The map is hard to read, but it shows that my Dakota and Ho-Chunk ancestors lived in these lands.  There is no doubt about it.  We know this from oral tradition, and we can also learn about it from maps rendered by the Europeans who migrated here. 

Every now and then I am stunned, literally stopped in my tracks about some things.  For instance, my son's school, Century High School, ISD 535.  There are dishonorable men at this school.  They lied to my son and to me and to my husband.  They are not living up to their charge relative to his 504 plan/law.  One man is twisting the law so that the school will not have to do anything to equal the playing field for my son so he can participate in extra curricular activities.  Last season, they invited him to  play up a level, but didn't tell him that there were two practice times each day.  He only attended the afternoon session.  After two days of this, Coach Houghton called our house to say that my son never showed up for practice.  This was not true.  My husband, along with my son, spoke to Coach Drew because Coach Houghton was busy.  My husband said that our son has ADD and he often misses general announcements, it would help if you just check with him to see that he understands your expectations of him.  Coach Drew said yes.  My husband then said Coach Houghton called our home and said our son missed practice, he didn't.  He didn't understand that there were morning and afternoon practices.  Coach Drew said no problem,  he saw our son at practice and he would talk to Coach Houghton.  Later, in a serious meeting, wherein I stated that my son was being held to a higher or different standard than that of his peers, after more inconsistencies by these men, Coach Drew recanted his story and Couch Houghton prevailed; our son never attended JV practice.  My son was hurt.  I was mad and my husband was in disbelief that grown men would lie. 

Since my son has his heart set on being a Century Panther, I attempted to have 504 accommodations added to his plan that specifically addresses extra curricular activities.  The school would not budge.  NO they wouldn't add anything.  Why?  Ms. Molly Murphy said, "What will you do if we don't live up to the accommodations?"  I would call Ms. Strabala-Backus, my son's advisor and we would discuss how we can improve upon the accommodations or change some things.  Again, Ms. Murphy, "We know you still have some animosity from last soccer season, so I am asking you, what will you do if we do not live up to the accommodations?"  Oh, I get it!  The school is afraid that we might sue them.  Ah, I understand.  "We would sue, naturally.  That is all we care about.  We don't care about our son.  We just want to sue you. Honestly!  Is that what you are afraid of?  Is that why you won't add any accommodations so that he can have an equal opportunity to play sports to the best of his ability?"  Ms. Murphy, "I resent that!" 

Oh really? You're offended, how do you think we feel?

After another serious meeting, the principal wants it understood that if we play ball that there will be no suing.  My husband said, "You can not take away our due process, however we would like to work together so that my son can participate in extra curricular activities.  Confident of their position to thwart our efforts, the school district pulls out an expert on IEP and 504 plans, I think from their lower torso, because he was not very knowledgeable at all.  He didn't know that 504 plans are to be written by the school for the student to show what the school will do to level the playing field for my son.  You know what they get federal dollars for?  No, he said that he had 11 years of experience working with 504 plans and nothing would be added that would address my son's ADD.  No they would not add any accommodations that had an adult tell my son directly, changes that were made to the practice times, event line ups that directly involved him.  Uh, that is what happened before and look where it got us.  No, just tell the coach that he has  ADD and he will respond. 

Uh, no, that is what we did last time and he ended up lying.  Hello?

They sent a revised 504 plan using some of our suggestions, but omitting the school's responsibility in the plan.  Instead it spoke of things we can do as parents, things my son could do as a student, but nothing the school would do.  SAD.

I contacted the MDE compliance office and Adele was in total agreement with my take on 504 plans, and she spoke with Mr. Bakken from the lower torso of ISD 535, and he did not heed her advice.  SAD. 

Now it is on to the MDE-OCR.  Complaint has been filed.  Oh, and what is our resolution to this whole affair?  Is it money like the mighty Europeans thought?  No, it is that Century High School will add accommodations so that my son can play sports; Century will sponsor an information night for parents of students with IEP and 504 plans who want to participate in extra curricular activities; and lastly, that the school district will be required to view two presentations on system racism and persons with disabilities.

