Emmy award-winning social justice storyteller, philanthropist and entrepreneur Sarah Eagle Heart presented at the DeLuca forum yesterday in an event hosted by the Wisconsin Union Directorate, drawing on her experiences with Indigenous oppression and activism.
Eagle Heart explained that her storytelling career began at 16, but as an Oglála Lakota, she was already expected to follow the path of a storyteller.
In her memoir “Warrior Princesses Strike Back,” she reflects on growing up on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Eagle Heart discussed the importance of advocacy, culture and connectedness within the Indigenous community, themes central to her memoir.
“Indigenous storytelling serves as a cultural practice that preserves the histories, traditions and values of Indigenous communities,” Eagle Heart said.
Storytelling, which includes oral narrative, is a key aspect of Native American culture and is essential to fostering a sense of belonging, Eagle Heart explained.
She shared that the Indigenous worldview sees life through nature, with a responsibility to live in harmony and balance with all creation.
Eagle Heart also addressed the social implications of racism, sexism and spiritual degradation, noting how these issues contribute to the dehumanization of Indigenous people, as she experienced living in a racially tense environment.
“Being dehumanized also results in social and economic inequalities,” she said. “It fosters environments where violence against Indigenous peoples is normalized.”
Eagle Heart recounted her high school’s Warrior Homecoming Ceremony, where white students chose a “warrior princess” for the school play.
The white farming town where she attended high school put on a play where white children chose their role as a leader, medicine man or big chief. The big chief would then judge and select a non-Native warrior princess, according to Eagle Hear.
She criticized the perpetuation of Native American stereotypes through these school events.
In response to the “Warrior Homecoming Ceremony,” Eagle Heart protested her high school’s traditions until they were removed from the school.
“We would hold hands, and we would chant while playing drums to disrupt the play,” Eagle Heart said.
Through her decades of activism, Eagle Heart became a voice for the Oglála Lakota community in the media.
She was an executive producer on “Lakota Nation vs. The United States”, a documentary about a territorial dispute over HeSapa, an area the Lakota people call home.
She also worked on Crow: The Legend with John Legend to produce a story about community strength.
“I think it’s important to be a role model, to encourage and to do things differently even though they haven’t been done before,” Eagle Heart said.
Eagle Heart’s work focuses on promoting equality, culture and connectedness within Indigenous communities. As an Oglála Lakota storyteller and activist, she emphasizes the importance of cultural preservation.
Through her personal experiences of oppression and activism, Eagle Heart highlighted the significance of Indigenous storytelling in preserving tradition and challenging stereotypes.