Native Bidaské: SD Tribes Unite to Return the Black Hills w/ NDN Collective’s Dr. Valeriah Big Eagle
In this episode of Native Bidaské, host Levi Rickert speaks with Dr. Valeriah Big Eagle (Ihanktonwan Nakota/Hunkpati Dakota), Director of He Sapa Initiatives at NDN Collective, about a historic development in the movement to return the Black Hills to tribal stewardship.
For the first time, all nine federally recognized tribes in South Dakota have passed resolutions supporting the development of federal legislation that could return approximately 1.2 million acres of federally managed Black Hills land to the Oceti Sakowin.
Read more about these resolutions: https://nativenewsonline.net/sovereignty/land-back-all-nine-south-dakota-tribes-support-black-hills-land-return/
Why are the Black Hills considered sacred to the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota peoples? What would a Black Hills land return actually look like? How does the Land Back movement connect to tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, environmental stewardship, food sovereignty, and the protection of sacred sites?
During this conversation, Dr. Big Eagle explains:
• Why He Sapa (the Black Hills) remains one of the most important sacred places in Indigenous America
• The history behind the Black Hills land dispute and the Fort Laramie Treaty
• What tribal leaders mean when they talk about “Land Back”
• Why all nine South Dakota tribes united behind this effort
• How proposed legislation could return federal public lands while protecting existing communities
• The role of tribal stewardship in protecting land, water, wildlife, and cultural resources
• Why many Native leaders see this moment as a historic turning point
The Black Hills have been at the center of discussions on Native American treaty rights, tribal sovereignty, and land justice for generations. This episode explores what happens next and whether a return of Black Hills lands could become reality.
Watch live on Friday, June 12, at 12 PM ET.
This Bidaské episode is brought to you by the American Indian College Fund. Founded in 1989, the American Indian College Fund is the nation’s largest Native-led and Native-serving charity dedicated to expanding access to higher education for American Indian and Alaska Native students.
Recently, the College Fund launched Because of You, a campaign honoring tribal college faculty—the heart of Native higher education. Because of You is an expression of gratitude for the dedication, passion, and presence of TCU faculty, and the many ways they support students every day. The centerpiece of the campaign is a powerful tribute video told from students’ perspectives that celebrates learning in community, preserving identity, and realizing dreams. To watch the video and support the American Indian College Fund’s mission, visit: https://collegefund.org/becauseofyou/.
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