My ancestors roamed this lands freely.  They skirmished with other tribes at times, but there was honor, at least on our part, even with other tribes.   It is sad to see that these lands, my land, at least according to Corbell, are in the hands of so many dishonorable European people and they still see fit to treat us with little dignity.  To think that we will accept their rule of law or at least their interpretation of the law, which is twisted in their favor, and give up our due process, as long as they toss a few crumbs our way. 

I don't think so!

My gram, a full blooded Dakota woman who was exiled to Crow Creek and then to Niobrara and then to Santee, always told me that I was just as good as any white person, and I was no better than anyone else.  Be good.  Be honest.  Don't be afraid of hard work and don't let anybody push you around.  Don't fight.  Test their laws that they are so fond of and see where it gets you first.  Don't ever give up.  These were your lands first!

Amen, Gram.

My Choka did what he could to negotiate terms with Europeans, but when they were "crooked" as my grandparents would say, my Choka let my Gram take it from there.  She spouted off the law and was not afraid to speak her mind.

Thank you for your example!

I think GOM would be no different.  She was a  Peace Chief, but she was tough!  She did what she could for her people and so will I.  My people are my family and I will do what I must.

A descendant of Glory of the Morning, Vera DeCora Kingbird, my mother.  Father Henry Decorah and Edna Rave and Marie Edith Crow.  

I often wonder what our ancestors must think about the powwows of today.  I am sure that they revel in the fact that we can all gather together and visit, that we can compete or skirmish one another, and that so many people native and non-native come to see the gathering.  Yet, I can't help but wonder what they would think about the prize money. Scoffing at the same old winners, same old judges, all in beautiful regalia, powwows are all about the money, I said, "Powwows today seem to be all about the prize money.  You don't see hundreds of dancers at a traditional powwow."  Irritated with my comment, my mother said, "There are a lot of people out there who don't work, who can't get jobs.  They have degrees and everything.  There is a pharmacist out there, dancing.  You shouldn't say anything, if you don't know how it is for them!"  Not giving up, I countered with, "Do the same people have to win all the time? How is that helping the many people out there that are out of a job?"

When I was a young girl, I traveled to many powwows with my grandparents.  We went to Tama, Sisseton, Winnebago, Lake Andes, Crow Fair, Des Moines, Sioux City, Black River Falls and so on.  The reservations gave all the people breakfast, lunch and supper.  I still remember the old melmac powwow dishes that we used.  There was well water for everyone and a place to camp, no fee, with an electrical hook-up if you wanted it.  The MC wasn't crude or vulgar.  They talked and talked all day, telling of the news in Indian Country or telling clean jokes.  They would visit with people on the mic, announce who was here and where they came from.  We had contest dances that would NOT monopolize the entire powwow because we had the green corn dance, the snake dance, and others that helped us young ones learn how to do these time honored dances.  There were give aways to honor someone, a princess contests, and other special dances.  At the end of it all, if you didn't place in the contest, the hosting tribe would give you #100 pounds of potatoes or some money to get home on.  Now that was classy.

Little golf carts to transport you to and from your car is nice, but giving everyone something so they don't go away feeling bad or have a little money to get home on...well, that was classy.

Black River Falls, when they have a traditional powwow, well that is as close to the old ways as I can remember.  They feed you, sing the thank you song after every meal.  Someone is always feeding someone or honoring someone for something.  Water and electricity are there for anyone to use.  They have social dances and it almost makes me cry when I see the young ones trailing behind the long line of dancers.  They are teaching them the ways.  Once they had the gourd dance.  I remember doing that as a kid.  An older woman handed me a gourd and boy did I scrub.  I passed it off to another kid, but the older woman took it from me.  I guess it was up to her to decide who was going to dance.  BRF always had a round dance too.  Now that is old time.

