Hao mitakuye,
My name is Ray Taken Alive, I am a citizen of the Standing Rock Nation. My mother is a citizen of the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation, she is from the Charging Family in White Shield, ND. My father is a citizen of the Standing Rock Nation. He comes from the Taken Alive and Helper families.
In 2020, My Grandmother, Delores Taken Alive, passed away from Covid and since then we’ve been working to reclaim all rights to her Lakota language materials from the Lakota Language Consortium (LLC). The LLC Board Chairman, Wilhelm Meya, is of Austrian descent and receives a salary of over 6 figures selling our language, including materials that belong to my Grandmother. LLC Linguistic Director, Jan Ullrich, of Czech descent, also has profited off our language and is a Native American hobbyist in the Czech Republic. He is featured in the film, “If Only I Were an Indian” or “Becoming Native American ” in the Czech Republic. Becoming Native American in the Czech Republic
The LLC is a 501(c)3 non-profit incorporated in the state of Indiana. They are not organized under any Tribal Sovereigns. They have copyrighted many Language materials without our Tribes receiving royalties and actually, our Tribes and schools have had to pay for many of these materials.
On May 3rd, 2022, the Standing Rock Nation using the “Bad Man Clause,” Article 1 of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty took the unprecedented step to ban, reject, and/or float Jan Ullrich, Wilhelm Meya, The Lakota Language Consortium, and The Language Conservancy.. Standing Rock Resolution 150-22
I have been targeted by this organization since I began questioning LLC’s authority over my Grandmother's Lakota language materials. They have wielded the power of “copyright" over me twice by accusing me, a Lakota language instructor, of copyright infringement.
I recently received a Cease and Desist letter on behalf of the LLC and Alex Fire Thunder, their deputy director signed by Chase Iron Eyes, a member of their legal team. They are also being represented by the lawfirm, Bochetto and Lentz, from Pennsylvania. Bochetto and Lentz helped represent Donald Trump in one of his impeachment hearings. They also fought to preserve “Columbus Day,” in Pennsylvania as well as a Columbus statue. They are targeting my social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok in an attempt to silence me. Although I am a Tribal citizen living in my traditional homelands, they are threatening to sue me through the Indiana state court system and/or South Dakota State court. Here are some examples of Social Media Activism
The LLC is targeting me with an attempt to strip me of my professional licensure. A copy of the complaint is here:
My hearing to defend my licensure is June 27th, at 9 am central
time in Pierre, South Dakota.
They also targeted my wife with the South Dakota State
Department of Education. Her hearing was held June 21st in Pierre, SD.
She will know the outcome of that hearing on Thursday, June 29th
We feel they are unfairly threatening me due to my activism and are trying to silence me by not only targeting me in State Courts, but also by targeting me my professional licensure.
In the State case, me and my wife have the support of 9 Tribal Sovereigns as well as many others.
Education and Language are the cornerstones of our Tribal Sovereignty. Please educate yourselves on the issue. I’ve provided a link to help provide background information here:
Articles, Press, Interviews, etc
Big Fire Law and Policy Group is representing me. I’m respectfully requesting your support for a legal fund.
Thank you to everyone who gave for our legal fund, we are extremely appreciative of it. We are just a family, we are not a corporation, a business, or anything like that so every dollar is appreciated. This is truly a grassroots effort.
Thank you for your time,
Ray Taken Alive
