2000: OGLALA SIOUX TRIBE PLANTS HEMP!!

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OGLALA SIOUX TRIBE PLANTS INDUSTRIAL HEMP CROP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tom Cook, Project Director
Slim Butte Land-Use Association
Tel: (308) 432-2290
Fax: (308) 432-8981
E-mail: slmbttsag@bbc.net

**PICTURE** TOM COOK AND CHIEF JOE AMERICAN HORSE WITH HEMP SEED

On Friday, April 14, 2000, Joe American Horse announced on KILI Radio that to be sovereign the tribe must act sovereign, so accordingly, he will plant industrial hemp seeds on April 29, 2000 to advance the authority of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in the matter of jurisdiction over tribal lands.

Stating the USA does not make treaties with ethnic minorities but only with other sovereigns, American Horse said he is prepared to exercise the self-determination inherent in the Oglala Sioux Tribe as a successor government under the Treaty of 1868.

Please distribute this press release far and wide.

WHEN: April 29, 2000
WHERE: Pine Ridge Reservation
WHO: Slim Butte Land Use Association/Kiza Tiospaye
WHAT: Tribal Members are implementing a Tribal Ordinance passed in 1998 that allows cultivation of industrial hemp on the Reservation.

**PICTURE** SAYING A PRAYER OVER THE SOWING OF HEMP

**PICTURE** SOWING SIOUX HEMP

On Saturday April 29, 2000, the 132nd anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of 1868, members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe will plant industrial hemp at various locations on the Reservation. In July 1998, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council passed an ordinance defining industrial hemp as distinct from marijuana (which is a controlled substance under tribal law). The ordinance provides for the cultivation and harvesting of industrial hemp on the Reservation.

The Slim Butte Land Use Association, which spearheaded the effort to initiate industrial hemp production on the Reservation, looks forward to the sustainable aspects of the crop. "It is very important to us that we be able to grow a crop that allows us to live in balance with Mother Earth," says Loretta Afraid-of-Bear Cook, Chair of the Slim Butte LUA, "Hemp does not require any chemicals and it allows us to start taking care of our people ourselves." The landowner association is in the latter stages of building a house with materials primarily of industrial hemp. While lack of adequate housing is a problem on most reservations, it is particularly challenging on Pine Ridge where tornadoes and heavy winds frequently destroy homes. President Bill Clinton acknowledged the severity of the housing shortage during his visit to Pine Ridge last summer, saying "There is no more crucial building block for a strong community and a promising future than a solid home."

"Industrial hemp is the key component to sustainable housing," said Tom Cook, LUA Project Director for the house building project. "We make hemp-based concrete that is lighter, stronger and easier to work with than masonry concrete," he said, "Not only that, but we are putting people to work here on the reservation with good jobs." The house building project has employed eight people, and the Slim Butte LUA intends to market its "Hempcrete" blocks to the building industry. In addition, the LUA seeks to set up a handmade paper making operation that will use parts of the hemp that do not go into the block making.

**PICTURE** HEMP HOUSE AT SLIM BUTTES

**PICTURE** CHIEF JOE AMERICAN HORSE WITH "HEMPCRETE" BLOCKS

"The people used to have the buffalo for our food, clothing and shelter," said Joe American Horse, Program Manager for Slim Butte LUA and former President of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council, "now hemp can do that for us." American Horse, whose grandfather was one of the signers of the Treaty of 1868, explains, "What we are talking about is industrial hemp; it is not a drug. In addition to providing Lakota people an economic base, the cultivation of industrial hemp will reduce our reliance on diminishing natural resources and contribute to global ecological health. This is a way we can help our people and our environment." Currently, American Horse serves as the Public Relations Officer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

**PICTURE** CHIEF AMERICAN HORSE IN THE HEMP FIELD

When asked about the potential legal ramifications of the planting, Slim Butte LUA attorney Thomas J. Ballanco said, "The right to cultivate industrial hemp on the reservation is a secured treaty right. Hemp was grown all around here in the 1800s." Ballanco, a West Point graduate who authored the tribal ordinance expects no interference from the federal government. "This issue does not concern the U.S. government. Here we have a tribe exercising a sovereign treaty right to provide jobs, homes and sustainability on the reservation." Commenting on fellow West Pointer, and federal Drug Czar, Gen. (Ret.) Barry McCaffrey's expected response, Ballanco said, "If they teach cavalry officers anything at West Point, it is to listen to your scouts, especially in Sioux country," said Ballanco, himself a former Army scout. Making reference to West Pointer George Custer who was wiped out along with his entire command in the battle of Little Bighorn after he failed to listen to the scouts who warned him not to attack. "I advised the tribe and the individual members that this a legally protected treaty right," said Ballanco. "If the General has a problem with this activity, then he can take that up with me and not the tribe or its members."

