When our Indigenous Tribes and Nations were spiritually and socially strong they fully understood the devastating impact of sexual and physical abuse on our communities now and in the future. Abusers of women and children were dealt with very severely. This could include castration, death, or banishment.
As an example, my Great-Great Grandfather, Hinhan Wicasa, Owl Man, a Chief of the Magaska Ptesan Wicoti, White Swan People, Ihanktonwan Oyate. Owl Man was told in a great vision that he would kill four men justifiably in his role as a Head Chief and Leader of the Holy Man’s Society of the White Swan People. Two of the men he killed were husbands who abused their wives. One wife was Owl Man’s sister and the other his daughter. Part of the fulfillment of this vision is described in Singing for a Spirit written by my uncle, Vine Deloria Jr.
Owl Man was informed that his son-in-law had abused his daughter again. Without saying a word he picked up his shotgun, mounted his horse, and rode to his son-in-law's Tipi. He walked inside and said to his son-in-law, “I warned you three times not to abuse my daughter and now I am going to kill you.” With that Owl Man pulled the trigger of his shotgun and dispatched his son-in-law to the spiritual world.
A similar event occurred with a brother-in-law who repeatedly abused his sister. After both killings, as was his responsibility as a hereditary chief and spiritual leader, he went to a hill overlooking his camp circle. As was tribal protocol, Owl Man waited there all night, unarmed, for anyone who believed that he had killed the men unjustly, so they could kill him, if they chose.
On both occasions, Owl Man returned to his relatives at sunrise, with sorrow, but thanksgiving to the Creator. For he had protected his relatives, for a little longer, from the great spiritual sickness foretold in his great vision, that would almost overwhelm our Indigenous people, until the coming of the Fourth Generation.
One way or the other, for the sake of ourselves, our beloved children, and our future generations, sexual abuse in all its forms needs to be faced, confronted, healed, forgiven, when possible, and be completely eliminated from our Sacred Lands forever.
