Un-welcomed in My Dakota Home | Redwing Thomas | TEDxBrookings

The people indigenous to the Midwest have been separated, divided and made un-welcomed in their own home. Dakota language consultant Redwing Thomas shares the experience of being un-welcomed in own's own home and what can be done about it.
Redwing Thomas is a Dakota language consultant who currently resides in Flandreau, South Dakota. He has worked with the Santee Sioux Nation in Nebraska and the Wakpa Ipaksan (Flandreau) Dakota community. He creates Dakota videos and language learning materials, as well as training on cultural competence.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@jomomma1512]

We are going to think together, we are going to be together, but that doesn't mean we have to be like eachother. It just means we have to respect eachother - That was the most powerful thing I have heard in many years!

[@LaudenElizabeth]

Yes, it was!

[@danielmcalister2713]

Just an India n

[@danielmcalister2713]

Me? Scot-irish. Particularly us.

[@angeladoll9785]

I listen to this everytime I get frustrated with our society, he gives me a hope I can't find elsewhere ❤️

[@temujin2893]

as a polish person I respect all that is, all that is said, All there is and respect the struggle of a group of people that fight for survival.

[@mrc3295]

This guy is an AWESOME SPEAKER for unique

[@harmony_online]

Preach it brother! As an assimilated human of a region labeled [former] Cherokee Territory, i greatly admire and respect your life endeavor, your inspiring talk here today, and sharing the song from your people's unifying Heart.

[@ah5721]

When he sings I get chills !! Respect !!

[@jacobrobideaux2032]

This brother does my heart good.

[@Powwowlyricz]

@10:05 "oyate kin han wanmayanka po, de miye yedo. Dakod wicohan kin tewahinda yedo. Iyotiyewakiyedo." The people look at me, it is me. I cherish Dakota ways. I having a difficult time.

[@thatonekidulove5409]

That’s my uncle

[@isthisquynhnhi]

Proud Dakota here! Love this video 👍🏽

[@godschildyes]

My God! This was so uplifting! My heart is bright! 🌞

[@marydenley-mcelliott7256]

Dakota girl forever! Thank you for sharing.

[@danielmcalister2713]

Dodge Dakota Hmm.

[@timothybill7485]

as native ppl we can never be broken ... Paiute pyramid lake NV.. all my relations

[@NativeMatt]

I am Kiowa and we are not related 😂

[@ellanina801]

Are your people the ones who built the ancient waterworks that the settlers stole and are in litigation trying to get them back to your people?

[@summiyahsultan307]

You delivered an awesome speech my brother.

[@sidneycoad6261]

I believe in respect ppl. I love how he sing a song

[@IowaStrmChsr]

I love this, you are a very good story teller. Please continue to spread you great stories :) Much respect my friend

[@drewrowl]

I like this, I wouldn't call it pride, I was just happy to know who I am and where we come from. The sense of Identity gives me happiness and confidence, but I take no pride in what my ancestors did to each other and what still goes on today.

[@000amp1]

I love him. He is so funny, but still so real and full of hope!!

[@erikatommie1166]

Conflict breeds Creativity..Struggle breeds Champions! I was searching for inspiration..searched Santee Sioux Nation..and 💥 REDWING THOMAS *** Well ✔ done! ***made my day ❤ *** it's great to be Dakota!***whatever Tedx is though????

[@chrystiecastillo293]

I love this man!! He is a master storyteller- closing his eyes

[@se_14]

I’ve actually met red and his daughter and he’s a solid man if red sees this It’s me, RoDawg I loved visiting Santee school and learning more about your culture :)

[@dfreeman8240]

I respect the native and think it's the worst shame on America that the continued government's forced socialism on peoples with their own sovereignty, origins and culture. The great mystery, I ask to Bless the natives of this land which was stolen from them, as they were repressed into a narrative to remove their dignity. I respect the greatness of these different but great tribes and nations of the true natives and indigenous people of America. Part of my ancestors as my grandfather left the Cherokee reservation in Oklahoma and returned to North Georgia at the turn of the century with his native wife and took other wives my grandmother born Doshie Lee Hardin in 1900. My paternal grandmother from the eastern ban of Cherokee both taught great ways to live and survive thru the gifts of nature and to co exist with the bounties of the earth respectively. I am blessed to know these things though few to the wealth these people hold in their culture. Bless them with freedom is my prayer.

