September - Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe

FSST SEPTEMBER 2013 NEWSLETTER 

FSST 2013 SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER 

Tribal Elders’ Annual Picnic 

Canwapa Gi Wi September - the 

month the leaves begin to turn color. 

The annual picnic for Tribal 

Elders was held on Friday, 

August 23 rd at the Flandreau 

Park’s Japanese Gardens 

outdoor picnic area. 

The event is sponsored by 

the Grace Moore Senior 

Citizens Center’s staff and 

the Flandreau Santee Sioux 

Tribe. 

The staff, Gayle Soward- 

Director, Sally Allen-Cook 

and volunteers Sharon Maras 

& Helena Thompson 

prepared the meal of brats, 

hot dogs, hamburgers, potato 

salad, baked beans, watermelon 

and root beer 

floats. 

The grill masters volunteering 

their time and grilling 

skills were Victor Al- 

Pictured above: William Beane & Fred Olson 

len, Zach Allen, Mark Allen 

and Darrell Stephens. Jessica 

Hovland and Wanda Cadotte 

volunteered to help 

serve the meal. 

The event was decorated 

“Tropical” with a Hawaiian 

theme, complete with flowers 

and palm trees. William 

Beane made the floral arrangement 

for the centerpiece. 

Helena Thompson’s 

granddaughter Brittney Ho 

provided entertainment with 

a Hawaiian dance to inspirational 

Christian music. 

Ryan Kills a Hundred, FSST 

Treasurer was the announcer 

for the drawings for the prizes. 

The prizes were 

1 

donated 

by the Grace Moore Senior 

Citizens Center, Royal River 

Casino, Laurie Thomas, 

Prairie Junction, First American 

Mart, Pam Byrd, Julie 

Stephens and FSST Executive 

Committee.


Pictured above: Fred Olson winner of 

grand prize star quilt. 

2


Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Newsletter 

is a monthly publication by the 

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. 

Editor: Carol Robertson 

Assistant: Amber Allen 

Digital photos, text on diskette 

or other media is encouraged. 

Deadline for submission of material is 

NLT 5 work days before the end of each 

month prior to 

publication! 

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe 

Attn: Carol Robertson 

P.O. Box 283 

Flandreau, SD 57028-0283 

or Call: 997-3891 

carol.robertson@fsst.org 

NOTICE OF DISCLAIMER: 

In preparation of this newsletter, every 

effort has been made to offer the most 

current, correct, and clearly expressed 

information possible. Nevertheless, 

inadvertent errors in information may 

occur. In particular but without limiting 

anything here, the Flandreau Santee 

Sioux Tribe (FSST) and its employees 

disclaim any responsibility for typographical 

errors and accuracy of the 

information that may be contained in the 

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe's Newsletter. 

The FSST also reserves the right to 

make changes at any time without notice. 

The information and data included in 

this newsletter have been compiled by 

the FSST Newsletter staff from a variety 

of sources, and are subject to change 

without notice. The FSST makes no 

warranties or representations whatsoever 

regarding the quality, content, completeness, 

or adequacy of such information 

and data. In any situation where 

the official printed publications of the 

FSST differ from the text contained in 

this newsletter, the official printed documents 

take precedence. 

If inaccurate or otherwise inappropriate 

information is brought to our attention, 

a reasonable effort will be made to print 

a correction in the next available newsletter. 

We reserve the right to omit submissions 

if it is felt that the content or 

subject matter is inappropriate. 

NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION 

GUIDELINES: 

All information submitted for inclusion 

in the newsletter must be received NLT 

than 5 (five) working days before the 

first of each calendar month. We cannot 

guarantee inclusion of any submissions 

after that date in that month's newsletter. 

Submissions must be made in typewritten 

(or computer generated) format. 

They can be submitted directly to Carol 

Robertson in hardcopy, on disk or via 

email at: carol.robertson@fsst.org 

The FSST reserves the right to edit 

submission for content and clarity when 

appropriate. Additionally, submissions 

not of a time sensitive nature may be 

delayed for inclusion until subsequent 

newsletters. 

Senator Johnson visits FSST Council and tours 

new Community Center 

Pictured above l to r: FSST Treasurer Ryan Kills - a - Hundred, 

FSST Trustee IV Kenneth Weston, FSST Secretary Leah Fyten, 

Senator Tim Johnson, FSST President Tony Reider, FSST Trustee 

II Roxee Johnson & FSST Trustee III Andrew Weston 

On August 23 rd Senator Tim Johnson arrived at the new FSST 

Community Center for a tour and a brief meeting with the 

FSST Executive Committee to discuss various issues affecting 

the FSST and Flandreau communities. 

3


Visitors from Hawk Hill Press, Nicasio, California Bring Gifts 

Ned and Jody Martin visited the 

Tribal offices on Friday, August 

23, 2013. Their intention 

was to meet with the 

Tribal Council to acquaint 

them with their 

books and photography. 

They gifted the Tribe 

with two 12 x 13” books 

with 500 images of bridles 

and horse masks 

from 25 museums and 

private collections. The 

photos of the fancy beadwork, 

quill work and 

cloth bridles used by the 

Tribes of North American, 

who bridled their 

horses in unique and 

beautiful ways. 

These books are the most comprehensive 

collection of Native bridles 

and horse masks ever seen. 

The text in the books includes a 

chapter of maps documenting new 

information on the spread of the 

horse culture to 125 tribe of North 

America, correcting more than a 

half century of erroneous publications. 

Special chapters on the tribal 

horse culture have been contributed 

by Nez Perce and Blackfoot 

historians. Ned and Jody Martin 

also left a beautiful map of the 

spread of horses in Indian Country 

when the horse first became to 

North America. 

