This is Indian Country with Scott Davis

Well you got to start with history first I mean we as yet Americans here North Dakota called us a new country you hear that term a lot welcome to any country this is a new country and it is it always will be you know this is we’re indigenous land you know we were first inhabitants of this land you know there’s so many creation stories from each tribe that you know we didn’t come from Asia or across the Bering Strait bridge I mean those things I just you just kind of chuckle at they’re always kind of scientific theories but if you really look deep into the heart of each tribe they have their own creation story and it’s a beautiful thing how we were always here you know God put us here first we’re still here we’re still very strong in our identity but what’s the history behind that and again I think that history has always been tainted because it’s been written by non-native authors it would be no different for me as a Native American writing about Jewish history or black history or you know Spanish history I think there would be a lot of misconceptions or reasons why of the being authentic or real about you know authorizing being an author of that history so you got to look at that sense you know and now here’s a time to put our oral history into a written form into a book into a curriculum and what better way to do that and also to teach the true history of North Dakota our lands our waters you know or I mean a there’s so much history as I say in North Dakota the tourism piece is it’s legendary and it is our history is legendary and when you think about leadership and all the great things that our tribes have done to benefit North Dakota the United States when it comes to the Constitution agriculture trade Commerce you name it we’ve done it I mean obviously we were a thriving powerful nations at one time you know and so that all that stuff is now can be taught can be looked into you and and I think the other piece of this from North Dakota is it’s it’s finally a time where non natives can ask the questions well why and how come why is it so because there’s always a little hesitancy about well I want to ask to ask you this question but I’m afraid I might offend you get a lot of that and now it’s like nothing it’s it’s it’s a question you know and we should we as Native Americans have that opportunity to educate that person at that moment about you know the trueness of who we are so this is a big thing this is obviously a big deal so