Mark
Mahto
Courtesy of Three Affiliated Tribes Administration |
"I love
to visit
the graves
of my departed
relatives
and friends
at least
once a year.
I love to
visit the
spot where
my father
fasted to
obtain the
favor of
the Great
Spirit.
This I cannot
do when
all the
sacred spots
are flooded.
"If there
be any people
in the United
States who
are entitled
to sing
"My
country
'tis of
thee, sweet
land of
liberty"
it is the
American
Indian people.
Yet, when
I sing "America",
I feel like
crying because
I don't
see any
liberty
or justice."
-Mark
Mahto
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In 1946, in testimony against the Garrison Dam,
tribal council member Mark Mahto conveyed the
essence of life for the people at the great
bend of the Missouri River, and their anguish
at, once again, having to relinquish the land
that sustains them:
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Mr. Mahto's words encapsulate the feelings of
many people of the Ft. Berthold Reservation.
He was a full-blooded Mandan born in 1888.
In these pages you will be introduced to the
world of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara people.
You'll learn about the lifeways before the
coming of Europeans and about the lasting qualities
that characterize these people of the Middle
Missouri area within the topics included under
Culture. Slow down, open your heart,
and learn about family life and the life of
all things as the seasons go round; about trade
and travel; and learn about spiritual life
-- told through the stories that hold the culture
together.
The many changes that accompanied the arrival
of traders and trappers are included within
the section called U.S. Think about
the story from the point of view of these Missouri
River people. How did they see their lives
change after the arrival of traders, missionaries,
treaty commissioners and agents, settlers,
and the American military? Despite the devastation
brought by these various groups, whether intentionally
or due to uncontrollable circumstances, the
Mandan-Hidatsa and Arikara people have survived
and will continue to do so. The stories told
here will help you understand a very different
perspective on history and culture from the
one taught in schools.
Contemporary culture, including artists, education,
and issues of sovereignty are included with
the section called Native American.
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