Asked what percentage of their tribe’s members are affected by meth addiction the youth group members all agreed: “at least 90 percent.” Zephier said, “Everyone’s affected; everyone has a relative or a friend that’s meth addicted – someone they love – it might even be a grandparent; it’s an epidemic on our reservation, it really is, it’s like a wave that’s hit us and it’s overwhelming us – and no one wants to talk about it, and it’s growing in silence.”

“There’s dealers in every community,” an NAYSS member said. “We have three main communities and at least 15 dealers. Everyone knows who they are, even the tribal police chief, but we’re all related, and no one wants to tell on their own families.”

Among the most harrowing statistics revealed at the summit was the number 280. That’s the number of houses the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s SWA housing authority says it has had to vacate and subject to a thorough chemical wash designed to remove the lethally toxic residues built up into the wall, ceilings, floors and duct-work of houses where meth has been in regular use. Very often, a house has been vacated and cleaned several times.

During her presentation to start Friday’s afternoon session, North American Inter-Tribal Drug Task Force founding member Kelly King, a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, made a passionate plea. “Most importantly, our focus should be to rescue, defend, shelter and support our children … all drug endangered children are at risk. What we are seeing with children exposed to meth is damage to their genetic code.” King explained that the damage is trans-generational. “The damage to that child will show up in her grandchildren’s genes”

Citing a host of congenital developmental issues, King, a drug-endangered child and ICWA specialist, said: “These children have no choice in what is going on in their parents lives. A lot of them will not survive. These chemicals are so damaging to them that even if they do survive they face lives of severe physical pain and multiple surgeries undertaken to repair the problems caused by these drugs.

“The life of a drug endangered child is a life of chaos. Natural bonding and attachment patterns are severely disrupted. There are no boundaries or limits; they’re exposed to pornography; sexual and physical abuse …” King went on to recite a litany of social and criminal justice issues that await the drug endangered child as he or she goes through life.

Concluding, King pleaded with those in attendance: “The enemy is in our camp. We must take care of this! We’re the only ones who can!” Visibly shaken, nearly everyone in attendance gave King a powerful affirmation for speaking what they felt was an unvarnished truth. Several present asked how they could help.

James Iron Shell, Director of the North American Inter-Tribal Task Force, likened these “Methamphetamine Awareness Summits” to congressional field hearings. “These are just the opening forays. The road is a long and hard one. Right now we’re gathering information on the enemy.”

The March summit at Ft. Randall Casino was the third of its kind, following a January 14 summit held at the Wapka Sica Building in Ft. Pierre, South Dakota, and one held February 25 and 26 at the Spirit Lake Casino & Resort, Fort Totten, North Dakota. The February summit was sponsored and hosted by the Spirit Lake Tribal Council and tribal Chairwoman Myra Pearson.