The newly inaugurated leader of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota says more effort will be made to ensure Native Americans are counted accurately for the 2010 Census.

President Theresa Two Bulls said the U.S. Census Bureau is going to recruit tribal members who speak Lakota to work on the Pine Ridge Reservation. She said the tribe will encourage people to participate in the Census.

"We need to let people know that this is something good, something that is going to help us in years to come," sad Two Bulls, The Rapid City Journal reported. "My motto is unity, understanding and peace. It will be a long, hard drive, but it can be accomplished.

For the 2000 Census, the Census said it improved its Indian Country count. But American Indians and Alaska Natives, along with Native Hawaiians, were still the most undercounted groups.

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Census kickoff puts emphasis on accurately counting Native American population (The Rapid City Journal 1/9)