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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2003

The following is a press release from Senator Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota).

Washington, DC, February 7 - Senator Tom Daschle announced today that this summer he will host a one-day reconciliation conference at the Pierre Indian Learning Center. Daschle said the conference, “A Day of Reconciliation – A Gathering and Healing of Nations,” is a chance to bring together the South Dakota congressional delegation, the Great Sioux Nation, the State of South Dakota, and the people of South Dakota – native and non-native – in the spirit of reconciliation.

“Far too often there is a deep-seated misunderstanding and mistrust between Indian and non-Indian people in South Dakota. This situation has evolved over the past century, and has created a political and cultural divide within the state,” said Daschle. “We can and must do better, and that is why I am sponsoring a one-day reconciliation conference at which Indians and non-Indians can come together to confront the issues that divide us.”

Daschle said the goals and objectives of the conference are to:

Bring together a broad cross-section of South Dakotans to forge a better understanding and mutual respect for one another in the spirit of reconciliation.

Capitalize on this unique and unprecedented gathering to allow people from diverse professional and personal backgrounds to learn from each other, gain new perspectives, and develop positive new relationships.

Initiate the first step toward the recovery of nations – federal, state, tribal and local communities – through acknowledgment of their similarities and acceptance of their differences.

Empower and motivate South Dakotans to challenge themselves to help improve the lives of all South Dakotans through reconciliation in their everyday lives.

“It’s my hope that at this conference, we can develop mutual respect, trust, and understanding that will help us build a better South Dakota for our children.” Daschle said.

Late Governor George Mickelson proclaimed 1990 the “Year of Reconciliation” between the citizens of South Dakota and the member bands of the Great Sioux Nation. That same year, Senator Daschle and then-Rep. Tim Johnson sponsored resolutions acknowledging the 100th anniversary of the tragedy at Wounded Knee and recognizing the Year of Reconciliation declared by the state of South Dakota.

In 2000, at the request of the nine South Dakota tribal chairs, Senator Daschle introduced and enacted legislation to create the Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place, which will house the Sioux Historical Archive and Display Center, the National Native American Mediation Training Center, and the Sioux Nation Supreme Court. These projects will help bring a greater sense of legal certainty and predictability to the reservations, will serve as a center of solidarity for Native Americans, and will stand as a tribute to the Sioux Nation’s culture and history.

Daschle said he hopes the one-day reconciliation conference at the Pierre Indian Learning Center will build on these past and current efforts to forge a new and greater level of understanding between native and non-native cultures throughout South Dakota.

“For our state to overcome what divides us, we need to build the idea of reconciliation into our collective consciousness and into our everyday dealings with each other,” Daschle said. e need to build the idea of reconciliation into our collective consciousness and into our everyday dealings with each other,” Daschle said.