Helicopters invited for 'educational and historical presentation'. I can't make out the text, but if I can find a text version I'll post it here so it's readable. As far as I can make out, this is the press release President Two Bulls reads in the video below.
The OST press conference was broadcast live today on KILI Radio, and videos of it are being posted to YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/user/OglalaSiouxTribe
Here's part one. I think there are five parts, though not all are posted yet.
ETA: More legible image of OST Press Release: Page 1 and Page 2.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Wounded Knee Aftermath - May Day 2010
Discussion continues among the Lakota who drove away the Seventh Cavalry yesterday, and among those who have helped get the word out and who stand in solidarity with these warriors.
We now have some video taken on the fly at the incident yesterday. It looks like the videographer was trying to keep the camera hidden. The sound quality is poor due to the wind, but you can see the choppers coming in, and the gunship that touched down. There's a very brief glimpse of the people running out onto the field, then more footage of people speaking to the police.
By all accounts, the confrontation yesterday was firm but peaceful. There has been some confusion and misinformation out there, so if you see quotes from people, I'd suggest checking your sources before running with them. In the heat of the moment there was a lot of speculation, and sometimes people's theories were reported as fact.
Wanbli Tate has posted, "The quote attributed to me saying that Theresa Two Bulls said she had only 24 hours notice of the helicopters coming is not a correct quote."
I'd also like to point out for those who missed it that Autumn Two Bulls, head of the women's warrior society, who we heard on the radio show yesterday, is not Theresa Two Bulls, the tribal president. Some people have confused the two of them, or don't seem to realize these are two different people.
What we know is that the Lakota people and the descendants only found out about the arrival of the Military at Wounded Knee about 18 hours before the attempted landing. How long members of the tribal council knew, and which members of the tribal council knew, is still a bit unclear. There has been no official statement from the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council about the incident.
Brenda Norrell has posted about it here: Lakotas Prevent Blackhawk Helicopters from Landing at Wounded Knee
As has David Sugar: Three blackhawks down and 7th cavalry retreats defeated once again
And Sarah Johns, who was one of the first to post while we were listening to the calls live from the Knee: 7th Cavalry defile Lakota Burial Ground @ Wounded Knee, S.Dakota
A list of the unarmed women, children and men murdered by the Seventh Cavalry at Wounded Knee, December 29, 1890
ETA: Follow the Wounded Knee tag below for followup on this.
One of the posts with clarifications on who sent the choppers: Mystery Military Choppers = Intimidation, No Matter Who Sends Them
We now have some video taken on the fly at the incident yesterday. It looks like the videographer was trying to keep the camera hidden. The sound quality is poor due to the wind, but you can see the choppers coming in, and the gunship that touched down. There's a very brief glimpse of the people running out onto the field, then more footage of people speaking to the police.
By all accounts, the confrontation yesterday was firm but peaceful. There has been some confusion and misinformation out there, so if you see quotes from people, I'd suggest checking your sources before running with them. In the heat of the moment there was a lot of speculation, and sometimes people's theories were reported as fact.
Wanbli Tate has posted, "The quote attributed to me saying that Theresa Two Bulls said she had only 24 hours notice of the helicopters coming is not a correct quote."
I'd also like to point out for those who missed it that Autumn Two Bulls, head of the women's warrior society, who we heard on the radio show yesterday, is not Theresa Two Bulls, the tribal president. Some people have confused the two of them, or don't seem to realize these are two different people.
What we know is that the Lakota people and the descendants only found out about the arrival of the Military at Wounded Knee about 18 hours before the attempted landing. How long members of the tribal council knew, and which members of the tribal council knew, is still a bit unclear. There has been no official statement from the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council about the incident.
Brenda Norrell has posted about it here: Lakotas Prevent Blackhawk Helicopters from Landing at Wounded Knee
As has David Sugar: Three blackhawks down and 7th cavalry retreats defeated once again
And Sarah Johns, who was one of the first to post while we were listening to the calls live from the Knee: 7th Cavalry defile Lakota Burial Ground @ Wounded Knee, S.Dakota
ETA: Follow the Wounded Knee tag below for followup on this.
One of the posts with clarifications on who sent the choppers: Mystery Military Choppers = Intimidation, No Matter Who Sends Them
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Warrior Women and Wounded Knee III
About half an hour ago, Black Hawk gunships tried to land on the killing field at Wounded Knee. Autumn Two Bulls reports that when the choppers tried to land the women ran out into the field and would not let them land. The choppers are gone. Updates to come. But for now it looks like the women drove away the 7th cavalry!
Blackhawk helicopter flies a mission over Iraq
For those unfamiliar with the background of Wounded Knee, read the text here, and please sign the petition: Wounded Knee Medals of Dis Honor
The situation is still a bit unclear. But here's what we know right now.
