Standard Three: Diverse Learners - A teacher must understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to students with diverse backgrounds and exceptionalities.

The Dakota – A Minnesota-Based American Indian Project

Samantha Broderius Social Foundations May 16, 2008

Standard Three – Diverse Learners: A teacher must understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to students with diverse backgrounds and exception abilities. Indicator G. – A teacher must understand the cultural content, worldview, and concepts that compromise Minnesota-based American Indian and their tribal government, history, language and culture. Artifact – By contriving my own worldview and understanding cultural content, I can better understand the background of diverse students; therefore, I can more easily utilize my knowledge of the philosophies and history of education to create the most appropriate atmosphere for diverse learners. Rationale – Several beneficial results come from acknowledging and understanding students with very diverse backgrounds and cultures. Incorporating worldview and cultural content into my work will also help me achieve goals and gain more positive outcomes. Worldview is an individual perception of interpretation of the world based on common and gathered knowledge, beliefs, experiences, values, history, and ideas held and sustained throughout society. Cultural content is the familiarity of the distinctive ways of living of a group of people comprehended through the senses. If I familiarize myself with cultures and backgrounds of my diverse students, I will better be able to teach them. In accomplishing these goals, the students and I will all enjoy a comfortable learning environment where kids will feel safe. They will also be able to trust me. Among other students and with me, there will be less classroom conflict. I will also have stronger relationships with families, and hopefully get them more involved. Overall, the students will be able to learn more material more efficiently and I will broaden my cultural awareness.

Hau Kola! Hello Friend! The Dakota, also known as Nakota or Lakota (depending on individual dialect) are a very intriguing people. With a rich and colorful history, they are unfortunately a group of people often overlooked by others. After Europeans invaded and stole Native American land, they were displaced and began to die off. Families were sometimes separated, and entire tribes were killed, died of disease, or eventually starved to death. The battles between Natives and whites for the land resulted, overall, in the mass murder of millions of Native Americans. These barbarities committed by whites have never been totally resolved. Over four hundred treaties were drawn up and signed by both Native Americans and United States officials within the government. However, the United States government did not follow through on even one single treaty. Today, a commitment between Native American tribal governments and the United States government work together in an attempt to provide resources for Native Americans today. There are many flaws in the system set up to help Native Americans; on the other hand, many new programs and services have been started to help them. Overall, with the help of fellow Americans, the cultural values and wholesome system of Native Americans could be restored in America. History The Dakota Indian nation has an incredibly dynamic and extremely heart wrenching history. They are a people of deep moral convictions and strong positive values. Unfortunately, after conflicts with whites, many of the Dakota were lost in the battle to regain what once was theirs. To this day, all Americans know of fierce battles in which brave warriors and soldiers died defending what they each thought was their respective land. Dakota tribes have lived in this region of the Midwest for a very long time. The treaties of the 8050’s represent the greed of the policies the Unites States put in place. They were extremely insensitive to the ways of Native American life. Although many white settlers in the area were killed, it was the businessmen and politicians committed the cheating of Indians.

The incident in Acton Township in the summer of 1962 is what set off the battling between the government and Native Americans in the Midwest region. This incident started the Sioux Uprising of 1962. There had been extremely unusual weather in the few years previous. Summers were desperately hot and dry and winters were unbearably cold. With lack of food, the Dakotas needed food but could find none and received no help from the United States government as annuities were delayed. Bureaucratic ignorance and indecision concerning the Indian’s desperate situation is what kept food from coming to the people. After five settlers were killed and four young Dakotas were shot on August 17, 1862, Chief Little Crow declared war on the whites the next day. The Upper Sioux Agency was burned to the ground. This place was supposed to be a vital lifeline to the Dakota; instead, it kept them in a desperate state of starvation, constantly fearing death. Although many white settlers were killed or driven from their new homes, it was the Indians who suffered most in the end. They were hunted down and killed outright, some were sent to the reservation in Missouri where unreasonable numbers of Native Americans starved and died of disease. Whites would not even consider treating their livestock in such a poor manner. In the end, rather than 300 Natives dying for participation in the uprising, Abraham Lincoln ordered that a mere 39 hang. The execution took place in Mankato and was the largest mass execution in United States history. Now, ancestors of those hanged ride the trail to Mankato on Thanksgiving. They call it the Trail of Tears. Tribal Government “The United States Government as defined by the United States Constitution has governmental relationships with International, Tribal, and State entities; therefore, Tribal nations have a government-to-government relationship with the United States. The Tribes of the Great Sioux Nation signed treaties in 1824, 1851, 1863 and 1868 with the United States which are the legal documents that established our boundaries and recognized our rights as a sovereign government.” When whites first interacted with Native Americans, there were chiefs that were in charge of each tribe. Under them was an intricate system of their version of government.

