During the meeting the Elders ask one of my relatives to call me and have me call where they were meeting so that I might hear their words and share them with the world.They spoke in the Traditional way of the Lakota, each taking a turn at speaking.Hearing their words, their daily struggles to just survive was heart wrenching and would make any with a soul angry.
It was humbling to hear the words of Unci (Grandmother) Ester Whiteface who was born on Feb 11th 1922 and speaks about the small amount of food provided through the Elder Meals Program,of the failure to get any real help, adequate medical care,transportation and heating help or any of the basic needs.That she and many of the Elders have less than $400 a month to pay rent & utilities with,buy food, get to & pay for medical appointments etc.
Her daughter Lorraine who is 77 years old, spoke about being assaulted,hit and kicked by younger women last week when she went to where the Trucks were dropping supplies, as the younger women tried to take the small box the truck driver had given her away from her. She spoke about how she felt bad hitting them back as holding anger and acting in anger was not the Lakota way, but she could not help it. That she is poor and they needed those supplies.She Spoke of needing transportation at times and when the Tribe would help with money it was $15 to $20 and once a Elder had received it were ineligible for help again for six months.
Enoch Brings Plenty spoke of how the Elders had asked that he be put in charge of the Elder Meals Program,How after the Occupation of The Elders Center by the Elders.The same relative of a Council Member that had been in charge before the Occupation had been hired back and was again in charge.How once again the Elders that were getting any food from the program were not getting enough. He spoke about how in spite of a $100K allotment for a New Center & The Elder Program in the District, That The OST Council are again talking about renovating the current building.A building that has now been condemned 4 times by different State & Federal Agencies.He spoke of the in-ability for many of them to get housing, so they lived in old mobile homes,often with holes in the roofs, cracked & broken windows and general disrepair and no help with maintenance.
He spoke of them no longer even knowing where to turn for help and that they just kept hanging on, struggling to survive and praying that some-one, some-how would make a difference and change things for the Elders there.
Unci Cecelia Martin spoke of being in a wheel chair, having to pay the Tribal Housing Authority rent, but that she had a hole in her living room floor that they would not repair.
She told of how there is a $3.750 allotment every 90 days for the Elder Programs in the District as well, and how to date there has never been a clear accounting of where those funds are going really made.
She shared about being with-out food, how often all the Elders deal with that. Of stopped up sewers and no one fixing them and not having money to hire and pay some-one to do so.That her grandson and a few others try to help her and the other Elders but it is difficult to address all the needs when they too have limited incomes.
A 22 year old Warrior named Leo, Who stayed with the Elders through out the entire Occupation of The Elder Center shared his thoughts and feelings about the experience, and how his heart had been touched by the strength and courage of these Elders.He stressed how important it is that the World understand what is truly happening on Pine Ridge to the Elders, of the abuse they are being subjected to by their own BIA Tribal Government.
After hearing my Elders speak going between Lakota and English, Leo's words indeed need to be a reminder to the Lakota Oyate." Our elders built today for us yesterday, as Lakota People we need to recognize that and show respect and honor and help them"
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