A CARAVAN WITH THE REMAINS OF NINE NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN WHO DIED OVER A CENTURY AGO AT A CARLISLE PENNSYLVANIA BOARDING SCHOOL WERE REMEMBERED IN CEREMONIES IN SIOUX CITY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE HOSTED THE CEREMONY IN SIOUX CITY FRIDAY MORNING FOR RELATIVES OF THE CHILDREN WHO DIED BETWEEN 1890 AND 1910.
MANAPE LAMERE SPOKE AT A PRAYER SERVICE AT THE TYSON EVENTS CENTER FRIDAY MORNING.
HE REFLECTED ON THE DIFFICULTIES HE HAD GROWING UP AND ATTENDING NON-NATIVE SCHOOLS AND WHAT THE NINE CHILDREN MUST HAVE GONE THROUGH:
REMAINS4 OC……CARLISLE :16
THE NINE CHILDREN, FROM THE SIOUX TRIBE, WERE AMONG HUNDREDS OF NATIVE AMERICANS FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES AND SENT TO THE SCHOOL WHERE THEIR HAIR WAS CUT, THEIR NAMES WERE CHANGED AND THEY WERE PUNISHED FOR SPEAKING IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE.
REMAINS5 OC….COME OUT. 10
SOME OF THEIR RELATIVES ATTENDED THE CEREMONIES IN SIOUX CITY WHERE A MEMORIAL WAS HELD AT WAR EAGLE’S GRAVE THURSDAY NIGHT.
YOLANDA PUSHETONEQUA OF THE MESKWAKI TRIBE SAYS IT WAS A TIME OF INTERGENERATIONAL HEALING.
REMAINS2 OC……..JUST SHAKE OFF.” ;14
JENNA THOMAS HAS A FAMILY CONNECTION TO THE ROSEBUD SIOUX AND SAYS HER FAMILY KNEW OF CHILDREN WHO DIED AT GOVERNMENT-RUN BOARDING SCHOOLS, BUT NEVER WHAT HAPPENED TO SOME OF THEM.
REMAINS3 OC……AND IT HURTS.” ;15
THE INDIAN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL IN CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA, WAS CLOSED IN 1918.
FOLLOWING THE PRAYER SERVICE A POLICE ESCORT LED THE CARAVAN, WHICH INCLUDED 50 MOTORCYCLES, FROM SIOUX CITY OVER THE VETS BRIDGE INTO SOUTH SIOUX CITY, WHERE THEY HEADED FOR A CEREMONY IN NIOBRARA, NEBRASKA.
Radio Iowa contributed to this story Updated 3pm 7/16/21
