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Eva Iyotte: Warrior Woman

SICANGU SCRIBE



 

 

In Lakota society, we have certain women whom we consider warriors. Warrior women are both fierce and spiritual. Yet, these women also are nurturing. They care for their Tiospaye by providing a home, clothing, food and love.

An example of the warrior woman is the Lakota Winyan who fought fearlessly alongside their husbands during the battles against the US government in the nineteenth century. Oral history speaks of these brave women, especially their role during the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Some of those women who walked into battle without fear earned the right to wear the eagle feather headdress.

As women, we’ve never lost our ability to fight. Today, we see countless women walk into the modern day battles they’ve chosen to fight with an enormous amount of faith in their prayer. Drug use, alcoholism, child abuse, sexual assault and attacks against the environment are but a few battles we face as Lakota women in today’s world.

Eva Iyotte (Wiyaka Sinte Ska Win) was a fierce warrior woman. You never would have known how fierce she was when you first met her. She was a soft spoken, respectful and humble Lakota Winyan. Yet, her ability to face opposition in a fierce manner was extraordinary.

She got involved with issues which affected all Indigenous people. Recently, she served on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Land and Natural Committee which meets regularly to deal with issues concerning our lands and environment. Eva also attended Tribal Council meetings to keep herself informed about Tribal affairs.

Some might remember her standing up against the giant hog farm which was proposed to be built on trust land in Mellette County in the early 2000s. Oleta Mednansky is another warrior woman who fought the battle alongside Eva against the hog farm. Together these two Unci took their prayers for the land, the water, the air, the wamakaskan and the Oyate all the way to the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, where a Judge listened to their words and put a stop to what would have been an environmental disaster on Rosebud.

These two warrior women are the main reason why the giant hog farm development did not happen on tribal land. Eva and Oleta so intimidated the hog farm producers that there was a restraining order barring them from entering the tribal lands where the hog farm was supposed to be built.

Eva was the youngest of fourteen children born to Joe and Rose (High Pine) Iyotte. Last year, she brought hundreds of veterans and tribal citizens together to honor her brother, Sgt. Philip James Iyotte who died in 1951 in a prisoner of war camp during the Korean conflict.

Eva prayed constantly for her brother’s return. She never met her brother but that didn’t stop her from writing thousands of letters to the Department of Defense urging them to locate Sgt. Iyotte’s remains in order for her to bring him home for a proper burial. When I first met Eva, this was the one of the issues she talked to me about. It seemed like an issue that was insurmountable, yet, she persisted.

On October 22, 2017 Eva met the aircraft which carried her brother’s remains at the Rapid City Regional Airport. She was accompanied by members of the Chauncey Eagle Horn Legion Post. Sgt. Iyotte’s homecoming was like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Tribal and other veterans, along with community residents, school children and common people, lined the highways to acknowledge the longlost Soldier’s return.

We lost Maske Eva to cancer. She was buried with her siblings and parents in Two Kettle. Eva’s legacy as a fierce Lakota Akicita Winyan will live in our hearts for eternity.

Vi Waln is Sicangu Lakota and has been a journalist since 2001. She can be reached through email editor@lakotacountrytimes.com

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