After months of coordinated days of action, calling and writing to get the White House, or anyone, to help out with the crumbling infrastructure on the reservations in the Dakotas, the suicide epidemic, the grinding poverty and lack of jobs, there was finally a response. Sort of:
Then late yesterday afternoon, the relatives network led to a few Oglala people finding out about a private meeting scheduled at Pine Ridge. Word leaked that the helicopters would be coming. Allegedly the meeting was so some representatives of the military could hear the NDNs side of the Wounded Knee Massacre. Huh? Why now? Why all of a sudden, with no real notice, without the descendants being notified at all, without anyone but a few people on the tribal council even being told this would happen? The traditional way would have been for the military to ask permission to come to Pine Ridge. Then, if permission was granted, to call a community meeting, with the appropriate representatives there, and everything done respectfully and openly. But this was about as far from that as you can get.
Perhaps they wanted a photo op of a military-style wreath-laying, with no one but a few token NDNs there. Perhaps they just wanted to land as close to the cemetery as possible then get out fast, before anyone who might have a problem with this could find out.
Now, if you've read the above links, you'll know that:
1. You don't send the modern Seventh Cavalry to Wounded Knee. Not unless it's to crawl on their knees in abject apology for the actions of those whose legacy they have chosen to carry on; not unless you've come to return the medals that were given to soldiers, and are still displayed, for their massacre of unarmed women, children and elders.
2. You do not land gunships on a burial ground. You just don't. How about if we drive monster trucks loaded with armed civilians into Arlington National Cemetery? Maybe armed warriors on horseback, with the horses taking a dump on the graves? How about if a bunch of Iraqis and Afghanis drive ATV's over the graves of soldiers who died in the Gulf Wars? Maybe some Nazis having target practice on the graves of World War II dead? How about that?
So, some are saying this was some sort of attempted PR stunt. Some kind of "apology". Well... maybe they should have talked to the people first instead of rampaging in in their colonialist, militarist, macho "glory". No glory for you, dudes. You messed it up once again.
Still waiting to hear where they landed, if they landed. But all the military, and the White House, has accomplished today is scaring the crap out of a bunch of women and children, who, despite any fear, put their bodies on the line to protect their land, to protect the graves of their ancestors.
History repeats at Wounded Knee.
The mass grave at the Wounded Knee Massacre site
in South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation
Listen to the archived show with the live calls from the site as the choppers are trying to land: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wanbli/2010/05/01/indigenous-rights-movement-radio-live-from-wounded-knee-emergency And stay tuned, I'm sure there will be another show on this later today or tomorrow.
Black Hawks equipped with M60 machine guns
near An Najaf, Iraq in May 2005
ETA: I don't want to forget the brave men who also stood up today. Alex White Plume and other men also stood against the choppers, and like the women, are still on site dealing with this. I was just so excited about these brave young women charging out there, and that was the first report that came in, that I had to run with it :-)
ETA: 4:30pm EST - Alex White Plume is reporting that, "A large number of people from three rezzes came to defend the ground of Wounded Knee. At 11:45 am three helicopters appeared above Wounded Knee. We were all in shock. It was true: the 7th Cavalry. I seen women and children running under the killing machines to keep them from landing. One chopper landed 50 feet from the cemetery. A society leader stood his ground and so he lifted off."
ETA: 6:45pm EST - This is footage of a Blackhawk helicopter over Iraq. You can see the guns, like the ones they used on women and children in Vietnam. Be ready for loud sounds... much like those that ripped the sky open over sacred ground in NDN Country today.
Blackhawk helicopter flies a mission over Iraq
For those unfamiliar with the background of Wounded Knee, read the text here, and please sign the petition: Wounded Knee Medals of Dis Honor
The situation is still a bit unclear. But here's what we know right now.
After months of coordinated days of action, calling and writing to get the White House, or anyone, to help out with the crumbling infrastructure on the reservations in the Dakotas, the suicide epidemic, the grinding poverty and lack of jobs, there was finally a response. Sort of:
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 30, 2010
President Obama Signs North Dakota Disaster Declaration
The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Dakota and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by flooding beginning on February 26, 2010, and continuing.
Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the flooding in the counties of Barnes, Benson, Cass, Dickey, Emmons, Foster, Grand Forks, LaMoure, Logan, Mercer, Morton, Nelson, Pembina, Ramsey, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman, Traill, Walsh, and Wells and the portions of the Spirit Lake Reservation that lie within these counties.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties and Tribes within the State.
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Justo Hernández as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.
FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-3272.
