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Legislature Moots Flute, Invites Crow Creek Tribal Leader to Speak Jan. 16

SDSU Extension has released a new online guide to Dakota and Lakota traditional games. I can find no explanation in that guide for the wasicu game the Legislature is playing with the State of the Tribes address. A month ago, the Legislature’s Executive Board and Governor Kristi Noem announced that the fifth annual tribal address to the Legislature would be delivered not by a current tribal chairman, as has happened the last four years, but by the Governor’s Tribal Relations Secretary David Flute. Several Sioux tribal leaders, understandably displeased at seeing their opportunity to speak directly to the Legislature replaced by another inherently partisan speech from the Great White Mother’s mouthpiece, organized an alternative event in Fort Pierre.

Representative Peri Pourier (D-27/Pine Ridge) expressed the problem with surrendering the independent tribal address to the Governor’s office neatly:

There are nine Tribal Nations in South Dakota. Not just reservations, not just another jurisdiction, not just another demographic. Nations. The quicker South Dakota recognizes that in every element of relationship building the more progress we can make. One of the main reasons I was elected was to help bridge the canyon-deep gap between the State and Tribal Nations. I can discuss any issue with the Governor’s Mr. Flute, although we may not agree on some issues, I know there’s an open dialogue there. I already understand where the Governors office and Mr. Flute stand. I want to hear directly from the Tribal Nations. Legislators must hear directly from Tribal Nations. I will attend the “Great Sioux Nation” address Jan. 16th in Ft Pierre [Rep. Peri Pourier, Facebook post, 2020.01.03].

Now Rep. Pourier won’t have to skip the address at the Capitol. Today, the Legislature reverse course and invited Crow Creek Sioux tribal chairman Lester Thompson Jr. to give the State of the Tribes Address:

South Dakota legislators have invited the Crow Creek Sioux tribal chairman to deliver the annual State of the Tribes address after some tribal leaders threatened to boycott a planned address by a member of Gov. Kristi Noem’s cabinet.

Lawmakers on Monday invited Lester Thompson Jr. to deliver the address next week. Thompson hasn’t responded yet.

The move is a switch from plans to have Secretary of Tribal Relations Dave Flute give it. The annual speech is supposed to promote cooperation between the state government and the tribes, but instead became a point of friction when tribal leaders objected to having a state employee give the speech [Stephen Groves, “State Lawmakers Invite Tribal Leader to Make State of the Tribes Address,” AP via Rapid City Journal, 2020.01.07].

Holy cow—is the South Dakota Legislature actually going to get back to responding to public pressure and listening to the voices of the people? Or have legislators changed their minds since December and decided that caving in to the imperial Executive Branch is a bad idea?

Either way, rescinding the Flute talk and inviting an independent tribal chairman to speak for our sovereign neighbors is a good move. Plus, AP reports that the tribal leaders are moving the Great Sioux Nation Address at the Wakpa Sica center in Fort Pierre to later that same day, so lawmakers can hear at least twice as much from our tribal leaders!

6 Comments

  1. DeeJayBeejr 2020-01-07 23:36

    The favorite wasicu game of our governor and legislature is cornhole. It is so popular in Pierre that a few years ago they named a scratch lottery game after it. However, word on the street is that when she plays, the governor has to cheat.

  2. Debbo 2020-01-08 00:15

    I’m surprised, nay, shocked at the display of spine on the part of the SDGOP. Would that the GOP in DC might emulate them.

    I can’t believe I said that. I must be sure to check which horizon hosts tomorrow’s sunrise.

  3. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-01-08 06:03

    Cornhole: isn’t that the DC term for where farm subsidies go? Kristi Noem’s brothers need another six-figure check. Let’s throw more money down the cornhole….

  4. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-01-08 06:05

    One thing that bugs me, Debbo, is that I can’t find on the Legislative website which committee would have issued this invitation. The Executive Board hasn’t met since December 3, when it apparently discussed the ill-advised decision to invite Secretary Flute to make the speech. Senator Langer told the AP there’s no formal protocol for deciding who should give the speech. I’d like to know what process or set of conversations led to this change of plans led to this change of invitation.

  5. Porter Lansing 2020-01-08 09:22

    Why does the legislature believe it has the right to pick among the tribes for the “chosen one” to address them. It’s the honor among the tribes to decide who should lower him or herself to educate the wašíču taker’s of the fat . 👊 Long Live the Legacy of Russell Means 👊

  6. Cory Allen Heidelberger Post author | 2020-01-08 18:13

    Fair point, Porter. The legislature would do well to offer an open invitation to make the address but leave it to the tribes to choose a speaker.

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