Depending on age and gender, there were always different unspoken responsibilities and duties everyone had. They were carried out as needed to keep the tribes running smoothly. Ever since the introduction of reservations, there have been different tribal governments that work for their people through an agent to work with the overall United States government. This system was originally very ineffective and often detrimental. Some four hundred broken treaties between the Natives and whites show one simple example. The flaws of a very delicate system of government between the Natives and whites had disastrous results. Although today some of these flaws still remain, there have been improvements made to help create a more positive environment within reservations. According to the United States government/United Sates tribal government, leaders on reservations are able to help their people economically, culturally, and in livelihood. Within reservations, the tribal government has access to control over many resources such as cultural resources, legal resources, education, jobs, and economic development, housing, family and health resources (health care, public health, other social services), and finally tribal land and the environment. These social services, along with education, are creating the path to a better future for Native Americans, especially those on reservations. Culture Within the Dakota nation, there were and still are many strong cultural values. Skillful hunters were highly respected. Men only hunted for what they needed and were so careful with a knife that hunting was considered an art. In divisions of gender there are also respected positions. Men were organized into brotherhoods. Their goal was to touch a live enemy and get away unharmed. On the other hand, women were organized into sisterhoods. They had unending duties and were always needed by their people. They maintained camps, embellished rituals by making ceremonial garments, mats, baskets, and pottery. They were also in charge of crops, planting, growing, and harvesting. Also, women helped men fish, build canoes, teepees, lodges, and travel during the fur-trading season.

Native American men and European men alike respected and admired strong and hardworking women. “When all the men are heavy laden, they cannot hunt. One woman may carry or haul as much as two men. Women pitch our tents, make and mend our clothing, and keep us warm at night. In fact there is so much thing as traveling any long distance for any length of time in this country without the help of women.” This was the comment of an Indian guide in the late 1770’s. When European fur traders and explorers became acquainted with Natives, they often intermarried in the hopes of having strong and intelligent kids. Dakotas valued the skills of hunting and also thrived on the rigors of warfare. They relied on stone, wood, and bone to build all of their tools and weapons; metal was never used. These people were nomadic and followed animals, primarily buffalo that provided them all of life’s necessities. When they hunted, it was important to utilize the animals as food, clothing, tools, weapons, and housing. Eventually, they became recognized as the best horsemen of the American plains. The Dakota also created a culture that remains very rich in religion, music, and storytelling. They also have extremely strong cultural values on a more social aspect. They valued time, but in a different sense than do whites. They appreciate patience and work simply to satisfy present needs. They have a manana attitude, which is similar to that if Latin American cultures. Time is always with us; therefore, Native Americans live more relaxed lives as they feel things that need to be done today can simply be done tomorrow. Exceptions include planting, harvesting, and hunting of course. Family is also valued. However, they feel extended family is extremely important. Also, age equals wisdom. All people are wise, but the eldest are the wisest. Following the tradition and lessons of elders is very valued. Within a tribe, everyone is considered extended family in a sense. In terms of punishment, shame is used, but humiliation does not last like in American culture. Native Americans also feel that possessions display greed. The Dakotas annually give away their possessions. They call this sharing “love gifts.” Sharing wealth and giving is the greatest thing to do.

