Interview · North Dakota · South Dakota · Jesse Taken Alive · OSEU 7 · NDNAEU 5
Themes: Land & stewardship, Language & revitalization, Kinship & family, Education & learning, Values & generosity, Culture & continuity, Economy & livelihoods, Listening & observation, Intergenerational learning
Learn About questions
1. What does Jesse mean by “White Man’s Education”?
2. How is it part of the “American Dream”?
3. How does it differ from the “Lakota Dream”?
Learn From questions
1. How would you describe your “American Dream”?
2. How would you describe a dream from your ancestors? What is your role in that dream?
Transcripts
The White Man's Education- Jesse Taken Alive - OSEU 7
Watch this interview on YouTubeMy late mother, with her land holdings, said please don't sell any of my land, any money that comes off it because of the leasing process, whether it's farmland or grazing lands. I want those to be put in an account where my grandchildren can use those to further their education. So that's what we are doing now, putting together some type of family corporation. We've talked about it now, and we're going to start having family meetings and putting that together for her grandchildren so they can continue on with their education.
So yes, it is part of our culture, I see that collectively, and we've been calling it the white man's education, Skawee Chasha Kawa'umspe, because that's what it is, respectfully, very respectful, as I said, my late father earned his college degree to be an elementary teacher, because that in itself, when we say Skawee Chasha Kawa'umspe, white man's education, it's part of the American dream, and as our late father told us, you know, speak the language, speak it in the best way that you can.
So we understand that, we're doing our best, and also now with the prophecy I mentioned, that speaks to the Lakota dream, so do we live in two worlds, yes, yes we do.
Resource text
From the current WoLakota source page:
White Man’s Education
Jesse Taken Alive
Transcript
(deep listening, information)
(deep listening, transformation)
Teachings of Our Elders resource text:
NDNAEU Alignment:
Some indexed text was extracted from scanned material. Check the original source for exact wording and spelling.
Source materials
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Additional source transcripts
White Man’s Education
The White Man's Education- Jesse Taken Alive -
OSEU 7
My late mother, with her land holdings, said please don't sell any of my land, any money
that comes off it because of the leasing process, whether it's farmland or grazing lands.
I want those to be put in an account where my grandchildren can use those to further
their education. So that's what we are doing now, putting together some type of family
corporation. We've talked about it now, and we're going to start having family meetings
and putting that together for her grandchildren so they can continue on with their
education.
So yes, it is part of our culture, I see that collectively, and we've been calling it the white
man's education, Skawee Chasha Kawa'umspe, because that's what it is, respectfully,
very respectful, as I said, my late father earned his college degree to be an elementary
teacher, because that in itself, when we say Skawee Chasha Kawa'umspe, white man's
education, it's part of the American dream, and as our late father told us, you know,
speak the language, speak it in the best way that you can.
So we understand that, we're doing our best, and also now with the prophecy I
mentioned, that speaks to the Lakota dream, so do we live in two worlds, yes, yes we
do.