In our Lakota language we are makowla sha sha–we are earth people and iktewe sha sha, common people. That’s the language they use. So that is the way were recognized.The spirit never said we’re “American Indians.” They never used that. We know America, this land we call Turtle Island, is named after Amerigo Vespucci. My middle name-Vespucci-is gone. I don’t. know what happened to “Vespucci” but, drop my middle name or last name, then they call me “American Indian.”
The word “Indian” itself doesn’t mean anything. It’s, another fictitious, name. Just because Columbus said so. It’s a lost word. He got lost and used a misplaced word and applied it to us. So today (When-someone asks] “Are you American Indian?” we say “Yea!” ‘
Now there is another label on top of that. They call me “Sioux.” The word “Sioux” is a French word. It means “‘cut ,throat, or “cunning.” So some people say “I’m a Sioux,” “I’m proud Sioux, or ” I’m proud to be Indian.” But thats all fictitious.
So all these things confuse people. And the Way history is written, it’s only for them. So Columbus told the Queen of Spain that he was going to India by way around the world, because the world was round. So he was going to go around, coming through the back door, so to speak. Get all the gold, and spices,come back,swing around the other way through the front door, Because going through the Mediterranean there’s a lot of ripoffs going on. So, that was the intention.
But see, going,off in the water, he went totally off course. And he didn’t know where he was or where he went. So we found him [laughter]. So we had to send him back to where he came from. But that is not in the history. Well, Indians have the navigation-the stars.
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