Mr. & Mrs. Martin were visiting 

tribes of the Northern Great Plains 

to present a gift of the books to the 

Tribe and become familiar with 

their research, photography, Amazon 

on-line sales and become more 

familiar with tribes throughout the 

area. They were kind enough to 

leave Carol Robertson and Amber 

Allen with their books: “Horse 

Bridles of the American Indians” 

and “Horse Masks of the American 

Indians. (Source: Hawk Hill Press 

brochure) 

The FSST Executive Committee 

was not available due to meetings 

so the FSST Economic Development 

Department accepted their 

wonderful gifts on behalf of 

FSST. The Martins were very 

generous to offer the 

books and map to the 

Grace Moore Senior 

Citizens Center for tribal 

elders, Flandreau Public 

Schools Resource Center 

through Avery Jones, 

FSST Higher Education 

Department and Redwing 

Thomas, Dakota 

Language Instructor for 

the Dakota Culture Club 

and After School Program. 

After much visiting in a 

short time with the Martins 

and learning more 

about their creative work, they 

had to depart for Wagner to visit 

with the Yankton Sioux Tribe and 

offer their books to the Tribe. 

They asked for directions and 

thanked us for visiting with them. 

We were thrilled with the beautiful 

books and to meet this wonderful, 

talented and generous couple. 

The website to visit 

www.hawkhillpress.com and 

email: hawkhill@earthlink.net- 

Editor 

4 

Jody and Ned Martin traveled the West for over 15 

years gathering data for their books on horse gear. Ned 

set up his portable photo studio in museums and private 

collections to capture the stunning images of the cowboy 

or Indian horse equipment they were currently 

researching. The Martins have ridden horses in many 

Western states, Europe, and South America, where they 

gained first-hand knowledge of horse gear being used. 

Ned has traveled widely to photograph not only collections 

for these books, but also for his previously published 

work of portraits of old people, Faces and Lines, 

in collaboration with writer, Dan Brown. He currently 

uses state-of-the-art digital camera equipment.

Natasha Eagle Star 


Mitakuyapi, Natasha Wicanpi Wanblee, Emaciyapi 

Ksto. Naha Iyuha Chante Waster Nape Ciyuzapi. 

Hello, my name is Natasha 

Eagle Star and I come from 

Sicangu Lakota Nation. My 

hometown is located in 

Winner, SD. I’m an intern 

from the Sinte Gleska University. 

On August 23rd, I 

will graduate with my Bachelors 

of Business with an 

emphasis in Accounting. 

I came to Flandreau Santee 

Sioux Tribe to learn more 

on the Brownsfield Program. 

I worked with Elizabeth 

Wakeman, who was a 

wonderful boss and taught 

me many different aspects 

of her job. Working for the 

Environmental Protection 

Agency and other programs, 

her work is very widespread 

and I enjoyed learning about 

every aspect. Elizabeth 

helped me with several projects 

around the Flandreau 

Santee Sioux Tribe area and 

I got to see the tribal land 

and the beauty of all its 

worth. I was shown hospitality 

by several of the 

members of the Flandreau 

Santee Sioux Tribe and I 

would like to just say 

“Thank You” to those I got 

acquainted with. 

I would like to say thank 

you to all the people I 

worked with and who 

helped to contribute to my 

education of the Environmental 

Protection Agency, 

Brownsfield Program, Natural 

Resources, and 106 Water 

Field. Tim Spade and 

Mark Allen are wonderful 

people and I enjoyed the 

time I got to spend with 

them. 

I would also like to say 

thank you to Elizabeth 

Wakeman and Beverly Mason 

for allowing me to be a 

guest in their home during 

my Internship here in Flandreau. 

I have been given a 

wonderful home during my 

stay and plan on visiting 

more after my graduation 

and in the future. 

Most of all I would like to 

thank the Flandreau Santee 

Sioux tribe for the opportunity 

to learn more about 

their tribe, culture and land. 

This experience has been 

wonderful for me and I enjoyed 

every moment I spent 

here. 

Pilamaye!!!! 

5 

Just a reminder to On 

and Off Reservation 

Tribal members: 

Quoted from Section 

19-3-2 of Tribal Gaming 

Ordinance 

“Qualification for on 

Reservation Per- 

Capita Payments” 

In order to fairly satisfy the 

needs of Tribal members 

who contribute to the advancement 

and selfdetermination 

of the Tribe 

by residing on the Flandreau 

Santee Sioux reservation 

within Moody County, and 

to provide incentives to 

members to return to the reservation 

community to further 

the advancement to 

Tribal self-determination 

and to enhance the reservation 

community socially, 

economically and culturally. 

Quoted from Section 19-3-4: 

INCARCERATED PER- 

SONS. Any qualified members 

who is incarcerated in a 

penal institution or otherwise 

pursuant to a conviction 

under any criminal law 

for more than thirty (30) 

days shall lose qualified status. 

However, such member 

shall regain qualified status 

upon his/her release from 

incarceration, provided he/ 

she thereafter satisfies the 

definition of physical residence 

in Moody County 

Submitted by: Per-Capita 

Committee


For immediate release 

June 4, 2013 

For more information: 

Jennifer Hellman 

651-292-8062 (w) 

612-202-3468 (c) 

Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Gives More Than $10 Million 

in Grants to 18 American Indian Tribes 

Prior Lake, Minnesota – The 

Shakopee Mdewakanton 

Sioux Community (SMSC) 

announced today that it is 

donating more than $10 million 

to 18 American Indian 

tribes in eight states. This 

brings the SMSC’s total donations 

to nearly $272 million 

since 1992, including 

nearly $190 million to other 

tribes, tribal organizations, 

and American Indian causes. 

