Dr. John Peacock Lecture

I heard a lecture by Dr. John Peacock about his latest endeavor, the 80 Dakota letters written by the Dakota in Fort McClellan to a Father Riggs.  These Dakota were placed in prison just after the Dakota Conflict.  He made several salient comments that resonated with my work on GOM.  First, marriages between the Dakota and the French were considered alliances between the nations.  This is quite true between GOM and Joseph Decaris.  Second, written history will trump oral history every time.  I whole heartedly disagree with this statement.  It will if we let it. There is a magnificent cache of oral tradition that has been stored waiting to emerge.  We need to decolonized and deconstruct the methodologies that have kept us and our history suppressed because NO ONE LIKES TO HAVE THE TRUTH THROWN AT THEM.  Especially those who have been the suppressors.  Third, the history that Dr. Peacock wants to share was at first frowned upon by the Dakota elders whose help he secured.  Dr. Peacock wanted to translate the letters in modern day english, imagine.  The Dakota elders convinced him to use Dakota English.  It it a step between Dakota < Dakota English < English.  Actually, it is probably two steps away.  The gist of the message isn't lost, but I would have preferred the Dakota translation.  The elders know best and this is what I have discovered in my work.  If you secure the approval of the elders, even the Nation as I have, it is for the best.

These letters are still being translated and will hopefully be available in book form yet this year, 2012, which marks the 150th anniversary of the Dakota 38.  There is no doubt about it, our history is brutal, no matter if you are Ho-Chunk or Dakota.

The elders say that we (Dakota and the Ho-Chunk, perhaps more) were one many, many years ago.  I feel that every time I hear a lecture or an elder speak.  It brings me back to my childhood when my grandparents would sit in the evening and talk to each other.  I was planted in front of the TV, but listening to them speak..."What do you say for sugar? "  "Nee-sku" "Isn't that funny we say almost the same thing."  They would go on like this for hours; talking about their language and the old times.