Hello

[Defend the Sacred]

rubenbaeza... wow. Earthw7, whose real name, history and family are well known to our group here, is a respected elder member of our communities. Not just online, but in NDN Country in general. Some respected community leaders spend a lot of time meeting with leaders of other tribes and Nations, and are well-qualified to speak on NDN Country in general. Earthw7 is one of these leaders.

You seem very young, and I don't think anyone was wrong in treating you like you have a lot to learn, because clearly you do.  Your comments were very inappropriate and insulting. It is mind-boggling that you think mature, respected, Lakota people are unfit to speak to issues in the Lakota territories, but some brash young non-Native from L.A. has the right to tell them what they should do.

Please read this thread about our community:  http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=2.msg31650#msg31650

It's very common for outsiders, who think they know all about NDNs after watching some documentaries and reading some websites (usually sites and movies made by white people), to think all Natives live on Pine Ridge, or that Pine Ridge is typical of all NDN communities, or that Pine Ridge is the be-all, end-all of NDN Country. It's a common mistake, but a newbie one. You now have the chance to learn something, so count yourself lucky. If you take this opportunity, maybe next time you won't behave so offensively.

[Sturmboe]

----my point to earthwoman7 was that she only speaks for standing rock reservation and not the other couple of hundred reservations.  She is a member of that 1 reservation and she only speaks for herself.  She is a member of a rich reservation with 2 casinos.  She gets casino money and has a top 1% job on the rez.  She is an elite.  All facts. 

as for my culture we only can speak our own homelands, and bands, but being Lakota and Dakota i have right to speak for my people, 

I wrote above "No one can speaks fo all people" for me this would mean this opinion got to share everyone.

What does it mean for you Natives, when you can speak as a spokesman / spokeswoman for your people?

My personal thoughts (and I don´t know if I am right or wrong):

o.   You tell opinions which are or should be the opinions of all Natives,
      so they must be also accorded with the opinion of a speaker (...)
      Often I thought, in this way some white people wish you Natives should live and think in this way, but this is
      like a melting pot which got no place for individuality. (Maybe our wish declares we are sick and tired of all the
      desolated fight we fight but don´t need to?)
o.   Well, I think no one can speak for all people, this would not be democratically. And would this make sense in
      life for the people, in generell? What would this aim means in reality?

o.   Or is "speaking for a tribe" a result, maybe a common agreement of a lot of people, touching important points
      of their way of life in a tribe, this one got the authority to speak (or keep silence) what touches the matter.
      But this must not be the opinion of one single person, even though if he or she is a spokesperson of his / her
      tribe.
      Who decided, what can be spoken aout, about what must be kept silence?
      What will happen, if someone abuse his  / her right of a spokeman / spokewoman.
      In my opinion this would make sense and keeps room for individuality.
      And maybe the responsibilityto speak for the tribe is far more differentiated as I can imagine.

o.   Isn´t this a seriuos problem that Frauds declare other people they were working as spokesman and they
      betray?

[earthw7]

----my point to earthwoman7 was that she only speaks for standing rock reservation and not the other couple of hundred reservations.  She is a member of that 1 reservation and she only speaks for herself.  She is a member of a rich reservation with 2 casinos.  She gets casino money and has a top 1% job on the rez.  She is an elite.  All facts. 

as for my culture we only can speak our own homelands, and bands, but being Lakota and Dakota i have right to speak for my people, 

I wrote above "No one can speaks fo all people" for me this would mean this opinion got to share everyone.

What does it mean for you Natives, when you can speak as a spokesman / spokeswoman for your people?

My personal thoughts (and I don´t know if I am right or wrong):

o.   You tell opinions which are or should be the opinions of all Natives,
      so they must be also accorded with the opinion of a speaker (...)
      Often I thought, in this way some white people wish you Natives should live and think in this way, but this is
      like a melting pot which got no place for individuality. (Maybe our wish declares we are sick and tired of all the
      desolated fight we fight but don´t need to?)
o.   Well, I think no one can speak for all people, this would not be democratically. And would this make sense in
      life for the people, in generell? What would this aim means in reality?

o.   Or is "speaking for a tribe" a result, maybe a common agreement of a lot of people, touching important points
      of their way of life in a tribe, this one got the authority to speak (or keep silence) what touches the matter.
      But this must not be the opinion of one single person, even though if he or she is a spokesperson of his / her
      tribe.
      Who decided, what can be spoken aout, about what must be kept silence?
      What will happen, if someone abuse his  / her right of a spokeman / spokewoman.
      In my opinion this would make sense and keeps room for individuality.
      And maybe the responsibilityto speak for the tribe is far more differentiated as I can imagine.

o.   Isn´t this a seriuos problem that Frauds declare other people they were working as spokesman and they
      betray?

Let see there is a way among the people
which is to speak in general
then there is a way that is personal families
Then there is a way that is Tribal history
Then there is a way that is Spiritual beliefs
Then all these ways are different.

How one decided who can speak has to do with your life,
If you have completed the set amount of year required to tell
stories, keep history, perform ceremonies, each one has requirements
if you complete the requirements you can speak, but you must remember
you can only speak for first your family then your band/clan or you nation
each one of these has requirements and that does not come in a resolution by
a tribal government but come from the people.
That is why we know when someone does not have the right to speak for our people.
I am honored that my people accept my voice, that is what comes first in my life,
When i don't know i ask my elders which are all around me.
I do show the elders some of he things people do out there in that world how
that take our ways and try to make them different and change our history or
try and tell us our history like we don't know it, we still live it today.
My opinion is mine but my word come from my nation, Hetu Yelo

[Sturmboe]

I do show the elders some of he things people do out there in that world how
that take our ways and try to make them different and change our history or
try and tell us our history like we don't know it, we still live it today.
My opinion is mine but my word come from my nation, Hetu Yelo
[/quote]

In my opinion the teached sience of history got a big problem of its lifelessness, impacted in numbers and treeties, some events are clearly, some not (but better they are to forgett, they make all complicated  ).
As if we could reduce lived life in numbers and treeties into small packages and books, and we should believe we could comprehend history, without knowing people. This is just a little bit of life we can see, but it missed the experiences of people who (were or are forced to) live with this circumstances. With these missing links some think they got right to fight about what is wrong or right cause it doesn´t touch "real or correct" life which is public accepted. What a big mistake. This can turn life - experiences of people into public accepted lies as if these people never had lived their life, it let some life and its histories vanishing and turning the people into liars. Without our history we lose our identity and background of life. The problem with national socialist people ignoring the murder in concentration camps here in Germany is well known. I came to knew an old woman who survived a conentration camp, came to knew the murder - and in Germany there are people who told, execution in concentration camps never existed - they turn this old woman into a liar. Horrible behavoir of these Nazis.

[earthw7]

yes i think you understand,
I live with my peoples history and our lives today,
which mean even today of culture is a living culture
not something of the past, we know who we are