“Helping tribes improve 

their communities, expand 

their economies, and enhance 

their health and education 

offerings is central to 

the SMSC’s role as a good 

neighbor to our fellow 

tribes,” said SMSC Chairman 

Charlie Vig. “The needs 

in Indian Country are still 

widespread, and we want to 

help meet those needs as 

much as we can.” 

The recipients of the 

SMSC’s latest round of tribal 

grants include: 

• Flandreau Santee 

Sioux Tribe (South Dakota) 

– $1 million for the tribe’s 

new community center. This 

brings the total to $2 million 

in grants and a $3 million 

loan from the SMSC for this 

$5.3 million facility. 

• Keweenaw Bay Indian 

Community (Michigan) – 

$92,200 in each of the next 

five years (FY2013-2017) for 

a tribal water monitoring 

program. With lands in the 

Upper Peninsula along Lake 

Superior, the Keweenaw Bay 

Indian Community wants to 

better understand the potential 

impacts of mining on local 

water resources. 

• Lower Brule Sioux 

Tribe (South Dakota) – 

$500,000 for economic development 

and community 

improvement projects, including 

$250,000 for an employment 

training program. 

• Lower Sioux Indian 

Community (Minnesota) – 

$250,000, including 

$205,000 for community recreation 

programming and 

$45,000 for crisis intervention 

assistance. 

• Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma 

– $325,000 for a tribal 

agriculture program that supports 

a clean and healthy 

food source for tribal members. 

Plans call for vegetable 

gardens, fruit trees, and 

livestock. 

• Red Cliff Band of 

Lake Superior Chippewa 

(Wisconsin) – $750,000, including 

$520,000 for the expansion 

of the tribe’s Apostle 

Islands-area marina, 

$150,000 for a land purchase, 

and $80,000 for a system 

that protects the tribe’s 

casino with backup power 

and surge protection. 

• Red Lake Nation 

(Minnesota) –Two $750,000 

grants (total of $1.5 million) 

in fiscal years 2013 and 

2014 for a new community 

center. This is in addition 

to a $27 million loan from 

the SMSC to help fund a 

new casino and hotel. 

• Santee Sioux Nation 

(Nebraska) – $550,000 for 

several projects, including 

$250,000 for an outdoor 

pool, $100,000 for a youth 

program, $50,000 for a buffalo 

ranch, $50,000 for energy 

assistance programs, 

6

Continued... 


$25,000 for the fire department, 

and $25,000 for a 

daycare program. 

• Spirit Lake Tribe 

(North Dakota) – $700,000, 

including $350,000 each for 

repairs to the Crow Hill 

Wellness Center and Fort 

Totten Wellness Center, 

which are located near the 

high water levels of Devils 

Lake. Water and structural 

damages have forced Crow 

Hill to close, and the Fort 

Totten facility has floor, 

kitchen and bathroom damages. 

• Yankton Sioux Tribe 

(South Dakota) – $415,000 

for several efforts, including 

$180,000 to help purchase a 

modular unit to hold eight 

kidney dialysis chairs and 

nine dialysis machines. 

Other tribal grant recipients 

include the Bois Forte Band 

of Chippewa in Minnesota 

with $1 million, Eastern 

Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma 

with $400,000, Lac 

Courte Oreilles Band of 

Lake Superior Ojibwe in 

Wisconsin with $500,000, 

Rosebud Sioux Tribe of 

South Dakota with 

$500,000, Shoalwater Bay 

Tribe of Washington with 

$250,000, Upper Sioux 

Community in Minnesota 

with $1 million, White 

Earth Nation in Minnesota 

with $250,000 matching 

grant for either the workforce 

center or natural resources 

building, and the 

Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska 

with $500,000. 

In addition to monetary donations, 

the SMSC has made 

more than $509 million in 

loans to other tribes for economic 

development projects 

since 1996. The SMSC also 

assists other tribes by 

providing its mobile unit for 

medical and dental screenings 

as well as treatment services, 

donating life-saving 

AEDs (automatic external 

defibrillators), helping tribes 

implement prescribed burns 

on reservation land, and 

more. 

About the Shakopee 

Mdewakanton Sioux Community 

The Shakopee Mdewakanton 

Sioux Community is a federally 

recognized, sovereign 

Indian tribe located southwest 

of Minneapolis/St. 

Paul. With a focus on being 

a good neighbor, good steward 

of the earth, and good 

employer, the SMSC is committed 

to community partnerships, 

charitable donations, 

a healthy environment, 

and a strong economy. The 

SMSC and the SMSC Gaming 

Enterprise (Mystic Lake 

Casino Hotel and Little Six 

Casino) are the largest employer 

in Scott County. Out 

of a Dakota tradition to help 

others, the SMSC has also 

donated nearly $272 million 

to organizations and causes 

since 1992, funds its own 

7 

infrastructure, and contributes 

generously to regional 

governments and infrastructure 

such as roads, water 

and sewer systems, and 

emergency services. 

Road Construction 

Notice 

Please be aware that the 

upcoming SD32 project 

from I-29 to west of 

Flandreau. We held our 

preconstruction meeting 

this morning and the 

contractor indicated 

their start date will be 

the day after Labor Day 

(Tuesday, September 

3rd). They will begin 

milling the existing asphalt 

surface which is 

expected to take about 3 

weeks and asphalt paving 

operations are expected 

to begin around 

September 20th. Based 

on their tentative schedule, 

this will put them 

very close to finishing 

by the contract completion 

date of 

October 11, 

2013.


Grace Moore Senior Citizens Center-August Birthdays 

The monthly birthday dinner 

was held at the Grace Moore 

Senior Citizens Center on 

Wednesday, August 14, 

2013. Tribal Elders celebrating 

their birthdays in August 

were: Beverly Wakeman, 

Nancy Herrick, Renae 

Jones and Linda Allen. The 

staff fixed a fine meal of oven 

baked chicken, mashed 

potatoes, gravy, mandarin 

orange salad, fresh baked 

bread and angel food caked 

with strawberry-rhubarb topping 

and whipped cream. 

