Directing the Lakota: the causes and methods of control on Lakota reservations during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Abstract

Policies implemented by the United States on Lakota reservations during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century generally failed. The causes of failure are manifold. The prevailing attitude of the dominant Euro-American society led to the policies adopted by the federal government. Lakota police and judges, which originated in that time period, became tools to implement the policies decided upon by the American government. These policies constituted coerced assimilation. Euro-American culture dominated United States society during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The sphere of domination included setting forth policy for Native Americans. Religious dogmatism and ethnocentrism created an Indian policy which greatly suppressed native cultures. The anthropological community, the military, and the Bureau of Indian affairs promoted cultural annihilation in the name of assimilation. The Lakota police forces represented the efforts of coerced assimilation by halting traditional practices which were considered heathenistic, savage, or barbaric. They forced Euro-American values, such as school attendance and sedentary living, on their fellow Lakota. The specific police men often joined the force to try and help their people. Instead, as instruments for coerced assimilation, they created further tensions and conflict. The Lakota judges, too, forced United States assimilation policies on their people. The Lakota magistrates levied fines and jail terms for offenses such as practicing traditional religion or neglecting farm work. Like the police, the Lakota judges only heightened the tensions they were created to relieve. Euro-American ideology of the era created the policy of coerced assimilation of which the police and courts became a part. However, coerced assimilation only led to greater conflict and misunderstanding between Euro-America and the Lakota.