Sovereignty in Spiritual Perspective

Authors

Perry Horse

First Page

117

Document Type

Article

Abstract

When my forebears entered the Twentieth Century one hundred years ago they were dispirited because of what was lost. Gone was the old religion of K'caawT'doh (the Medicine Lodge). Gone were the On'gma Peenh (our own food), i.e., the buffalo. Gone were the days of a free, independent lifestyle. Gone was the old economy of self-sufficiency, hunting, and trade. All that was left was our native language, remnants of our aboriginal territory, our traditions and beliefs, and many of the old songs, dances, and rituals. The last century was one of transition for the Kiowas as well as all other Native American tribes and nations. It was a time of cultural dissonance, government reorganization, dependency, economic hardship, and political chaos. It was closely akin to colonization of native nations by settlers as well as agents of the United States. Government enclaves, schools, and Bureau of Indian Affairs agencies were placed on all Indian reservations. Official Indian policy ranged from benign neglect, forced assimilation, reorganization of tribal governments, termination of government services, to self-determination. The latter era ostensibly began in 1970 and continues to this day.

Recommended Citation

Perry Horse, Sovereignty in Spiritual Perspective, 13 St. Thomas L. Rev. 117 (2000).
Available at: https://scholarship.stu.edu/stlr/vol13/iss1/12