NEW ULM - A Morgan man who is three-fourths German and part Dakota, spoke Sunday night at a Dakota Friendship event at the United Church of Christ.
Anthony Morse, the Lower Sioux Interpretive Center Site director, is the son of a Dakota woman and German man. Because of an administrative error, he has never become an enrolled American Indian. However, his mother and sister are enrolled.
Morse said Lower Sioux enrolled members get medical benefits and casino payments - which he doubts he will ever receive.
"It's been 20 years now since we proved I should be enrolled in Redwood County Court, but [the court decision] didn't count," he said.
Morse shared his life story and his perspectives on the history, traditions, hopes and opportunities of Native Americans as the Brown County Historical Society prepares for 150th anniversary events of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.
A University of Minnesota Morris elementary education major, Morse hoped to teach Minnesota history, but he is satisfying that dream by leading tour groups at the interpretive center.
He talked about underlying causes of the War of 1862.
"Treaties - dating back to 1805 and before - restricted Native Americans from providing for their families, causing people to starve, to the point where government reports said war was inevitable in 1862, but the reports were ignored," Morse said.
"Dakota came from a hunting background, but were never field farmers, like the federal government and missionaries tried to make them become by providing them oxen and plows," Morse said.
The Dakota spent their treaty annuities on credit before they ever received the funds, which caused them to trade away land north of the Minnesota River to repay debts, according to Morse.
"War was years in the making ... then treaties were nullified in 1863 when it was determined the Dakota started the war," he said.
The Indian Removal Act was intended to banish Dakota from Minnesota except for approximately 180 military and church members pardoned by Bishop Henry Whipple.
Morse said food and supplies meant for the Dakota in 1862 were stored in a two-story granite building that agents would not open for them. Dakota climbed on the building's roof, burned a hole in it and took the contents.
"I feel humble when I make people cry telling them what happened 150 years ago. It's very important to talk about it, even now," Morse said.