Then late yesterday afternoon, the relatives network led to a few Oglala people finding out about a private meeting scheduled at Pine Ridge. Word leaked that the helicopters would be coming. Allegedly the meeting was so some representatives of the military could hear the NDNs side of the Wounded Knee Massacre. Huh? Why now? Why all of a sudden, with no real notice, without the descendants being notified at all, without anyone but a few people on the tribal council even being told this would happen? The traditional way would have been for the military to ask permission to come to Pine Ridge. Then, if permission was granted, to call a community meeting, with the appropriate representatives there, and everything done respectfully and openly. But this was about as far from that as you can get.
Perhaps they wanted a photo op of a military-style wreath-laying, with no one but a few token NDNs there. Perhaps they just wanted to land as close to the cemetery as possible then get out fast, before anyone who might have a problem with this could find out.
Now, if you've read the above links, you'll know that:
1. You don't send the modern Seventh Cavalry to Wounded Knee. Not unless it's to crawl on their knees in abject apology for the actions of those whose legacy they have chosen to carry on; not unless you've come to return the medals that were given to soldiers, and are still displayed, for their massacre of unarmed women, children and elders.
2. You do not land gunships on a burial ground. You just don't. How about if we drive monster trucks loaded with armed civilians into Arlington National Cemetery? Maybe armed warriors on horseback, with the horses taking a dump on the graves? How about if a bunch of Iraqis and Afghanis drive ATV's over the graves of soldiers who died in the Gulf Wars? Maybe some Nazis having target practice on the graves of World War II dead? How about that?
So, some are saying this was some sort of attempted PR stunt. Some kind of "apology". Well... maybe they should have talked to the people first instead of rampaging in in their colonialist, militarist, macho "glory". No glory for you, dudes. You messed it up once again.
Still waiting to hear where they landed, if they landed. But all the military, and the White House, has accomplished today is scaring the crap out of a bunch of women and children, who, despite any fear, put their bodies on the line to protect their land, to protect the graves of their ancestors.
History repeats at Wounded Knee.
The mass grave at the Wounded Knee Massacre site
in South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation
Listen to the archived show with the live calls from the site as the choppers are trying to land: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wanbli/2010/05/01/indigenous-rights-movement-radio-live-from-wounded-knee-emergency And stay tuned, I'm sure there will be another show on this later today or tomorrow.
Black Hawks equipped with M60 machine guns
near An Najaf, Iraq in May 2005
ETA: I don't want to forget the brave men who also stood up today. Alex White Plume and other men also stood against the choppers, and like the women, are still on site dealing with this. I was just so excited about these brave young women charging out there, and that was the first report that came in, that I had to run with it :-)
ETA: 4:30pm EST - Alex White Plume is reporting that, "A large number of people from three rezzes came to defend the ground of Wounded Knee. At 11:45 am three helicopters appeared above Wounded Knee. We were all in shock. It was true: the 7th Cavalry. I seen women and children running under the killing machines to keep them from landing. One chopper landed 50 feet from the cemetery. A society leader stood his ground and so he lifted off."
ETA: 6:45pm EST - This is footage of a Blackhawk helicopter over Iraq. You can see the guns, like the ones they used on women and children in Vietnam. Be ready for loud sounds... much like those that ripped the sky open over sacred ground in NDN Country today.
Wounded Knee III?
Right now, as I type this, Black Hawk Helicopters, Gunships from the Seventh Cavalry, are attempting to land on the Killing Field at Wounded Knee.
I will be posting more as news comes in, but right now you can follow the updates on twitter at #WoundedKnee
Just now we had a live radio broadcast from the Knee, with Autumn Two Bulls and others from the warrior societies calling in on cell phones as the choppers were trying to land. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wanbli/2010/05/01/indigenous-rights-movement-radio-live-from-wounded-knee-emergency
The show should be archived momentarily, and there will probably be another on shortly. I will also update on twitter as news comes in.
I've decided to just do new posts rather than edit this one. Updates on main page. Here's the next one: http://nicdhana.blogspot.com/2010/05/warrior-women-and-wounded-knee-iii.html
I will be posting more as news comes in, but right now you can follow the updates on twitter at #WoundedKnee
Just now we had a live radio broadcast from the Knee, with Autumn Two Bulls and others from the warrior societies calling in on cell phones as the choppers were trying to land. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wanbli/2010/05/01/indigenous-rights-movement-radio-live-from-wounded-knee-emergency
The show should be archived momentarily, and there will probably be another on shortly. I will also update on twitter as news comes in.
I've decided to just do new posts rather than edit this one. Updates on main page. Here's the next one: http://nicdhana.blogspot.com/2010/05/warrior-women-and-wounded-knee-iii.html
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