FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JULY 26, 2022

The South Dakota Democratic Party Passes Resolution to Acknowledge Oceti Sakowin Lands 

Sioux Falls- At the 2022 State Convention, the South Dakota Democratic Party passed a resolution to adopt a formal stance to acknowledge that South Dakota is Oceti Sakowin land. 

District 10 House candidate Kameron Nelson authored and presented this resolution to delegates at the state convention.

“Tribal Nations have sovereignty. This land acknowledgment is only the first step that the South Dakota Democratic Party is taking to aid in healing the wounds of our past and present. We must continue to support the Očeti Šakówin and pursue policies that recognize their jurisdiction to govern themselves. Words mean little without action. That action is what we commit to advancing, now and in the future,” said Kameron Nelson. 

Resolution #5: 

Adopt the South Dakota Democratic Party Land Acknowledgement

Author/Source Name(s): Kameron Nelson

Whereas: We, as members of the South Dakota Democratic Party, acknowledge the land we occupy across South Dakota is the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Očeti Šakówin (oh-CHEH-tee shaw-KOH-we), meaning Seven Council Fires, which is the proper name for the people referred to as the Sioux Nation.

Whereas: We honor all Native communities, relatives, two-spirit, and elders of this continent and recognize that our state was built on Indigenous homelands. And, the bands of the Seven Council Fires is based on kinship, location and dialects: Santee-Dakota, Yankton-Nakota, and Teton-Lakota.

Whereas: We pay our respects and acknowledgement to the millions of Indigenous people throughout history who have protected our lands, waters, and animals.

Whereas: Land acknowledgement is only one small part of supporting Indigenous communities, it is merely a starting point. We hope our land acknowledgement statement will inspire others to stand with us in solidarity with Tribal nations.

Be It Resolved: That the South Dakota Democratic Party acknowledges the sovereignty of the nine federally recognized Tribal Nations in South Dakota; Cheyenne River, Crow Creek, Flandreau Santee, Lower Brule, Oglala, Rosebud, Sisseton-Wahpeton, Standing Rock and Yankton Sioux Tribes.

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