“The Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship has given me an opportunity to continue to learn and work in the field of tribal justice,” says Lisa Yellow Luger. “It has given me the confidence to continue to pursue my interests and utilize my knowledge and experience in a way that is meaningful to me.”
Lisa Yellow Luger (Standing Rock Sioux) is among the first cohort of the Luce Indigenous Knowledge fellows, who spent much of the fellowship period researching landmark cases, statutes, and executive orders that changed the legal landscape for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
In 2020, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations, in partnership with the Henry Luce Foundation (Luce), awarded 10 $50,000 fellowships to support Indigenous knowledge holders and knowledge makers dedicated to creating positive community change. The Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship is a 12-month, self-directed enrichment program that provides fellows with the funding and connections necessary to maximize their potential and spark significant innovation and transformation in their communities.
Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow: Lisa Yellow Luger
Lisa Yellow Luger (Standing Rock Sioux) is among the first cohort of Luce Indigenous Knowledge fellows. Luger is a Tribal Justice Specialist and has served as a consultant for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s judicial system. Additionally, she raises cattle and works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
During the fellowship period, Luger hoped to work with her tribe to develop a culturally appropriate model of justice in her community. As part of this project, she planned to interview tribal elders and historians about the Dakota and Lakota justice system and travel to other reservations to examine their legal frameworks.
“Ultimately, I wanted to learn more about my culture,” says Luger. “I wanted to have in-depth conversations about the history and people of Standing Rock. I wanted to find a way to apply the lessons from the past to the problems of the present.”
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented Luger from interviewing tribal elders or traveling to other tribal communities. Instead, she spent much of the fellowship period researching landmark cases, statutes, and executive orders that changed the legal landscape for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST). Luger will use this research, as well as the many training workshops she attended, to help strengthen and perhaps re-shape her tribe’s legal system.
“The Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship has given me an opportunity to continue to learn and work in the field of tribal justice,” says Luger. “It has given me the confidence to continue to pursue my interests and utilize my knowledge and experience in a way that is meaningful to me.”
Luger Ranch where Lisa and her family raise cattle.
Community Background and Impact
Luger was born and raised on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation that straddles the North Dakota and South Dakota border. Luger lives in Fort Yates, North Dakota in the Long Soldier district with her husband and two children.
The Standing Rock Sioux reservation is the fifth largest reservation in the U.S. covering approximately 2.3 million acres with nearly one million acres under tribal/federal jurisdiction. The reservation is comprised of rolling hills and vast prairies ideal for cattle ranching and grazing. Luger and her family raise commercial Red Angus cattle.
Luger also works for the USDA. She is a program specialist and serves as a liaison between the federal government and the USDA 1994 Tribal Land-Grant Colleges and Universities Program, as well as the communities they serve. According to Luger, her interest in agriculture eventually led her to a career in law, as she realized she needed a law degree to better serve her community.
In 2018, Luger graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in legal studies. Shortly after graduating, the SRST hired Luger to develop a comprehensive tribal justice program. Between 2018 and 2019, Luger established an advisory board, interviewed community members, created a community survey, and researched and collected data.
“There are so many different needs in our community,” says Luger. “We just don’t have enough people available to fill in all the gaps. I saw a need in my community and wanted to do my part and contribute in some way.”
Tribal Justice
The Standing Rock Sioux reservation was established by the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 and has been reduced in several ways over the past two centuries. In many ways, the reservation system was intended to extinguish Indigenous cultures, languages, and lifeways. Luger is interested in examining how western society has impacted tribal justice.
In the Dakota and Lakota society, tribal concepts of justice and reform looked much different than western justice systems. Tribal governments traditionally operated by consensus, a slow and deliberate decision-making process that included all tribal members. There were no jails, prisons, or death sentences. These are some ways that the tribal justice system looked different.
Luger’s goal is to research traditional methods of conflict resolution and consider how to best merge traditional and western forms of justice. She is currently working with the SRST to find alternative systems of justice such as rehabilitation, restoration, and reintegration into the community.
The Luger family is pictured.
Once it is safe to meet in person, Luger will start interviewing tribal elders and historians about the traditional forms of justice in the Dakota and Lakota society. She will also travel to tribal communities in Oklahoma, Nebraska, California, and Arizona to learn more about their tribal justice systems.
Although the pandemic prevented Luger from accomplishing many of the goals, she set for herself during the fellowship year, she notes that it helped her lay the groundwork for next year. Recently, Luger also enrolled at the University of Arizona Native Nations Institute to deepen her knowledge of Native nation-building and learn more about culturally appropriate ways to self-govern.
“Ambitious or not, I see that my tribe needs a stronger tribal government,” says Luger. “One that better reflects the interests, values, and customs of the people. One that is managed with greater oversight, with diverse forms of justice, policing, and court systems.”
Words of Gratitude
As part of the Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship, the inaugural cohort of fellows were expected to meet in-person three times a year to network, share, and engage with one another. At convenings, fellows engage in rich conversations about topics relevant and helpful to Indigenous knowledge bearers and knowledge makers.
Lisa Yellow Luger was born and raised on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation.
The Luce fellows met for the first time in Boulder, Colorado, in early February 2020. Weeks later, many states began closing because of the pandemic. Like many people, First Nations and Luce switched to an online format. Fellows met several times on Zoom during the year. Sessions included: Social Change, Becoming an Indigenous Leader, Addressing Trauma & Healing, Managing People/Projects, Restorative Justice, and Publishing a Book.
Convening together helped fellows’ foster moral support with peer intellectuals in fields outside their own and make connections that may otherwise be rarely available to them. Luger remarked that the knowledge, expertise, and wisdom they shared of their projects, as well as their traditional heritage and cultures, has been inspiring.
“The group discussions, meetings, and team-building projects helped expand my viewpoints,” says Luger. “I heard their stories and learned about their families. I listened to them speak about their cultural connections and how deep those roots are. I feel the strength that they have, and that gives me strength.”
Like many of the other fellows, Luger notes that the Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellowship has been life-changing. She says, “This has been an incredible experience and the opportunity of a lifetime. I am deeply appreciative to First Nations and Luce for selecting me for this fellowship and allowing me to continue working on projects that directly contribute to my community.”