Although it wasn’t part of 

the party, but a service to 

provide health services was 

there too. Marie Schmit, 

FSST Wellness Center, was 

on hand to check blood pressures 

and blood sugar levels. 

This service is provided once 

a month at the Center. 

The staff that plans, cook 

meals, prepares desserts and 

shops for birthday gifts are: 

Gayle Soward-Director, Sally 

Allen-Cook and Sharon 

Maras-Volunteer. Thanks 

staff for all you work and 

kindness. We appreciate it! 

ATTENTION 

In recent months the Hotel has experienced numerous 

damages in guest rooms. Consequently, a $50.00 security 

deposit is required of cash/check-paying guests who stay 

at the Hotel. At check-out, housekeeping will inspect the 

room, if there are no damages, the guest will be refunded 

their security deposit. 

-FSST EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

8


9


FSST Community Center Opens With Dakota Language and 

Education Programs 

The newly constructed Community 

Center opened August 

26 th , 2013, with Dakota 

Language Classes and Dakota 

Culture Club under the 

direction of Redwing Thomas, 

Dakota Language Instruction. 

Redwing’s two 

assistants, Dustin Beaulieu 

and Leah Owen staff the Dakota 

Language Programs. 

The FSST Higher Education 

Program offices will be relocating 

to their new offices in 

the Community Center. The 

staff for Higher Education is 

Barbara Kirk-Director and 

Avery Jones-Assistant. 

The Tribe’s goal of having 

youth and education programs 

has come about after 

a long period of time of 

planning, constructing a 

building, staffing, furnishing 

equipment, etc. 

The number of children, 

youth and adults in the Dakota 

Language Program and 

Dakota Culture 

Club has surpassed 

the number expected 

by the FSST 

Executive Committee, 

Dakota Language 

staff and the 

Dakota Language 

Preservation 

Board. 

Enrollment numbers 

for the Wakpa 

Ipaksan After 

School Program, 

Mond 

a y - 

Thursday, 

from 3:30- 

5:30 p.m. 

S i c e c a 

(grades K-5) 

is 48 children, 

and 

K o s k a / 

Wikosoke 

(Grades 6-8) 

at 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. is 10 

youth. 

Transportation 

is provided from 

school to the 

FSST Community 

Center + 

home after the 

activities. The 

children for the 

K-5 classes reviewed 

the Dakota 

Language 

words they 

10 

learned and learned new Dakota 

words for food, drinks 

and Dakota values. Then 

Redwing broke up the group 

to those that have homework 

to do and Dustin Beaulieu, 

Assistant, helped the children 

that had homework. 

Redwing took the other children 

on a tour of the new 

Community Center and 

played games with them. 

Redwing also took them into 

the ceremonial room and dis-

cussed Dakota values and 

prayers. 

Leah Owen, Dakota Language 

Assistant, held the 

Grades 6-8 at 7:00 to 8:30 

pm. The lesson plan was to 

learn and experience drying 

corn and will give their 

work and labor of preparing 

the corn to Tribal elders. 

Ms. Owen taught the group 

Dakota words while the 

youth prepared corn for drying 

on screens outdoors. 

The activities for the After 

School Program include: 

homework help, Dakota 

Language, Dakota Cultural 

Activities, Arts & Crafts 

and Physical Activity. 

Snacks will be provided for 

the children by the program 

and with the help of donations 

from the parents and 

community. 

There are no membership 

fees but the children are required 

to register and contact 

Redwing Thomas at 

(402) 360-4679. 


Pictured Above: Leah Owen 

11


FSST Celebrates Employee birthdays August 

August 7th Was the monthly 

birthday celebrating for all 

FSST employees with birthdays 

in August. The Grace 

Moore Senior Citizens Center 

catered the delicious 

meal of sloppy joes salad, 

and angel food cake for dessert. 

Those celebrating their 

birthdays were Pat Riley - 

$120.00, Denise Hammer— 

$30.00, Marsha Schlueter - 

$60.00, Redwing Thomas 

$40.00, JC Fisherman - 

$120.00, Tim Spade - 

$45.00, Avery Jones - 

$100.00, Alla Jones - 

$75.00, Annie Garcia 

$120.00, Dawn Serrano - 

$100.00, Billy Jo Ketto - 

$120.00, Nancy Herrick - 

$30.00, Bobbi Christensen - 

$100.00, and Janell Hanna - 

$40.00. Happy Birthday!!!! 

12


SD Board of Geographic Names Meets in Moody County 

The SD Board of Geographic 

Names, Department of Tribal 

Relations Pierre, SD, held a 

meeting for their August 27 th 

meeting for Moody County at 

Royal River Casino, Flandreau, 

SD. The five board members 

are: JR LaPlante-Chair & Department 

of Tribal Relations, 

Eileen Bertsch-Department of 

Tourism representative, Jay D. 

Voight-Director of South Dakota 

State Historical Society, June 

Hansen-SD Department of 

Transportation, and Joe Nadenicek- 

Department of Environment 

and Natural Resources 

Department. 

The board discussed renaming 

“Squaw Creek” in Moody 

County near the town of Trent 

and hoped to have Tribal input 

and more public involvement if 

the meeting was held in Flandreau. 

Public Notice went out 

to start soliciting a new name in 

early July. 

The above name is considered 

offensive and the SD Board of 

Geographic Names requested 

public comment on a new name 

to replace it. Based on the U.S. 

Board of Geographic Names 

guidelines, the following principles 

apply: 

Names descriptive 

of 

topographic 

form, suggested 

by 

local history, 

folklore, 

or incident, 

or by associated 

natural 

life or other phenomena are 

preferred including American 

Indian or other ethnic names 

appropriate to the area. 

