North Dakota Native American Essential Understanding Number Seven is about native identity. It states, "Individual and communal identity is defined and supported by shared native languages, kinship systems, tiospaye, clan structures, traditional teachings, values, sacred laws and ceremonies. A continuum of tribal identity unique to each individual, ranges from assimilated to traditional lifestyle. There is no generic American Indian."
In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll listen to Kenneth Jerome Hill, enrolled member of Spirit Lake Nation, talk about how it's important to be proud to be Dakota.
Kenneth Jerome Hill:
I'm very proud to be Dakota. I mean, not everybody that is Dakota should be very proud of who they are and where they come from. And they should know that, like me, I know the language, I know the language pretty good. I understand it. There's a lot of them that don't know the language. There's even people like us, oldest Oliver, it's kind of sad, but they don't, if you talk to them in Dakota, they don't know it. And some of them are older than I am and they don't know their identity or the Dakota language.
I mean, they know where they're from and stuff, but they just don't really know. They don't really care what you... And I know in the long run, being in Dakota or anybody, any kind of, whatever tribe you're from, you shouldn't really know your identity and where you come from and be proud of it. And there's nothing to be ashamed of. It's just some, I know I'm not, but I'm proud of who I am. I'm proud of Dakota and from two different places from here and Sisseton, so it's be proud of who we are.
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If you'd like to learn more about the North Dakota Native American essential understandings, and to listen to more Indigenous elder interviews, visit teachingsofourelders.org.