November 2024

Truthsgiving

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Happy Truthsgiving to you and yours! If that term is new to you, I refer you here, to a “debate” I had with Sean Sherman, known as the Lakota Chef, last year at this time, published in The Nation Magazine. I put “debate” in quotes, because — truthfully — Sean and I agree on many things. For instance, we both talk about how traditional Thanksgiving mythology fails to recognize the steep price paid by our people after colonizers came to our shores, the land that was stolen from us, and the variety of indispensable foods contributed by Indigenous cultures now enjoyed around Thanksgiving tables.

In my section, I expand on those thoughts by suggesting a rebrand of this deeply problematic holiday. Some in my community have called it “Thankstaking,” highlighting the many unwilling sacrifices Indigenous peoples have made over the centuries. Personally, I prefer Truthsgiving — which, while keeping with the traditional holiday spirit of sharing and gratitude, also calls for a necessary truthtelling component. And as a reminder to you: I invite you to stay in a space of gratitude and openness next week, when you’re invited to RSVP and join us online for our fourth annual Wopila Gathering, beginning at 4 p.m. PST on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Lakota LawPeople engage in a National Day of Mourning ceremony in front of a statue of Chief Massasoit, leader of the Wampanoag tribe, in Plymouth, Mass. on Thanksgiving Day in 2021. (Bryan R. Smith / Getty Images)

Between Truthsgiving and our Wopila Gathering, on Friday the U.S. also celebrates Native American Heritage Day, at the conclusion of National Native American Heritage Month. I’m grateful that each November is designated as a time to celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Turtle Island’s Indigenous nations. If you’re Native, I hope you’re able to take some extra time to commune with your relatives and acknowledge your ancestors this weekend. And if you’re non-Native, I hope you’ll make room to appreciate all we have given.

And then, everyone, please attend the Wopila Gathering on Giving Tuesday. This annual event provides an excellent opportunity for us to gather around an even larger table to share stories, priorities, music, and all we have to give to one another. It’s going to be a wonderful couple hours of togetherness, generosity, and joy, so I hope you’ll bookmark this page, RSVP, and Zoom in with us for the festivities!

Wopila tanka — thank you for hearing us, and I hope to see you on Tuesday.
Chase Iron Eyes
Director and Lead Counsel
Lakota People’s Law Project
Sacred Defense Fund

Lakota People’s Law Project

Lakota People’s Law Project
547 South 7th Street #149
Bismarck, ND 58504-5859

Wopila Gathering 2024 – December 3rd

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Lakota Law

Today, I’m excited to announce that our fourth annual online Wopila Gathering is coming right up on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3. It’s going to be a super incredible event this year — and you’re invited! Not only that, I hope you’ll extend the invitation to your friends for this special annual celebration of gratitude and Indigenous culture.

I’ll be hosting this year, and I urge you to come and spend some time online with me, Lakota Law leaders Darren Thompson and Chase and Tokata Iron Eyes, young leaders from the Native American Youth Organization (NAYO), and an incredible lineup of Indigenous performers and special guests. Please RSVP here, mark your calendar for Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 4-6 p.m. PDT (7-9 p.m. EDT), then bookmark this page and return to it for the event in a couple weeks.

RSVP for Wopila Gathering

Watch: our short introductory video for more details on the big event — and RSVP to save the date!

I’m very much looking forward to seeing you at this yearly Giving Tuesday celebration, designed to share the spirit of wopila (deep gratitude), so we can honor, inspire, and activate as one in this movement for Indigenous and environmental justice. In addition to updates on our program priorities from Chase, Tokata, and NAYO, you’ll hear incredible music from talented Indigenous artists like Sage Bond and AntoineX and Miracle Spotted Bear of ALLSZN.

The Wopila Gathering is one of the highlights of our year at Lakota Law. Rather than simply ask for donations on Giving Tuesday like nonprofits across Turtle Island (though every donation is huge, and our allies at Nomadics Tipi Makers are generously matching the first $10,000 we receive this year), we want to use this day to give back to you and all our supporters. 

We love to feel the energy when thousands of our friends gather with us throughout the day to share space, stories, and culture. So I encourage you to be there, take it in, and use the opportunity to interact with us! Join the chat during the event, and we’ll post and read comments over the course of the livestream.

Again, please RSVP to let us know you’re coming, extend the invite to those you love by clicking the social share icons on our Wopila Page, then join the celebration on that same page on Dec. 3. I very much look forward to seeing you there! It promises to be a memorable and inspiring day of conversation, music, and celebration.

Wopila tanka — thank you for being a part of our circle!
Henry “Ozuya” Crow
Director of Community Empowerment & Cultural Health
The Lakota People’s Law Project
Sacred Defense Fund