A proposed name should not 

duplicate another name in the 

state or nearby in an adjoining 

state. 

If a personal name is proposed, 

it must be determined in the 

public interest to honor the person 

or family for historical or 

commemorative reasons. 


the person or persons must be 

deceased for at least five years. 


it should just include the surname. 

This process is intended to 

eliminate offensive names. No 

name should imply discrimination 

or be derogatory to a particular 

racial or ethnic group, 

gender, or religious group. This 

also includes names considered 

obscene in a present-day cultural 

context. 

If the recommended name is 

adopted by the SDBGN, additional 

information may be 

needed to support the recommendation 

to the U.S. Board of 

Geographical Names. The basic 

information requested is a rec- 

13 

ommended name, reason/ 

justification for the name and 

the origin/meaning of the 

name. 

Carol Robertson and Scott Anderson 

attended this Board 

meeting for renaming Squaw 

Creek. The story behind this 

name is that a Native American 

woman fell into the flooding 

creek when trying to cross 

it and drown. The Board prefers 

that a Dakota name replace 

its present derogatory 

name. Scott and Carol will 

visit with Tribal Elders and 

community members for suggestions. 

The Board decided to 

extend their waiting time to 35 

days for the Tribe to send a 

replacement name. Carol will 

take this to the Elders and 

community members. 

Some of the write in names 

were: “Bubbling Water Creek, 

Sioux Creek, Native American 

Creek, Sweet Corn Creek, 

Beautiful Creek, Hiawatha 

Creek and Squall Creek.” The 

SD Board of Geographic 

Names will wait for the Flandreau 

Santee Sioux Tribe’s 

suggested name change. 

JR LaPlant met with Carol 

Robertson after the meeting 

and toured the new FSST 

Community Center. 

Please send your name change 

suggestions to Scott Anderson 

or Carol Robertson.-Editor


September: Domestic Violence Task Force 

When: September 30 th 

Where: FSST Community Center 

Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm 

***Lunch provided and sponsored by FSST Tribal Attorney: 

Seth Pearman*** 

Alan Berkowitz Training: 

When: FSST Community Center 

Date: September 26th 

Time: 1:00pm-5:00pm 

All day…workshops available anytime with at least 10 attendees. 

Topics & Trainings Available: 

*Domestic Violence: What is it? How can we help? 

*Diversity: What Does it really Mean? Celebrating our Differences and 

Creating Community 

*Creating Healthy and Respectful Communities: The role of Faculty, Staff 

and Student Leadership 

*Remarks Strategies for Responding to Unwelcome 

*Diversity and Cultural Competency: Towards Inclusiveness in Ending 

Sexual Assault 

Domestic Violence in the Workplace Training 

When: September 18 th & September 19 th 2013 

Where: Royal River Casino 

Time: 8am – 12:00pm 

Provided by: Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe 

SD Network Against Family Violence & Sexual assault Training Team 

Topics: Domestic Violence in the Workplace: Signs/Identification, Protocol, Reporting, 

Liability Issues, Security Standards. 

14


Paula Lain Smykle the new Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Transitional 

Housing & Native American Services Coordinator 

Paula Lain Smykle is the 

new Flandreau Santee Sioux 

Tribal Transitional Housing 

& Native American Services 

Coordinator. She was hired 

in July on a Friday and hit 

the ground running that next 

Tuesday. 

Background: Smykle has her 

Bachelor of Science in Social 

Work and her Master of 

Social Work Degree’s from 

the University of South Dakota 

in Vermillion, SD. She 

is a licensed Certified Social 

Worker for the State of 

South Dakota at the Masters’ 

level and provides individual 

therapy part-time for individuals/youth 

at Family Service, 

Inc. in Sioux Falls, SD. 

She also volunteers for the 

Heuermann Counseling 

Clinic as a therapist for individuals 

with no insurance. 

This therapy is provided for 

no cost to the client. 

Smykle lives in Sioux Falls, 

SD. 

Family background: Smykle 

grew up in a military family 

and was raised in North Carolina, 

to later graduate highschool 

from Akron, Iowa 

and settle down in Sioux 

Falls, SD. 

Personal interests: Smykle 

enjoys live music, nature, 

festivals, and spending time 

with family and friends. 

Loves to host BBQ’s and 

game nights! 

FSST Transitional Housing 


Program: 

Smykle manages two Federal 

grants that provide funding 

to assist victims/ 

survivors of Domestic Violence/Sexual 

Assault with 

long-term transitional housing 

and legal assistance. 

Coordinated Tribal Assistance 

Solicitation Grant 

awarded to FSST. 

Family Violence Prevention 

Services Act Grant awarded 

to FSST. 

Mission Statement: The 

Mission of the Transitional 

Housing and Native American 

Services Program is 

working together to promote 

victims’ rights for a safer 

South Dakota. 



is affiliated/partnered 

with the SD Network 

Against Family Violence & 

Sexual Assault (The Network) 

in Sioux Falls, SD. 

“ The Wholeness Center is available to take victims/survivors of domestic 

violence/sexual assault into shelter when appropriate and necessary. 

Wholeness Center works closely with the Transitional Housing & Native American 

Services Program. ” 

15

Mission Statement: The Mission 

of the Transitional 

Housing and Native American 

Services Program is 

working together to promote 

victims’ rights for a safer 

South Dakota. 



is affiliated/partnered with 

the SD Network Against 

Family Violence & Sexual 

Assault (The Network) in 

Sioux Falls, SD. 

