From Peripheral Domination to Internal Colonialism: Socio-Political Change of the Lakota on Standing Rock

James V Fenelon

doi:10.5195/jwsr.1997.110

Abstract

This paper discusses changing "national" identities of the Lakota and Dakota on Standing Rock, "Sioux" Indian Reservation, through an overview of the traditional Lakota, the United States, conceptual differences of Lakota Oyate with U.S. sovereign power, and political representations. Envelopment/incorporation of the Lakota are discussed as struggles over sovereignty and treaty rights leading to formation of the "Sioux Nation" and six separated Lakota-Sioux reservations. External national identities range from "Hostiles" alien labels to "Indians" ultimately as citizens. American citizenship is reviewed as both inclusion and dissolution, with the re-organization, political re-construction, and assimilation strategies of the United States. 20th century resistance and cultural domination are considered in the American Indian Movement as political resurgence.

Highlights

Native American Indian identity remains one of the most amorphous, changeable cultural constructs in social practice today
Development of separate Sioux (Lakota) Indian reservations demonstrates the further fractionation of identity by the U.S Bureau of Indian Affairs
World Systems Analysis and Lakota Identity. These various identities, of internal and external relations, of Standing Rock Sioux people, have their historical roots traced to domination of the periphery and control over "incorporated" and "subordinated" Natives excluded from full participation in a growing world economic system

Summary

Introduction

Native American Indian identity remains one of the most amorphous, changeable cultural constructs in social practice today. I find four major sources of "national" identities on Standing Rock, arising from two "temporal" periods using world systems analysis : the 19th century qua~i peripheral domination over the Lakota by the U.S government, and the 20th century imposition of internal colonialism, especially with the B.I.A. and modern tribal council~ These forms - progressive and resistance, a~similatcd and traditional, -- arc further tempered in contemporary political and social discourse, especially by Indian activism and cultural survival. The typologies arc "progressive" (friendly), "resistance" (resist change), "a~similatcd" (adapted) and "traditional" -- a~ each is defined by and responds to external forces of attempted domination, incorporation, elimination and repression by the United States and its inter-American expansion These various identities, of internal and external relations, of Standing Rock Sioux people, have their historical roots traced to domination of the periphery and control over "incorporated" and "subordinated" Natives excluded from full participation in a growing world economic system.

Conclusions on Identity and Social Change

Findings

69. Four interviewees responded in terms of urban Indian populations