[@maiingan07]

D Freeman, I loved reading the words you put on paper (screen), they made me follow your story back through time and to here and now with your prayer. I prayed with you, beside your words. Chii miigwetch, (Thank you very much), Ma’iingankwe

[@annprince5298]

Remarkable ! GOOD ARTIST GREAT SPEAKER!! Respect for him

[@DennisRumpsprung]

Thank you relatives for sharing!

[@jeannettelinthicum9654]

Thank you for allowing me to be in my home.

[@Candace7757]

Pidamiyaye! 🙏❤️

[@stephenarmiger8343]

Thought provoking. I worked with many people from the tribes in wildland fire. We talked about simple things. Was the coffee ready? What were they serving for breakfast. I was a wildland medic. I asked what was going on that brought them to the Med tent. Often it was feet. I asked if I could look at their feet and did my best to get their feet taken care of so they could get up on the fireline. Once my tent blew away. It had rained. I pulled the pegs intending to relocate my tent, but between taking care of feet and getting up to the fireline myself, I forgot. Some of the tribal friends that I had made, searched the woods, found my tent and brought it back. Sometimes when I was on duty in the Med tent, one of my tribal friends would stop by just so we could both pass the time. We talked about our families. Our kids. Regular stuff. Folks just being folks. Folks helping each other. That’s how we do it in wildland fire.

[@machinegunkellykapoor]

Ahh! Redwing you're my favorite!

[@ARICMCKEOWN1]

lila waste kola! good work! keep it up! hope to see ya off the interweb one day wiconsoni nahan wokiye wocekiye

[@kaoskewenvoyouma2712]

Qwaqwaii / Thank You for sharing your knowledge. Support From HOPI, AZ.

[@ellanina801]

✊

[@JohnBlackmanVermont]

respect. my brother!

[@dennydavila9407]

God's true children, we are!

[@godschildyes]

All of us who love God are His true children.

[@itsdollygirl]

Conflict breads creativity ❤

[@1BlueGin]

Beautiful

[@jamallabarge2665]

I wish that he'd added subtitles to his songs. Maybe it wouldn't be exact translations but it would be appreciated.

[@tokaheyaopiiceya644]

"The people, look at me. (telling them to do so) This is me. The Dakota ways of life, I cherish them. They are difficult. "Oyate Kin, wanmayaka kinhan de miye do. Dakota wicohan kin tewahinda, iotewahike do."

[@danabowring]

@@tokaheyaopiiceya644 pidamayaye tokaheyaopiiceya mitakota

[@irishelk3]

It must be very frustrating being spoken to like that in your homeland, and not just that, but looking around and seeing another kind of people dominate your homeland. As an Irish person i know that my country was once like that, for 700 years with the British and over 250 before that with the Vikings. I'm fortunate and grateful that i did not have to experience any of that and although we have people living here from all over the world, they are welcome, they work hard and are good people, but to have your entire home dominated someone else?, my god, their tolerance knows no bounds, i don't know how Native Americans can still smile and get on with their lives. Even with all the poverty, alcoholism and suicides and the harsh reservation life with the lowest mortality rates in the world right?. It just goes to show the greatness of the Native American spirit, a people i have always deeply admired.

[@rn3983]

It is very frustrating...and dejecting. As an Indigenous person in the US, I have been told countless times by white people here , "why don't you go back to where you came from"...ignorance is bliss

[@ah5721]

@@rn3983 tell them to go back to europe !

[@ellanina801]

@@rn3983 ​ the irony. It’s the epitome of victim blaming, and gaslighting. And they say it like coming from Mexico makes a person bad.

