Means speaks on change

By Katie Lees

Published April 25, 2008

Russell Means greeted the audience with the Lakotah greeting, which he repeated in English.

"Hau Mitakuyapi," he said. "Hello my relatives. I am an ally."

In Keller Auditorium on Tuesday night, American Indian civil rights activist Means shared his ideas on the United States and the crisis of his people, the Lakotah.

"I've been homeless to being an entrepreneur and a movie actor and an artist and everything in between," Means said.

He said he has been a partner of the Red Cloud Law Firm, run for the presidential nomination as a Libertarian in 1988, and had significant acting roles in "The Last of the Mohicans," "Pocahontas" and other films. Means said he survived five assassination attempts in the '70s.

Means talked about the America he grew up in, which he described as "orderly."

"Everyone was in their place," he said. "The black people were in their place, the Indians were on the reservations, and the Mexicans were in their place, the women were at home, the homosexuals were covered up, and everything was in order."

Means described the Lakotah's social structure as matriarchal and explained how it created more peace in their society.

Matriarchies, Means said, are not civilizations ruled or controlled by women, but rather balanced societies.

Means said patriarchal societies were founded around 6,000 years ago, with principles based primarily on terror and hatred, giving us protective institutions, such as police officers, armies and castles.

"I've yet to meet a matriarchal society that has the word 'war' or 'warrior,' and when you don't have the word, you don't have the concept," Means said.

Means said the lowest life expectancy for a Lakotah man is 43.9 years. He said the average life of a Lakotah woman averages at 52 years.

He said the suicide rate is 150 percent higher here for the Lakotah than anywhere else, and there is also an epidemic of lupus.

With all the problems the Lakotah face, Means said the decision to withdraw from the U.S. government on Dec. 17, 2007, to become the Republic of Lakotah was a step toward restoring their language and their life. He said all races are welcome to join.

"In the Republic of Lakotah, you're free to be alive," Means said.

The U.S. government does not recognize the republic.

Senior Carmen Hannon-Patton said she attended the lecture because she was interested in her American Indian heritage and Means' life.

"My father takes pride in his Indian American background, though it is only a small percentage," Hannon-Patton said. "He is interested in Means' works and wanted me to take a closer look."