To remove the Prayer words "Mitakuye Oyasin" from RCPD Police car

Rapid City Police continues to exploit our Prayer words on a cop car! The majority of the Native Community agrees these words should be removed! They do not belong there! Rapid City Police as usual have no ears!

PLEASE SHARE! THESE WORDS DO NOT BELONG TO THEM! THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO EXPLOITE THEM!

"Separation of church and State"

They should have had a public naming or that they are looking for a proper Lakota word for the cop car. It could have been "WAWOYUSPA" or 'CANSKAYUHA.' Both mean the same thing.

The Rapid City Police Department is in violation of Public Law 111-211-July 29, 2010 Indian arts and Crafts Amendment, Section 103 Misrepresentation of Indian Produced Good and Products. Any Indian, Indian Tribe, Indian Arts & Crafts organization can file complaint with federal/state authorities.


(Quoted from Lakota Country times) ............

"This phrase, "mitakuye oyasin," was protected by the people who were practicing Lakota spirituality when it was underground up to the late 1960s. This word was so protected, very few people knew the significance of this word. It was used only when a person finished praying and also used in certain Lakota spiritual ceremonies. Now it is shamefully printed in books, used as a slogan and used in meetings so casually that it has lost its meeting. This desecration of this word is the work of people who do not speak Lakota. If they understood what the phrase meant and how it was used, they would have left it alone. Mitakuye oyasin translated at level two means, "all your relatives." The key phrase is ya in oyasin. If I said, "WAcin," I am saying, "I want." If I said, "YAcin," I am saying, "you want." The letter o in owasin forms a noun of a verb. If I were to say, "mitakuye owasin," I would translate it at the fourth level as "everything is related to the existence of all MY Lakota relatives." I hope whoever reads this column does not shout to the high heavens about the correct phrase and misuse and dilute the true meaning of this phrase as well as use it as a trite slogan. This Lakota phrase applies only to Lakota culture. It is not a generic phrase such as "Native American." Only Lakota can use this word as it is in our language. I know other tribes who have lost their language as well as white people have been using this phrase and not giving Lakota people the rightful recognition of the concept. I call these people, "cultural thieves." I have heard of a Chippewa man in the East who gives lectures on the story of the White Buffalo Calf and says it is a Chippewa story. One last point, all the people who have used their tribal identity to get positions in educational institutions have become role models. They have a responsibility and obligation to learn how to speak Lakota language fluently and teach the courses in Lakota. Once a concept is translated into English, there is a danger to mistranslate and miss the point of the concept being taught."


Rapid City Police continues to exploit our Prayer words on a cop car! The majority of the Native Community agrees these words should be removed! They do not belong there! Rapid City Police as usual have no ears!


Please contact them and tell its wrong to use these prayer words and they should be removed. Keep in mind these guys supported Morton County against our people! They do not stand with us or support us! They are against us! They are also promoting that these prayer words mean 'We are all related" when in fact it dosent mean that! It means "All my Relitives" In prayer to our Ancestors.


 Police Contact: 605-394-9300 or 605-394-4131


You can also go to their face book page: https://www.facebook.com/RapidCityPD/?fref=ts


As long as government is not involved in it, the person can exercise their religion on government property," The problem comes when the government supports one religion over another. It is against the Law for a State Agency (RCPD) to paint a Prayer on their Vehicles because its State/Government Property! ......


Those prayers belong to us!


They have not asked for permission from our Spiritual & Tribal Leaders to do this! Because we would have said no! They have not earned the respect from the majority of the "Oceti Sakowin" (Sioux Nation)

Update #27 years ago
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/yearlong-study-natives-feel-profiled-by-rapid-city-police-based/article_4e38af3e-61f7-5272-bff1-40c24cfa7b16.html
Update #17 years ago
They should have had a public naming or that they are looking for a proper Lakota word for the cop car. It could have been "WAWOYUSPA" or 'CANSKAYUHA.' Both mean the same thing.
The Rapid City Police Department is in violation of Public Law 111-211-July 29, 2010 Indian arts and Crafts Amendment, Section 103 Misrepresentation of Indian Produced Good and Products. Any Indian, Indian Tribe, Indian Arts & Crafts organization can file complaint with federal/state authorities.
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