CHAIRMAN
Joseph Brings Plenty
SECRETARY
Ev Ann White Feather
TREASURER
Benita ClarK
VICE-CHAIRMAN
Lanny LaPlante
TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBERS
DISTRICT 1
Steve Moran
Ardys Cook
DISTRICT 2
Ted Knife, Jr.
DISTRICT 3
Maynard Qupris
Edward Widow
P.O. Box 590
Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625
(605) 964-4155
Fax: (605) 964-4151
DISTRICT 4
Kevin Keckler
Merrie Miller
Terrance Veo
Sharon Lee
TRIBAL MEMORANDUM
DATE
TO
FROM
SUBJECT
DISTRICT 5
Robert Walters
Lanny LaPlante
Corbin LeBeau, Sr.
Derek Bartlett
March 13, 2007
Superintend~nt - Cheyenn.eRiver Agency" "J~
Ev Ann White Feather, Tnbal SecretaryjJ;tllt
Resolution No. 91-07-CR: The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe does
hereby recognize and support the CRST Tourism Division and the
Lakota Oyate's efforts to protect and preserve the language and culture
of the Lakota Oyate from misappropriation and exploitation by
individuals who seek to use the culture and language for personal and/or
financial gain and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, on behalf of the
entire Lakota Oyate, hereby declares, re-asserts, and expresses its
intentions to protect and preserve the Lakota Oyate's ownership of
Lakota culture, language, and ceremonies, songs and stories, the
Lakota language; and all other tangible and intangible Lakota
cultural property.
DISTRICT 6
Mike Rousseau
Dixie LeCompte
(CORRECTED MEMORANDUM)
i •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • •••••••••••••••••••••
Transmitted herewith are an original and two (2) copies of Resolution No. 91-07-CR
which was duly adopted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council during Regular
Session on March 09,2007.
EWF:kk
cc.
Chairman
Treasurer
Comptroller
Administrative Officer
Central Records Director
CRST Game, Fish & Parks Department (Tourism Division).
CRST Legal Department
District Chairmen (6)
File/2
The blue represents the thunder clouds above the world where live the thunder birds who control the four winds. The rainbow is for the Cheyenne River Sioux people who are keepers of the Most Sacred Calf Pipe, a gift from the White Buffalo Calf Maiden. The eagle feathers at the edges of the rim of the world represent the spotted eagle who is the protector of all Lakota. The two pipes fused together are for unity. One pipe is for the Lakota, the other for all the other Indian Nations. The yellow hoops represent the Sacred Hoop, which shall not be broken. The Sacred Calf Pipe Bundle in red represents Wakan Tanka - The Great Mystery. All the colors of the Lakota are visible. The red, yellow, black and white represent the four major races. The blue is for he:lw'm :Inri thA areen for MothF!rE:uth.
Resolution No. 91-07-CR
WHEREAS, the Cheyenne Riv;r Sioux Tribe of South Dakota is>ttilimincorporated Tribe of Indians, Having
accepted the provisions ofthe Indian Reorganization Act of June \8, 1934 (48 stat. 984); and
WHEREAS, the Tribe, in order to establish its tribal organization, to develop its common resources; and to
promote the general welfare of its people, has ordained and established a Constitution and Bylaws;
and
WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the Tribe that there have been numerous and ever-increasing
instances of the Lakota Oyate's culture, language, and ceremonies being misappropriated and
exploited by non-Lakota for their own personal and/or financial gain, and these activities have
severely eroded the integrity of the Lakota Oyate and its culture; and
WHEREAS, because of these activities it is time to declare, protect and re-assert ownership of our Lakota
culture, language, and ceremonies by creating enforceable Tribal laws in order to protect and
preserve what is ours; and
WHEREAS, the Lakota Oyate's most well known article of cultural significance is the Sacred Calf Pipe
(bundle), which was given to the Lakota People by the White Buffalo Calf Woman. The Sacred
Calf Pipe is a spiritual bundle still kept in our possession; a sacred article of the Lakota People
that has not been forcibly taken like many other ceremonial articles of our past; and
WHEREAS, the Sacred Calf Pipe keeper is Mr. Arvol Looking Horse, who is the chosen 19th Generation
Keeper ofthe Sacred Calf Pipe; and
WHEREAS, there are many other pipe keepers among the Lakota Oyate; and
WHEREAS, the Sacred Calf Pipe story has been handed down orally through the generations and is well
known to all members of the Lakota Oyate; however due to the provenance requirements of