Services Provided: TO ALL 

VICTIMS NATIVE AMER- 

ICAN AND OTHER ETH- 

NICITIES 

Civil advocacy/court accompaniment 

(Assisting a victim/survivor 

with civil legal 


issues, including preparing 

paperwork for protections 

orders; accompanying a victim/survivor 

to a protection 

order hearing, administrative 

hearing, or civil proceeding; 

and all other advocacy 

within the civil justice 

system & tribal court) 

Counseling services/support 

groups for victims/survivors 

of Domestic Violence/ 

Sexual Assault/Stalking 

(DV/SA/S) 

Crisis intervention with the 

coordination of other surrounding 

area DV Shelters 

Cultural advocacy 

Forensic exam support/ 

guidance/coordination 

Hospital/clinic/medical 

response 

(Accompanying the 

victim/survivor to a medical 

meeting for support) 

Transportation (limited – but 

available when necessary) 

Victim/survivor advocacy 

(Actions designed to assist 

the victim/survivor in obtaining 

support, resources, or 

services including employment, 

housing, shelter services, 

health care, etc.) 

Long-term Transitional 

Housing 

This option is available 

when a victim/survivor flees 

their offender and is seeking 

long-term housing for him/ 

herself and his/her dependents 

(children) ONLY. 

Step Down Transitional Housing Program: 

18 months program 

First 6 months the program assists if necessary $400/month rent directly to the landlord. 

Second 6 months the program assists if necessary $200/month rent directly to the landlord. The client is 

responsible for paying any remaining amount. 

Third/last 6 months the program assists if necessary $100/month rent directly to the landlord. The client 

is responsible for paying any remaining amount. 

The program NEVER pays back rent owed to a previous landlord. This is a Federal violation of the grant 

funding protocol. 

Legal Services 

The program may provide up to $1000/client toward legal assistance in regards to domestic violence issues. 

Legal assistance may include: 

Protection orders 

Family Law Matters 

Divorce 

Custody/visitation issues 

Establishment of paternity 

Child/spousal support 

Other family law matters 

Victim/Survivors rights within the criminal justice system 

(DOES NOT include defending victims accused of criminal activities) 

16


Tribe wants to spend $34 million for casino near Oacoma 

Bob Mercer Rapid City Journal correspondent 

The former chairmen of the 

Flandreau Santee Sioux 

Tribe and the National Indian 

Gaming Commission 

spoke Tuesday night in favor 

of a proposed $34 million 

casino the Lower Brule 

Sioux Tribe wants to build 

near Oacoma. 

About 20 people, most of 

them from somewhere other 

than Oacoma, showed up for 

a meeting Tuesday night at a 

hotel conference center at 

Chamberlain that was held 

by Lower Brule Sioux leaders 

to answer questions 

about the project. 

The gathering came after the 

Oacoma City Council voted 

to oppose the project, which 

is planned for tribal trust 

land within the city limits 

and just west of the Interstate 

90 interchange on the 

north side of the highway. 

The Chamberlain City 

Council has decided to stay 

neutral on the proposal. 

Oacoma officials are concerned 

about costs and burdens 

on city services such as 

water and sewer for a community 

with a population 

listed at 451. 

Richard Rangel, who is 

spearheading the project for 

the tribe, said that an environmental 

assessment is 

needed and likely will take 

one year before those kinds 

of questions can be fully answered. 

“We are not about trying to 

force anything on anyone,” 

Lower Brule Sioux tribal 

chairman Michael Jandreau 

said in remarks that opened 

the meeting. He said the 

project, however, would 

help develop the area's 

economy. 

“If it can’t get any better, 

we all suffer, we all slide 

backwards,” Jandreau said. 

The casino is proposed in 

two phases. The first is a 

truck and travel center and a 

casino costing an estimated 

$34 million. Revenues from 

the businesses would be 

used to eventually pay for 

the $19 million second 

phase of a multi-story hotel 

tower and events center. 

Phil Hogen, a former U.S. 

attorney for South Dakota 

and a former member of the 

National Indian Gaming 

Commission, spoke for the 

project. He grew up at Kadoka 

and practiced law for 

part of his career at Kennebec. 

“We think this can be a winwin,” 

he said. 

Because the project would 

be built on tribal-owned 

property that isn’t connected 

to the reservation and was 

placed in federal trust after 

the 1988 passage of the Indian 

Gaming Regulatory 

Act, the casino would need 

17 

the approval of the U.S. 

Secretary of the Interior and 

ultimately the governor. 

So far, Gov. Dennis Daugaard 

hasn’t expressed an 

opinion on the plan. Eight of 

the nine tribal governments 

in South Dakota operate onreservation 

casinos. 

Tom Ranfranz, who was 

president for the Flandreau 

Santee Sioux Tribe for six 

years, talked about his 

tribe’s experiences with its 

casino operations. 

“It really has been very positive,” 

he said. 

The tribe’s original casino 

was built in 1990 and now 

employs 290, according to 

Ranfranz. He said 237 of 

those jobs are held by residents 

of Flandreau and surrounding 

Moody County 

and about 50 percent of the 

employees are tribal members. 

Ranfranz now serves as a 

liaison for the Shakopee 

Mdewakanton tribe that operates 

a large casino in suburban 

Minneapolis and is 

financing the Lower Brule 

project. He said the 

Shakopee organization has 

19 projects in various stages 

of development and Oacoma 

is one of the most 

promising. 

“The key is location, location, 

location,” he said.


Oglala Sioux to allow beer at Pine Ridge 

Alcohol vote brings historic change to reservation 

For the first time in its history, 

the Pine Ridge Indian 

Reservation put its 124-year 

-old prohibition on alcohol 

to a public vote — and the 

ban was overturned, 1,645 

for to 1,494 against. 

But the total will remain unofficial 

until the 568 challenged 

votes are confirmed. 

If the unofficial results are 

confirmed, it will mean big 

changes on the reservation. 

