If languages are alive and have a spirit, then English is my boss, while Dakhóta is more like a nice dream it’s hard to remember. All you know is that something about it made you happy.
-- Sissy as Narrator (Part 1: Naming Ceremony: Sissy ~ 1960s)

Importance: These words represent the depth of what was taken from the Dakhóta people as well as countless other people from other Indigenous tribes. In an attempt to wipe out Indigenous culture, teachers at Indian Boarding Schools refused to allow the children to speak in their native languages. Per the words above, English tells Sissy what she can do, but her native language is what truly brings her happiness. By stating this, Sissy reveals that true happiness is most easily found in one’s own culture.

That’s right, I’m Lillian, too, named after Mama because she said we have to have a Lillian in every generation. But later that night...
-- Sissy as Narrator (Part 1: Naming Ceremony: Sissy ~ 1960s)