[@ellanina801]

I absolutely love the movement of rebuilders, and the fight for sovereignty. I fully support that. There are still so many abuses against Native People though. “Prudence indeed hath shewn… that men are more prone to suffer where evils are sufferable than to right themselves the wrongs that have been committed by abolishing the forms to which they have become accustomed.” The Declaration of Independence of the USA. Native People were called savages for defending themselves against intruders, yet it was the intruders who were the savages. And they strong armed them. Obviously, the colonialists were much more well versed at being abusive. You only have to see what goes on today to know what happened yesterday.

[@wendygarbhe-fleming2626]

Mitakuye Oyasin!

[@seamusjones5516]

Rise up!

[@mariabruni150]

This country has a great deal of guilt to deal with the slaughter of these people

[@zerbgames1478]

I live in Red Wing!!!!

[@redcrowdawn]

I think the giants that blocked out the sun where the Anunnaki .

[@wickedsmith5997]

your are great..my realyty...

[@OK-go8ts]

Hoka Hey!

[@nancybeveridgetaylor3256]

As a Potowatomi, but NOBODY remembers or remembers or respects my Potowatomi forbears!

[@jeannettelinthicum9654]

For me what... I get that

[@blacklatinabutterflycortez6354]

Smooches from an Apache girl.

[@txexmxiii9561]

❤️ HearT 💜

[@nancybeveridgetaylor3256]

I am Potowatomi, and I have NEVER been respected as a Potowatomi person. WHY NOT!!! WHY NOT!!??? Our Potowatomi people have never been respected in America, by any one, either the government or our faithful relatives, the fellow indigenous people! You have all neglected us, you have all lied about us! Us the Potowatomi are just like you! But you neglected us! We are you! Respect us! I am a Potowatomi woman, a witch, a Tarot reader, a woman healer, a bachelor's degree woman of education and a nurse/psychiatric technician/nurse as well as a witchcraft practitioner. I am a Potowatomi woman and a nurse, a woman healer as well as a retired psychiatric technician/nurse and a Tarot reader and a Witch

[@coldking953]

That's my teacher

[@jasa9186]

😊💕💕💕👍

[@kurtbogle2973]

I'm white. I'm offended at those who do not respect you! There are many, many of us who have a sense of shame for the horrible things that happened before we were born. We those brave enough to look at the Reality All of the reality. We are all made of the Earth Mother. This planet is the Mother of us all. I like the Turtle Island Indigenous beliefs best though I know only a little bit of them We , Humanity needs to learn the ways of your ancestors. War and capitalism are destroying the Earth. The European way of doing business must end! Peace and kindness and love for our planet and this Universe must prosper. Or there is no reason or justification for our existence.

[@BombzOnZombz]

Was'teDo

[@krissalkond]

Um.. had to turn off the squeeling

[@nancybeveridgetaylor3256]

NO ONE HAS COME OUT FOR US... THE POTOWATOMI PEOPLE!

[@hecetudo4166]

Hecetu welo

[@vicpease5009]

Lila waste!! Le miye,na owakagnige , na wichoyapi nita mawaste kte!!!Lila pilamaye!

[@tracyl222]

who is this crazy indian i think i seen him before in winnipeg.dont worry im one too

[@efanclublolsmaforlife2501]

Most of these people dont know where they come from lol

[@brooklynnchick]

That’s a joke people, geez tough crowd! How can people be so stiff, you’re never going to escape this life alive - laugh! You are running out of time!

[@mazmikemaz]

I don’t personally like his style of story telling

[@brooklynnchick]

Why?

[@rhondaknapp1070]

I'm trying to save races that are dying culture of certain ingenious peoples. They will dissappear if tradions are not taught. I want to invest in the teaching of the shamanic medicine . I am the reincarnation of my great great Sir Arthur Henry Rostron. He was captain of the Carpathia and saved the survivors of the Titanic.