American Horse said he is following up on the last words Clinton told the Pine Ridge people: "We are doing everything we can to make your empowerment zone work. But remember, there is nothing that we can do except to help you to realize your own dreams. So I say to every tribal leader here, we must share the vision and it must be fundamentally yours for your children and their future. If you will give us that vision and work with us, we will achieve it."

10:00 a.m. 4/29 meet at hemp house in Slim Buttes, junction BIA routes 32 & 41.

Contacts:
Loretta Afraid-of-Bear Cook, Slim Butte LUA President (308) 432-2290
Tom Cook, Slim Butte LUA Project Director (308) 432-2290
Milo Yellow Hair, Director Oglala Sioux Tribe Land Office, (605) 867-5305
Joe American Horse, LUA Program Director & OST Liaison, (605) 867-6071
Alex White Plume, Kiza Tiospaye, Wounded Knee District, (605) 455-2155
Thomas J. Ballanco, Atty. (310) 291-3659

ALL PICTURES:

SOWING SIOUX HEMP

TOM COOK AND CHIEF JOE AMERICAN HORSE WITH HEMP SEED

CHIEF AMERICAN HORSE IN THE HEMP FIELD

SAYING A PRAYER OVER THE SOWING OF HEMP

HEMP HOUSE AT SLIM BUTTES

CHIEF JOE AMERICAN HORSE WITH "HEMPCRETE" BLOCKS

Seeds for Sovereignty
By Craig Putnam
30 April, 2000

"Seeds for Sovereignty" is the phrase used by Joe American Horse explaining the activities on April 29, 2000 regarding the planting of industrial hemp by members of the Oglala Sioux, Slim Buttes Land Use Authority. American Horse is a former Chief and currently serves as Program Manager for the Slim Buttes LUA, and as Public Relations Officer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe. On Aril 29, 132 years ago Joe American Horse's grand father signed the Treaty of 1868, granting sovereign status to their nation.

The chief told me that hemp has grown on their land at least since the 1840's when a Jesuit Missionary Priest introduced the crop. Ironically, hemp still grows "wild" on the Reservation, probably feral remnants of that early hemp culture. Then obviously, hemp was grown here some twenty years before the signing of the Treaty.

Chief American Horse spoke clearly of the need to advance the authority of the Oglala Sioux Tribe by exercising their own rights, according to the needs and wishes of their own people.

On the morning of April 29th, members of the Slim Buttes LUA, community members, friends, and other interested parties gathered at the Hemp House to commemorate this historic occasion. Tom Cook is Project Director at the Hemp House, an experimental structure being built using their own resources whenever possible. The project has also provided construction jobs for community members. The house is being built for Ernest Afraid of Bear, a 71 year old, tribal elder and spiritual leader. Because his age prohibits him from being approved for mortgage financing, necessary to build or buy a conventional home, the Tribe has decided to provide the home for his shelter. This Hemp House project is intended to remedy that situation and to provide an example of how to build simple, durable, and affordable housing for residents of the Tribe.

The exterior of the Hemp House is progressing with the installation of the hemp-based building blocks, which make up the exterior of the home. Piled on pallets are three examples of blocks formulated by Tom Cook as hemp building materials. The first is an earth-clay brick with aggregate and hemp fiber reinforcement, which has been used for the lower course-work. The other two types of block are cementatious products, using no mineral aggregate, but having chopped hemp-stalks as the reinforcing matrix. Using type N cement creates a porous block about 6" x 12" x 36" long which looks as if it has great thermal and acoustic insulating properties. The third block prototype, using type S cement, yields a block of like dimensions, but with a smooth hard finish. These blocks look exactly like finished concrete but are much lighter and stronger than plain concrete. One of these large units can be lifted and placed by a single worker whereas solid concrete would be much too heavy for even two people to lift. Tom and his crew manufacture these materials in his backyard facility, from hemp imported from Canada. Certainly, the promise of building residences using renewable, strong, durable and locally produced materials is an idea that makes a lot of sense to the Community. The LUA plans to expand this industry and to market these building products after ASME testing has been accomplished. This is just one of the many possible uses for hemp in establishing a sustainable industry and for providing for the basic housing needs of the Tribe.

Tom Cook's white pick-up led the caravan of vehicles away from the Hemp House, to the road, and along a series of back roads, tracks and jeep trails to the site of the first sowing. In the back of Tom's truck rested a pail of hemp seed, awaiting the planting ceremony. Joe Hickey explained that these seeds were "wild gathered" from a remnant population of "Kentucky Hemp", a result and culmination of the United States hemp breeding program conducted during the Twenties. He deemed this variety a likely candidate for adaptation and acclimatization to local conditions. The plots are planted in a grid pattern with greater spacing than if grown strictly for fiber production. The cultivators will wish to increase their seed stock and develop an industrial hemp variety suited to their methods and growing conditions.