I would say that GOM would enjoy the big gatherings, the contests, the magnificent over the top regalia, but she would insist that everyone learn the dances and go home with a little something to help them along their way too.  I am grateful that BRF, the Ho-Chunks have not forgotten the old ways.  Pinagigi!

The Indian Agent is alive and well and he lives in Rochester, MN

Just when you thought it was safe and we were free of Indian Agents, they returned.  They returned to us in the form of administrators, school teachers, principals, counselors, specialized administrators, and other well known professionals. 

We had a 504 meeting today.  The administrators wanted to "play ball with us," only if we rescinded our right to due process.  For the lay person out there, they wanted an assurance that we wouldn't "sue" if they didn't live up to the 504 plan and so therefore, they would not be adding any accommodations for my son because wouldn't  make any such promise.  Then they started to twist the law as specified in IDEA as if we couldn't read the law or didn't study it in depth before we asked for accommodations to be written to ensure that our son had an equal opportunity to participate in sports despite his disability.

It is just like the old days, we will put you on this little strip of land and you can't leave unless we give you permission.  There is no food on your land and you can't get your own food.  If you leave your little strip of land, we can shoot you.  If we shoot you, you can't retaliate against us or help yourself in any way because that will nullify the treaty we made with you.

The principal said, "there was a mention of suing us if we didn't live up to the 504 plan."  I want to be clear that we can still play ball with you..."

Yes, I said the word "sue" as I detected that you are very fearful of us and I do not know why.  I wanted to get the elephant out of the room and so that maybe there would be room to help us focus on my son.  We are not out for blood.  We want to exercise our right to add accommodations to the already existing 504 plan so my son can play sports. We will not give up our right to due process.  What does due process mean to you?

A lot of chatter with no substance ensued.

I said, it is hard to play ball with you when you own the equipment (balls, the bat, the mitts) and arrange the game schedules and can decide to tell our son about the game plan or not.  Yet, if we still  want to play ball with you because we have been taught that we are just as capable of playing ball as anyone else and we should never think that we are better than any other player, but you want to control when my son can play ball.  You  want him dressed and ready to play, but you may or may not play him. You want you dressed and ready to play, but you don't want to tell him when the game is going to be or talk to him if there are any changes made to the schedule.  Does this seem fair to you?

I don't think we are asking for anything unreasonable.  Give him the schedule, directly discuss any changes to the schedule with him, and initiate communication with him and/or us if there are concerns relative to his participation.

A lot of chatter with no substance or relevance.

Again, here is your little strip of land.  Stay on the land.  Do not leave the land.  Do not retaliate against us if we fail to live up to the treaty we made with you.

No, I am sorry Indian Agent.  I know my rights.  The old days are gone. You have to add the accommodations that we have discussed with you or we can work together to craft new accommodations that will help you meet the needs of my son so that he can have an equal opportunity to play sports.  If you chose not to add the accommodations, please give it to us in writing and we will take it from there.

Where is there?  We will appeal to the OCR and file a complaint of non compliance.  The old days are truly gone Indian Agent.

GOM: Her influence continues

My research of Glory of the Morning has led to me many paths.  All of these paths have led to me help my people.  It started with Indian Heights Park and it has just flourished such that I am overwhelmed with opportunities to help my people.  There are times, like now, that I feel that I can not go on.  There is so much opposition in this town, mainly from the non-native group NAC of SE MN.  A group of wannabees that feel GRADS is treading on their turf...uh; you're white, right?  Then there are the non native groups that feel that we must be inclusive of ALL people, even those that are not native when it comes to OUR decision making.  Sigh!  The opportunities are American Indian Day for the Rochester Public School District.  We will be having our first powwow in May 2014, but non natives want to take it over.  Hey, I wrote the grant and TARGET will be sponsoring the event and the Prairie Island Dance Troupe will help us.  I think Shakopee will help us too!  I want to shout PLEASE let the Indian people plan the powwow!!!! Sigh!  Another opportunity is the Give Them Hope Project that I have started.  I funnel the thank you letters from my presentations about Dakota and Ho-Chunk history to the Indian children on certain reservations so they can feel proud of their heritage.  These thank you letters are so sweet as they are from children.  They are letters from the heart and I want the Indian children to hear the many kind comments I receive about our heritage.  It has been slow starting, yet I plod on.  Sigh.  Lastly, I am now on the Heritage Preservation Commission for a two year term and my main objective is to have Indian Heights Park listed as a significant historic site for the City of Rochester.  Everyone else on this commission is concerned about man made edifices, I am not.  There are a few sacred sites of our people around town and I aim to preserve them!