Finally, the Dakota have created a culture that remains very rich in religion, music, and storytelling; all of these revolve around their strong value of nature. Living in harmony with nature, their religion is based somewhat on mythology. Another prevalent idea is that man must live in harmony with nature in a delicate balance. The Earth was, after all, given by the Creator to enjoy. If people break the balance and harmony of man and nature, there will be sickness or lack of food. Many artists and writers create masterpieces that encompass this idea of balance between man and nature. They portray nature as a beautiful giver of life’s necessities such as food and shelter. They respect the environment so greatly because they recognize it supports their lives. Overall, Native Americans are a very trusting and welcoming people. Unfortunately, their cultural and moralistic beliefs left them in a vulnerable position in relations with whites, primarily the United States government. After they were cheated out of land or a treaty was broken, the Native Americans remained trusting the government; this made them extremely defenseless. Many people were lost over the course of several decades is still mourned today. Looking at reservations today we see the lack of many values and morals that were once necessities within the Native American families. Items like alcohol and drugs have added to the driving apart of families. With many single parent and low-income families, poverty and crime are at high rates on reservations with a lack of solutions or any kind of help currently. Although the worlds of Native Americans have changed greatly, the present ways of life are dysfunctional and outmoded. By combining their native traditions with Western traditions, they can create a better balance in life. Educational strategies have changed significantly, however. Initially, educational centers were set up where Indians became ‘Americanized’. In other words, they were forced to assimilate to the Protestant Evangelical lifestyle. They were taught the trades of farming, carpentry, and other skills valued by white settlers. Today, Native Americans are provided with schools similar to, but often much less modern than, average American schools. They are very similar to urban city schools with lack of funds, lack of support from the city community and school community, as well as a lack of caring. This is

shown through the Red Lake Indian Reservation and through the Native American population in the Redwood Falls school district. The best way to help Native Americans, however, is by educating myself. I will do this two different ways: through reading books and through getting to know people with Native American backgrounds. In the classroom, and life in general, by using common sense I already treat people as equals. Acknowledging and respecting differences, living in the present rather than past, and respecting a unique culture will provide a feeling of trust, respect, and empowerment for students and families. Native Americans have many problems in their past, and as teachers we can help them overcome them and restore respect and wholesomeness to their culture.

Citations: Carney, Cary. Native American Higher Education in the United States. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2007. Eder, Jeanne M. Oyawin. The Dakota Sioux (Indian Nations (Austin, Tex.).). London: Raintree, 2000. Jackson, Helen Hunt. A Century of Dishonor: The Classic Expose of the Plight of the Native Americans. New York: Dover Publications, 2003. Klemetson, Dick. The developing Indian culture in North Dakota (STUDY: students today understanding Dakota yesterday). New York: Harvey Public Schools, 1979.

REFLECTION: Our senior year in high school English, our teacher assigned a project titled A Multicultural Gender Fare. Each one of us chose different authors within different categories to research, read stories, compare their history to their lives, and make an overall analysis of each author’s purpose and message they relay. One of my authors was Native American. Through that project I gained knowledge of the constant struggle many Natives have today. After the loss of many cultural values over the past two hundred years, Native Americans of our era are attempting to reconnect their people with lost ancestry and values that have been missing for many years. Whites portrayed gentle and moralistic Native Americans as savages. Over time, many of their most positive attributes have been lost because whites, in general, seemed to not have faith in these people. The real stories are coming out, and Native Americans are fighting to gain more strength and equality. Through the gain of cultural values they will be able to be more successful and efficient in their fight. I have read many more in depth articles and stories about the background and history of Native Americans for this project. Native Americans and whites alike have told many interesting stories over the ages. I have found some that are funny, others that are ironic, and many that are heart wrenching. The most moving stories are about the struggle for equality and respect by Native Americans. I recognize that there are many cases of ethnocentrism portrayed by Americans yet today. They lost all of the wonderful things they once had such as a plethora of natural resources and cultural values. In educating others and helping Native Americans to gain more respect and equality, teachers can play a huge role, like with any other culture. Through broadening my cultural awareness, I can help spread the knowledge of the lost values of the colorful culture of Native Americans, primarily in the school system. By empowering the younger generations, much more work and progress will be made in creating more opportunities for Native Americans.