Editing Lakota people (section)

===Independence movement===
{{See also|Republic of Lakotah proposal}}
[[File:Suscol Intertribal Council 2015 Pow-wow - Stierch 14.jpg|thumb|upright|Mildred "Midge" Wagner, a Lakota woman, singing at a pow wow in 2015]]
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The Lakota are among tribal nations that have taken actions, participated in occupations, and proposed independence movements, particularly since the era of rising activism since the mid to late 20th century. They filed land claims against the federal government for what they defined as illegal taking of the Black Hills in the nineteenth century.

In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled in their favor and decided in ''[[United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians]]'' to award [[US$]]122 million to eight bands of Sioux Indians as compensation for their [[Black Hills Land Claim|Black Hills land claims]]. The Sioux have refused the money, because accepting the settlement would legally terminate their demands for return of the Black Hills. The money remains in a [[Bureau of Indian Affairs]] account, accruing [[compound interest]]. As of 2011, the account has grown to over $1 billion.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,957595,00.html?promoid=googlep | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204101457/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,957595,00.html?promoid=googlep | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 4, 2008 | magazine=Time | title=Race: The Price of Penance | date=May 8, 1989 | access-date=May 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/03/saying-no-to-1-billion/308380/|title=Saying No to $1 Billion|last=Streshinsky|first=Maria|work=The Atlantic|access-date=November 25, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

In September 2007, the [[United Nations]] passed a non-binding [[Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples]]. <!-- Explain what these are -->Canada,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada votes 'no' as UN native rights declaration passes
|date= September 13, 2007
|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-votes-no-as-un-native-rights-declaration-passes-1.632160
|publisher=CBCNews
|quote=Canada's UN ambassador, John McNee, said Canada had "significant concerns" over the declaration's wording on provisions addressing lands and resources
}}</ref> the United States, Australia, and New Zealand refused to sign.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://readerrant.capitolhillblue.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number |title=UBB Message – ReaderRant<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=January 1, 2008 |archive-date=March 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303124055/http://readerrant.capitolhillblue.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On December 20, 2007, a small group of people led by [[American Indian Movement]] activist [[Russell Means]], under the name Lakota Freedom Delegation, traveled to Washington D.C. to announce a withdrawal of the Lakota Sioux from all treaties with the United States government.<ref>[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iVC1KMTOgwiSoMQyT2LwZc9HyAgA "Descendants of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse break away from US"]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609092458/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iVC1KMTOgwiSoMQyT2LwZc9HyAgA |date=June 9, 2007 }}, [http://afp.com ''Agence France-Presse'' news] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821112631/http://www.afp.com/ |date=August 21, 2008 }}</ref> These activists had no standing under any elected tribal government.

Official Lakota tribal leaders issued public responses to the effect that, in the words of [[Rosebud Sioux Tribe|Rosebud Lakota]] tribal chairman Rodney Bordeaux, "We do not support what Means and his group are doing and they don't have any support from any tribal government I know of. They don't speak for us."<ref name=toensing>{{cite news |url=http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2008/01/04/withdrawal-us-treaties-enjoys-little-support-tribal-leaders-79806 |title=Withdrawal from US treaties enjoys little support from tribal leaders |author=Gale Courey Toensing |publisher=[[Indian Country Today]] |date=January 4, 2008 |access-date=March 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504091145/http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2008/01/04/withdrawal-us-treaties-enjoys-little-support-tribal-leaders-79806 |archive-date=May 4, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name=cos>[http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/23/425848/- ''Lakota Sioux Have NOT Withdrawn From the US'']; in [[The Daily Kos]]; December 23, 2007; accessed March 28, 2016</ref>

Means declared "The Republic of Lakotah", defining it as a sovereign nation with property rights over thousands of square miles in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana.<ref>Bill Harlan, [http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/12/20/news/local/doc476a99630633e335271152.txt "Lakota group secedes from U.S."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823081033/http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/12/20/news/local/doc476a99630633e335271152.txt |date=August 23, 2009 }}, ''[[Rapid City Journal]]'', December 20, 2007.</ref> The group stated that they do not act for or represent the tribal governments "set up by the BIA or those Lakota who support the BIA system of government".<ref>[http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080111065452/http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071220/NEWS/712200347/1001 "Lakota group pushes for new nation"], ''Argus Leader'', Washington Bureau, December 20, 2007</ref>

"The Lakota Freedom Delegation" did not include any elected leaders from any of the tribes.<ref name=toensing/><ref name=cos/> Means had previously run for president of the Oglala Sioux tribe and twice been defeated. Several tribal governments – elected by tribal members – issued statements distancing themselves from the independence declaration. Some said that they were watching the independent movement closely.<ref name=toensing/><ref name=cos/> No elected tribal governments endorsed the declaration.<ref name=toensing/><ref name=cos/>