All of this, plus my family and church responsibilities make for one tired not so young woman.  Sigh.

Now for a spot on GRADS:

GRADS is a real grass roots group committed to reconciliation and healing.  We came about at the time of the 150th Anniversary of the Dakota Conflict and Mankato 38, and the Park Board's quandary about whether or not to preserve Indian Heights Park.  The park fell into obscurity mainly because of the exile of the Dakota (and the Ho-Chunk) in 1862-63.  However, records show that the Dakota returned to the park after the order of exile, at the peril of their own lives!  Mainly because of the efforts of GRADS members and with the help of Mr. Leonard Wabasha, in 2010-11 the Park Board unanimously voted to preserve the site because of the Dakota history of the park.  GRADS members arranged to restore the park's proper dignity and its reconnection with the Dakota people through ceremonies in 2011, 2012 and 2013, led by Mr. Dave Larsen.  Elders from the last known Dakota bands (Mdewakanton, Wahpekute, Wahpeton and Sisseton) were invited back to Indian Heights Park to share their wisdom about the Dakota history of this area.  We are eternally grateful for Mr. Dave Larsen, Mr. Danny Seaboy, Mrs. Betty GreenCrow and Dr. Clifford Canku.

The members of GRADS all have Dakota heritage and/or ancestry.  We are a not profit group registered with the State of MN, but we are NOT a 501 (c) 3 organization because it costs about $1500 to make this so.  How can the many non profit groups afford to become a 501 (c) 3 organization?  We are less than a year old, but we have been unofficially organized since 2010 -11.  We have given numerous presentations on Dakota history and culture, Ho-Chunk history and culture, we have sponsored Dakota cultural events, and sponsored American Indian Day for the Rochester Public School District with the help of our many friends, namely the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and the Prairie Island Sioux Community.  Our GRADS organization could use your support. With your help, together we can make a difference.

GOM and the story line

Story line for the book I want to write about GOM is finished.  Smoldering. Stewing.

Put it down for a while so that I can think about it and other things.  Other things have taken over and I am trying to clear my desk of other things so I can write about GOM.  The biggest thing is the grant that brought Dakota Elders back to Indian Heights Park.  The final report is due October 1st.  Yikes.

Next is son's soccer.  Discrimination abounds and I am just sick about it.  Why does this have to happen now?  There is NO way I am backing down on this one.  I didn't spend hours and hours on the Core Planning Team to make sure kids of color were included in ALL aspects of education and that includes sports!!!

Of course there is the usual nonsense in the Indian Heights Park issue.  FOIH, NAC and other people from the Average White Band trying to monopolize our efforts to bring our  Dakota history to the forefront.  Man that band just keeps playing even though the world is trying to move on.  Dang!  Thankfully, the NPS is keeping an open mind and realizes just how important it is to have the Dakota perspective in the park's history.  After all people from the AWB, it is because of the Dakota that the park was preserved in the first place.

Then there is the GRADS group that I am a part of.  These ladies are nice, but they work for Mayo and let's face it,  Mayo has held our history and our people down long enough!  It is time to move on and start making a different for OUR people not Mayo.  Geez.

Maybe GOM is where I need to be.  All these other things are bringing me down.  GOM did what she needed to do and lived until she died.  GOM has left this earth over 200 years ago and she is still taking me to school.  Gotta love that!