non-Lakota society, the story of the Sacred Calf Pipe must now be committed to writing to
show proof to the non-Lakota world. When the Sacred Pipe was brought, there were 12 Naca or
Chiefs that represented the 12 tipi poles and the 13th pole is the backbone: the women of the
nation. At that time there was the original language that came under the 12 Naca which are the
Lakota/Dakota/Nakota Oyate; this should be fully recognized as the original
teaching/foundation of the Buffalo Nation; and
WHEREAS, there are many sites that are significant and/or sacred to the Lakota Oyate that must be
identified, preserved, and protected from misappropriation and exploitation by those who seek
to misuse them for personal or financial gain. These sites includes many cemeteries and burial
sites, as well as such other sites as: Thunder Butte, Grey Horn Butte (Devil's Tower), Twin
Butte, Rattlesnake Butte (by Wakpala), Medicine Rock (Patch Skin Butte), Bear Butte, the
Sacred Black Hills and the Pipestone Quarry in Minnesota; and
WHEREAS, there are many significant and/or sacred Lakota ceremonies, songs and stories that must be
identified, preserved, and protected from misappropriation and exploitation by those who seek
personal or financial gain from their use; and
WHEREAS, the Lakota Oyate must document, protect, and preserve our Lakota Language from
misappropriation and exploitation by those who seek personal or financial gain from its use and
must educate that beyond our Lakota Nation - there are other tribal nations that have similar
Siouan Language; and
WHEREAS, the Lakota Oyate must protect and preserve our other cultural property whether in the form of
language, ceremonies, stories, songs, physical sites, sacred or ceremonial items, artwork,
utilitarian goods, or any other tangible or intangible items pertaining to our culture; and
·,!~~,
RESOLUTION NO. 91-07-CR
Pagel
.WHEREAS,
#~4!""
there are only certain individuals who have the knowledge, wisdom, integrity, and goodheartedness
necessary to understand the complex and deep-rooted spiritual and cultural aspects
of the Lakota Oyate; these individuals are known as the First Nation Spiritual Leaders, and in
addition to having the requisite knowledge, wisdom, integrity and good-heartedness, they are
also full-blooded Lakota who speak the language fluently; and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe recognizes
the need to declare, re-assert, protect, and preserv~the Lakota Oyate's ownership of Lakota culture, language,
and ceremonies, including our most Sacred Calf Pipe and its keeper, all other pipe carriers, sacred sites; ceremonies,
songs and stories, the Lakota language; and all other tangible and intangible Lakota cultural property; and
\
the CRST Game, Fish & Parks Department (Tourism Division) has been authorized to plan and
develop tourism-related activities for the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation for educational
purposes and economic development purposes, but the CRST Tourism Division recognizes that
its tourism activities must also protect and preserve Lakota culture and language; now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe does hereby recognize and support
the CRST Tourism Division and the Lakota Oyate's efforts to protect and preserve the language
and culture of the Lakota Oyate from misappropriation and exploitation by individuals who
seek to use the culture and language for personal and/or financial gain; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, on behalf of the entire Lakota Oyate,
hereby declares, re-asserts, and expresses its intentions to protect and preserve the Lakota
Oyate's ownership of Lakota culture, language, and ceremonies, including our most Sacred Calf
Pipe and its keeper, all other pipe carriers, sacred sites; ceremonies, songs and stories, the
Lakota language; and all other tangible and intangible Lakota cultural property.
CERTIFICATION
I, the undersigned, as Secretary of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, certify that the Tribal Council is composed
of fifteen (15) members of whom 12, constituting a quorum, were present at a meeting duly and regularly called,
noticed, convened and held this 9th day of March, 2007, Regular Session; and that the foregoing resolution was
duly adopted as such meeting by an affmnative vote of 11 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain and 3 absent.
Ev Ann Whitefeather
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
