Adoption Ceremonies

[earthw7]

I don't know if this is the area to be put this post but here goes.

The adoption ceremonies of my people the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota are
called Hunka ceremonies.
I would like to explain a little about them.
What they are and what they are NOT.

The adoption ceremonies are a ceremonies to adopt an individual into a family.
When you lose a family member you have the right to adopt a member.
When you are close to a person for a long time you have the right to adopt
them as a member of your family.
This relationship is sarced.

The right as a Hunka relatived are to care for your new family as they care for you.


Now for what they are NOT.
There has never been a person who has been adopted into the Lakota or Dakota or Nakota
Nation. This has not happen in the past nor today.

The Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Nations are in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska,
Minnesota, three Canadain States. in order for a person to be adopted into the nation
it would have to be OKed by all of the nations and bands. I can tell it has never happened.

What right the adoptees Do Not have:
They have No Rights to ceremonies,
They have NO Rights to our stories
They have NO Rights to medicine,
They have No Rights to inherit medicine men names,
They have No Right to names,
They have NO Right to speak for our nations
They have No Right to speak for our governments,
They Have No Rights to speak for the adopted families,

If a person claims to be adopted by the Lakota or Dakota or Nakota
If a person claim to be taught medicine by a Lakota or Dakota or Nakota

Beware

[earthw7]

Thank you for putting this in the right place

[debbieredbear]

Thanks for posting it. Many people have no clue about this and belkieve everything they are told.

[ironbuffalo]

 I don't know how many times I've heard the line that someone is "Lakota" or Cherokee/Cheyenne/Comanche/Apache ect. by adoption.

[Laurel]

When people lay that crap on me I say, "I'm adopted too.  Have you done a birth parent search?  Are you from an open records or closed records state?"  Shuts'em right up. 

This foolishness insults adoptees as well as Natives. 

Laurel

[earthw7]

The adoptees are usually not infants that were adopted but
adults who spent a little time with an elder and now stole
his cultural ways.

[Cetan]

The making of relatives is one of the seven sacred rites. The hunka ceremony does usually involve giving a new name to the one who is adopted and once adopted you are the same a a blood relative and have all the same obligations.

[debbieredbear]

and have all the same obligations.

This is the kicker. Most nuagey types miss that part. They just want to strut around saying how they were adopted. At least in my experience.

[earthw7]

The making of relatives is one of the seven sacred rites. The hunka ceremony does usually involve giving a new name to the one who is adopted and once adopted you are the same a a blood relative and have all the same obligations.

Very true the obligation to care for your family
be there if they need you
help out in times of need
pray for each other
the love for each other as family member.

That does not give you the right to speak for the nation or our spirituality.

[Laurel]

The adoptees are usually not infants that were adopted but
adults who spent a little time with an elder and now stole
his cultural ways.

I understand.  But when, as others have said, you "become adopted" without incurring any obligations to those who adopted you, you're misusing the word adoption, which annoys me.

Laurel

[frederica]

That I believe is part of the game. I met a woman who bragged she was adopted by the Kiowa, and she did spend some time in Carlisle. The same woman bragged she was adopted by the Choctaw, and she did know some Choctaw families. She was asked if she knew that this only meant she was part of a family group not a Nation and did she understand her obligations. She looked shocked. I never knew if she didn't know the difference or she thought no one else would. Probably the average person wouldn't. That's how they get away with this.

[crazyeagle]

Kwe Earthw7

I have read with interest what you have said..I know of someone claiming to be from the Marshall family - Lakota ..her myspace site is stating from Canada but I happen to know she lives in the UK and had a Jewish english mother. I checked with Joseph Marshall 111rd(she claims he is her cousin) and he doesnt know her or her family so I checked with the Marshalls at Rosebud who have a family member dong their own genealogy and they dont know her or her family either. I have my reservations(pardon the pun! in Nova Scotia we say reserves) about this person. Several other pictures she has on her myspace website are also NOT of her family but pictures taken off the net..a copy and paste job.

Would you take a look for me and give me your opinion?

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=172526485

Welaliek - thank you

[crazyeagle]

Oh and something else Earthw7....have the Lakota Nation authorized/appointed by council in the last 11 years a Lakota Ambassador to Denmark?...1995 so the paperwork says.

[earthw7]

Kwe Earthw7

I have read with interest what you have said..I know of someone claiming to be from the Marshall family - Lakota ..her myspace site is stating from Canada but I happen to know she lives in the UK and had a Jewish english mother. I checked with Joseph Marshall 111rd(she claims he is her cousin) and he doesnt know her or her family so I checked with the Marshalls at Rosebud who have a family member dong their own genealogy and they dont know her or her family either. I have my reservations(pardon the pun! in Nova Scotia we say reserves) about this person. Several other pictures she has on her myspace website are also NOT of her family but pictures taken off the net..a copy and paste job.

Would you take a look for me and give me your opinion?

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=172526485

Welaliek - thank you

I check out her site but would need more information on her.

second message what about the ambassador to denmarck?? who are you talking about?

[earthw7]

I did get a complaint from a man who is married to a woman from Denmarck that has a paper making him ambassodor of Demaeck a while back by a councilman who is no long on the council. I wonder how much money was passed for that one.