Voter turnout was high, according 

to Craig Dillon, a 

member of the Oglala Sioux 

Tribal Council. 

“In my district ... we had an 

amazing turnout,” Dillon 

said. “The people are getting 

the chance to make their 

voice heard.” 

Almost 4,000 reservation 

residents cast ballots, reflecting 

the deep division 

among tribal members on 

the issue of alcohol going 

into the special election to 

decide the fate of the alcohol 

ban. Many believed the 

vote shouldn’t have happened 

in the first place. 

“I really have mixed feelings 

about it; we should 

never have had this vote,” 

said Bryan Brewer, tribal 

president. 

Brewer said alcohol has 

been a huge problem on the 

reservation, and he doesn’t 

think legalizing it is the answer 

to the problem. 

Dillon, who was one of nine 

tribal council members to 

vote in favor of holding the 

special election, said alcohol 

already was on the reservation 

despite the ban. For 

him, the vote gave the tribe a 

chance to earn some revenue 

as a way pay for both a detoxification 

facility and a 

treatment facility on the reservation. 

“I think we should start a 

detoxification facility,” Dillon 

said. “To me, that would 

be a dream come true.” 

The Oglala Sioux Tribal 

Council met all day Tuesday 

and spent part of the meeting 

discussing the special election. 

Tom Casey, the news director 

for KILI, the reservation 

radio station, attended the 

meeting. 

At one point, Casey said, a 

motion was made to end the 

election all together over 

concerns that the originally 

planned nine voting precincts 

wasn’t enough to give 

everyone a chance to vote. 

The council, in the end, voted 

to continue the election 

and add as many as five new 

voting precincts, Casey said. 

Only four actually were set 

up because a suitable location 

could not be found in 

the village of Wounded 

Knee. “In a tribal election, 

18 

there are 21 districts,” Casey 

said. “The time for this was 

very short, and to add four 

precincts on election day 

was very difficult.” 

Threats made during the 

vote led the tribal election 

commission to move vote 

counting from the tribal 

election office to the Billy 

Mills Community Center as 

a precaution. Tribal police 

and election monitors also 

watched the polls closely to 

make sure anti-alcohol activists 

didn’t disrupt voting. 

With the exception of several 

months in 1970 when a 

ban on alcohol sales was 

temporarily lifted, the Oglala 

Sioux Tribe’s Pine Ridge 

Reservation has been legally 

dry for all its 124-year history. 

Reality doesn’t conform 

with statute, however. Rampant 

bootlegging fuels crushing 

alcohol abuse on the reservation. 

Barely a mile from 

the town of Pine Ridge itself, 

just beyond the southern 

border of the reservation, 

four beer stores in Whiteclay, 

Neb. sold 162,000 cases 

last year, mostly to members 

of the tribe who illegally 

hauled much of it back to 

the reservation. 

“The paper the law is written 

on doesn’t stop the flow of 

alcohol,” Dillon said. “It’s 

here and it’s real; we just


don’t have the revenue to 

address it.” 

The Oglala Sioux Tribe has 

unsuccessfully battled this 

deluge. In February 2012, 

the tribe filed a federal lawsuit 

against major brewers 

Anheuser-Busch InBev, 

SABMiller, Molson Coors 

and Pabst, claiming they 

knowingly contributed to the 

devastation caused by alcohol 

abuse by allowing beer 

to be sold so close to Pine 

Ridge. U.S. District Judge 

John Gerrard dismissed the 

action, claiming regulating 

alcohol sales was a state not 

a federal issue. 

No productive action on 

halting alcohol sales came 

from a brief, terse meeting 

between tribal president 

Brewer and Nebraska Gov. 

Dave Heineman in July of 

this year. 

The tribal council early this 

summer approved Brewer’s 

plan to establish ports of 

entry on the roads leading 

into the reservation to allow 

police to search vehicles. 

However, no procedure has 

been put in place yet. 

In June, the council agreed 

to allow tribal voters to decide 

whether to eliminate 

the alcohol ban. Bootlegging 

still would be prohibited. 

But beer legally could be 

purchased at the tribe’s two 

casinos and at off-sale sites 

in each of the nine reservation 

districts. 

In a draft ordinance to establish 

a tribal alcoholic 

beverage code in the event 

the ban was overturned, projected 

revenue derived from 

alcohol sales is estimated at 

$10 million annually. The 

figure is based on a Bureau 

of Indian Affairs projection. 

Profits from such sales 

would establish two detoxification 

facilities on the reservation 

for Oglala Sioux 

Tribe members as well as 

fund programs to provide 

treatment, counseling and 

support services for tribal 

members suffering from 

drug and alcohol abuse. 

Pine Ridge youth programs 

would receive 25 percent of 

profits from beer sales, and 

the districts also would receive 

a portion. 

Whether the official vote 

tallies end the alcohol ban 

or not, Brewer said he will 

vow to enforce the tribe’s 

laws. 

“If it’s yes, I’m going to 

make sure the money goes 

to fight alcohol abuse,” 

Brewer said. “If it’s no, then 

I’ll keep enforcing the 

laws.” 

Source: Argus Leader 

Lady Council Members’ 

Summer Feet 

Can you identify which feet belong 

to Leah Fyten-Tribal Secretary, 

Roxee Johnson-Trustee II, 

Marsha Schlueter-Trustee I, and 

Cyndi Weddell-Vice President? 

Answer: Left to Right: Cyndi 

Weddell, Roxee Johnson, Leah 

Fyten & Marsha Schlueter 

19


Tribal Elder Sid Byrd shares Boarding School Experience 

This little Indian boy was a 

student at Carlisle Indian 

School in Pennsylvania. He 

is attired in a military uniform 

that all boys were 

requi8red to wear on campus. 