Then the time of the actual planting arrived, but Chief American Horse called the attention of the assembled group. He explained that nearly every endeavor, in their culture, is required to have a spiritual governing, and that a prayer would be offered before the sowing.

Ernest Afraid of Bear delivered the prayers in the Lakota language. Even if the words were not understood by some of us, it was clear that the hemp seed, the earth, and the people were all the intended recipients of this blessing. And this was not the chant of rite or rote, that we may associate with a typical church prayer. The solemnity of the blessing was merged with the momentous importance of the occasion; sweet- grass was burned.

The LUA members were present; Chief Joe American Horse, Tom Cook, Loretta Afraid of Bear- Cook, Solomon Red Bear, and "Aunt Bea" (elder and spiritual advisor), who all proceeded to plant the recently prepared field. The smaller field was soon seeded to the prescribed grid pattern, and Chief American Horse again called the attention of the group. These 40 acres of Tribal lands are designated to be used for experimental industrial hemp studies. He lamented the fact that wheat and cattle prices have declined so sharply that it is no longer profitable to engage in such pursuits. Therefore, the Tribe has several other plans for sustainable agriculture and husbandry, besides hemp, one of which is the establishing of a buffalo herd. Other plans provide for a wind powered electrical generating facility and even tourism, as "bed and breakfast" establishments are created. The goals are sustainable living and more self-determination for the Tribal community.

Chief American Horse, when asked what his grandfather would have thought about their industrial hemp program, said, "I think he would have been proud." While living under the terms of their relationship with the United States Federal government has not always been productive or beneficial to the Oglala Sioux, he stated, "We're not trying to break the law or get anyone in trouble." He told me later that he plans to move a trailer onto a place over looking this site, in order to keep a sharp eye on the goings on hereabouts. Therefore security is well at hand and the welfare of the crop will be assured.

Then the assemblage packed up again and proceeded to the next site at another remote and distant location. The assortment of vehicles and their riders finally arrived at the home of Alex White Plume. After some conversation with those at the house, Tom shouted, "He's down in the field planting hemp!" When we all arrived down there, indeed, half of the plot had already been planted.

Alex is the head of a clan or extended family, which has some 4,000 acres within the Reservation. He took a break from his planting to welcome the guests. The seedbed here was prepared from the first plowing of virgin sod and has a wonderful fineness that should speed germination of the seed. Here too, a trailer has been moved near the plot, so that Alex's niece can guard the larger garden. Alex explained that this hemp growing venture had been approved by the brothers and sisters of the family. Also, he has assembled a "society to keep the peace" consisting of some 23 young men, who oversee the general welfare of the community group and their interests, including their hemp fields. Although one of their responsibilities might include "keeping the Feds out", Alex also expressed a willingness to cooperate and even escort officials of other government agencies, such as the American DEA, if they have an interest in or concern of the Tribe's affairs.

Alex went on to describe some of their plans for sustainability that his group has in mind. Currently, they are using timber harvested from their land as fence posts for containing the proposed buffalo herd. This represents a savings of 75% over materials obtained from outside sources. Additionally, they are growing "naturalized" Echinacea (the purple coneflower) herb and increasing it from seed, whereby it will be a marketable medicinal product. He says it grows really well here, as it should since the plant is native to these Prairies, and all parts of the plant were traditionally used by Native people. Many hemp product companies have expressed a desire to buy the oil seed products from industrial hemp grown on the Reservation, to be used in manufacturing everything from cosmetics to tortilla chips.

The next plan will be to develop a strategy for their first hemp harvest. They plan to include the whole tribal community, as much as possible, in the actual harvest and as their five- year program progresses, any profits from hemp will go to the community.

As a cool breeze swept over the valley and dark clouds formed in the sky, planting the remaining half of the hemp field was resumed with many people helping to get the hemp seed planted. Even the dogs and children came down to the field to see what all the excitement was about. Everyone seemed happy and optimistic about the future of the industrial hemp project, and we should be grateful to the Oglala Sioux people for their guidance in showing the way.

The dark clouds continued to build, signifying not gloom, but the rains necessary for the birth and growth of the future hemp crop. Then the group broke up; some to return to Tom's house, some to stay here, and some of us prepared to leave this land of dreams and vision, to return to that other nation where reality is more elusive. Then I was struck by the simple truth of this enterprise: Finally, an experimental hemp program based on good common sense.