Even today, you live in the United States of Dakota

DL: Any thoughts on the early treaties; 1851, 1858?

RO: Dad was talking about the 1805. He was always talking about the 1805 treaty and Zebulon Pike and some of the earlier treaties. [He said] that the people that decided, or negotiated, or signed the treaties weren’t qualified. They were given whiskey and shiny beads and told to sign here. And so they were distorted and they did it for selfish reasons, not selfless. That’s what Dad was talking about with most of the 1805 treaty, and even with the British, further back. That’s why he said they were never supposed to come across the Mississippi. Those that did are on our land – that’s what he felt.

Even today, you live in the United States of Dakota – North Dakota, South Dakota, this is East Dakota. Montana and Wyoming are West Dakota, and Canada and Manitoba and Saskatchewan is Northern, Northern Dakota. Nebraska and down in Colorado was Southern, Southern Dakota. So all of this is Dakota Territory. And we gave up the Wisconsin, Michigan area so we could stay on this side of the Mississippi. So we still kind of honor that; I do, anyway. But that’s what Dad told me, to recognize the early treaty – not the later ones. They were corrupt.