Another look at Doty Island

Another look at Doty Island.  This was home to Glory of the Morning and her people.  As my two year study of GOM and the Nation's history and research about the roles and cultural practices of contemporary Ho-Chunk women comes to a close, it is important to for me to state that this period of study was intense, difficult, and terribly sad, but very rewarding.  My research brought me closer to the Nation and its Elders.  This was the greatest accomplishment of my studies.  I took the Elders for granted and I hope to never do it again.  They are a treasure! 

My studies took me to Doty Island, Green Lake, Wisconsin Dells, LaCrosse, Green Bay, Belgium, Madison, Mausten, Camp Douglas, Black River Falls, Bangor, Onalaska, Baraboo, Prairie du Chien, Winona, and home to Rochester.  This study brought me closer to the land.  I will never look at this places in the same way.  As I drove from Rochester to Black River Falls one spring day, I started to cry.  I imagined our people traveling to see family, hunt, mine, gather, and make new villages. Their lives were changed forever with each successive invasion by first, the French and then the British colonists.  They were scattered and smitten and suffered all manner of brutality that man can inflict on man, yet Mauna allowed them to survive. We are still striving to attain our sovereignty as granted to us by the Creator, but He obviously has not forsaken us.

I visited libraries in Wisconsin, Minnesota and and thanks to the Internet I visited the archives in Canada at the University of Ottawa.  I ventured into the archives of various newspapers, museums and genealogical centers. I had a unique opportunity to visit with family and Dr. Jan Vansina, father of oral history in historical research.  How fortunate I was to obtain his insights on the Ho-Chunk culture and have my research design approved by him.  He also approved of the final conclusions of my study.  He was a very intelligent and gracious man.

I had the rare opportunity to have two Elders on my thesis team, Betty Greencrow and Anna R. Funmaker.  What amazing and unconventional women.  The Nation should be proud to have these women as ambassadors of our people.  They have been very helpful in my studies and research.  They offered encouragement and candid comments about my findings.  They pushed me to learn more about our people, especially the history and the language.

I am grateful to the Ho-Chunk Nation who granted me permission to conduct my study among the Elders of our people.  Their approval, by the IRB was most appreciated.

After all of this, I have learned that GOM was indeed a Chieftess of a body of Ho-Chunk that resided at Doty Island.  Her election by the grand council split the tribe, roughly in half, with a large portion of the tribe going to live near the Mississippi.  This is known at the first split among our people.  Glory of the Morning's election was a rare break from tradition.  Our people were under great duress.  The loss of Walking Thunder was a terrible loss.  The impending attack from the French, namely Ligney and his men loomed over the people at a time when the tribe was vulnerable.  Glory of the Morning and the Ho-Chunk people at Doty Island weathered the attack and in time became allies of the French.  

Glory of the Morning met and married Joseph Sabrevior Descaris.  He was the third son of Michele Descaris and Marie Cullier from Montreal.  He was an officer in the French Army who gave up his commission to live the life of a voyageur until the Battle of St. Foye.  He and Glory of the Morning married in Indian custom.  He was welcomed into the tribe, given a name and took part in the Medicine Society.  Together they had two sons and a daughter.  The sons and their posterity went on to lead a body of the Ho-Chunk people as Chiefs through their birthright as members of the Thunder Clan and Eagle Clan.  Their only daughter was taken to Montreal by Descaris and she was raised by his family until she married Laurent Filey.

Glory of the Morning was a Chieftess until her sons could take their rightful place as Chiefs.  By the time Carver came upon Doty Island and the Ho-Chunks who resided there, Glory of the Morning was still a high status woman, but unlikely the principal Chief.  She lived to an old age as described by Kinzie when they lived near Fort Winnebago.  It is said that Glory of the Morning walked in the woods one day and as she walked she heard an owl call her name.  Later, her sons found her in her wigwam wrapped in her furs with a smile on her lips.  She was buried in all of her finery and her final resting place is not known, though if it were, out of respect it would not be shared.