The Dakota Scout

The Dakota Scout

Share this post

The Dakota Scout
The Dakota Scout
Flandreau tribal leader strikes conciliatory tone in substantive speech
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
State Politics

Flandreau tribal leader strikes conciliatory tone in substantive speech

Cyndi Allen-Weddell delivered the State of the Tribes Address Wednesday to the Legislature

Austin Goss's avatar
Austin Goss
Jan 10, 2024
∙ Paid
48

Share this post

The Dakota Scout
The Dakota Scout
Flandreau tribal leader strikes conciliatory tone in substantive speech
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
1
Share
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Vice President Cyndi Allen-Weddell delivers the 2024 State of the Tribes Address to the South Dakota Legislature. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — Cyndi Allen-Weddell’s remarks to a joint session of the state Legislature Wednesday came as a surprise to her – she filled in for her boss President Tony Reider, whose plans to deliver the speech changed on short-notice due to travel delays.

“I’m nervous, as you can tell,” Allen-Weddell said, as she stumbled through her introduction. 

But what followed was an issue-driven address that topped off a harmonious day between tribal leaders and state government – called by a number of lawmakers in attendance the “best State of the Tribes Address they had ever seen.”

Allen-Weddell, whose roughly 20-minute speech fell well short in length compared to the tribal addresses of the past, spoke about the issues that the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe had tackled or was still looking to find a solution for in 2024. 

READ: The 2024 State of the Tribes address

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The Dakota Scout to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 The Dakota Scout
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More