I was reared by loving 

grandparents whose desire 

for me was an education to 

prepare me for life’s challenges 

in a white man’s 

world. That is how I was 

sent away at a tender age to 

attend Genoa Indian School 

in east central Nebraska. 

Our people call that place, 

“Scili Owayawa” or Pawnee 

School. It was a Federal 

Government boarding 

school. I spent my entire 

grade school years on that 

campus until it was permanently 

closed in the spring of 

1934. When I arrived at that 

school I had many problems. 

I was not only the smallest 

and youngest boy on campus, 

but my worst problem 

was I could not speak a 

word of English! That was 

followed by another shocking 

experience. We were 

severely punished for speaking 

in our own tribal languages! 

How was I going to 

communicate? Perhaps by 

sign language? The loneliness, 

despair and heartache 

were almost too difficult to 

bear. Bedtime was the most 

heartbreaking time for most 

of us. There was no parental 

love, only four empty walls 

and the sound of little children 

whimpering for the love 

of parents to kiss them good 

night and to tuck them in. 

One little boy called out, 

“mamma.” That started a 

chorus of weeping little boys 

in their loneliness for home 

and loved ones. I simply 

covered my head with my 

pillow to blot out the sounds. 

When I was finally permitted 

to return home I was given a 

train ticket and some money 

to buy my lunch. When I arrived 

at Gordon, Nebraska, I 

looked out the window and 

saw my grandparents waiting 

for me. I practically leaped 

from the train and ran to 

greet them. My dear grandmother 

with tears streaming 

down her cheeks embraced 

me as if she would never let 

me go. Then she began tenderly 

speaking words of endearment. 

That’s when I 

made a shocking discovery – 

I could no longer communicate 

with the people I loved 

and for whom I waited so 

long to be reunited. I cried 

and made a solemn vow that 

20 

I would relearn my native 

language. At this late date I 

am able to announce I have 

recaptured a precious gift 

that had been beaten out of 

me. I can now proudly 

speak, read and write in the 

language of my ancestors, 

but alas, it may be too late. 

Most of my tribal members 

now speak only in the English 

language. 

Submitted by: Sid Byrd 

IMAGINE… 

Imagine a lonely seven-year-old 

Lakota boy 

Hundreds of miles away 

From a home he left two-years ago, 

Trying desperately to remember 

His grandmother’s smile 

And his grandfather’s wisdom…….. 

Imagine the confusion, the excitement, 

the horror of 

Twenty different Nations blended 

Together in one small school on the 

prairie… 

Imagine a new language, a new way 

of life…. 

Some ways good, some ways not… 

The sounds of five hundred children 

Working, learning, playing, drilling….. 

Imagine the broken hearts and the 

broken spirits 

That will take years to mend……. 

Some will never heal. 

Imagine not knowing when you see 

Grandfather again, you will 

Not know his words… his stories, 

passed down for generations, 

Will be lost to you… 

You will only understand his tears and 

he, yours…. 

Close your eyes and listen… 

It all happened here 

Jerry W. Carlson 

Genoa U.S. Indian School (1884- 

1934) 

Genoa, Nebraska 6/2007


21


Stork News... 

New Arrival 

Baby Girl Gianna Rae 

Groves was born on August 

7, 2013 to the proud parents 

of Ashley Weaver and Dallas 

Groves of Clear Lake, Iowa. 

Gianna is joined at home with big sisters 

Shaelyn and Avenlee. Ashley is the daughter of Tribal 

Member Monica Van Dam (Vensand). Grandma is 

very proud as we all are. 

Guess Who!!! 

Happy Birthday on 

September 4th Wanda !!! 

Love from your family and sisters 

Pictured above: Roger Trudell 

Chairman of the Santee Sioux 

Tribe of Nebraska 

22


23


Pictured above Gordon Weston Post Princess Jackie Allen and members of the 

summer youth group. 

Caroline Simon FSST Summer South Coordinator and FSST Summer Youth participates organized 

and decorated the Float for the Moody County Fair Parade 

ATTENTION 

In recent months the Hotel 

has experienced numerous 

damages in guest 

rooms. Consequently, a 

$50.00 security deposit is 

required of cash/checkpaying 

guests who stay at 

the Hotel. At check-out, 

housekeeping will inspect 

the room, if there are no 

damages, the guest will 

be refunded their security 

deposit. 

-FSST EXECUTIVE 

COMMITTEE 

24


Redwing Thomas’ Surprise Birthday from Immersion Class 

The participants in the adult Dakota Language 

Immersion class that meets every 

Tuesday through Thursday in the afternoons 

decided to surprise their instructor 

Redwing Thomas with a birthday cake and 

sing Happy Birthday for his 32 nd birthday 

on August 10th. Redwing’s birthday was 

August 10 th but the class wanted to share 

his birthday with him on the 8 th of August. 

He was totally surprised. 

The class wanted to show their appreciation 

for his hard work, patience and great skills 

teaching them the Dakota Language. 

The chocolate cake was made by student 

Cynthia Johanson. The cake had his Dakota 

name on it and read: “Happy Birthday 

Hupahu Duta (Redwing).” 

Reminder to Parents & 

Guardians to 

FSST Minor Members 

Please make sure your child 

(ren)’s address is kept current 

on the minors trust account. 

Please call or write to Philip Allen 

– FSST Membership Services 

Officer at 997-3512 or 

mail to FSST Attn: Philip Allen, 

P.O. Box 283, Flandreau, SD - 

57028- 

Outdoor Drum Group 

Redwing Thomas, Dakota Language Instructor, 

held drumming/singing practice for the youth in 

the Dakota Culture Club outdoors, just south of 

the Grace Moore Senior Center. The youth enjoy 

this as one of many activities planned to help the 

youth to learn their culture and language. -Editor 

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September - Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe

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