I want you all to try to help us and get the traders to help us. When I go up to the post I am afraid. I do not walk straight along and shake hands with everybody because I am afraid. I want you to arrange all that so that I can go along to the fort without being afraid. ‒LONG MANDAN, FORT SULLY, AUGUST 31, 1867

Our Great Father sends a man here to be our agent, and he comes here but does not stay with us, and is away when we want him. Now give us a chance to select our own agent, who will stay with us and not run away from us. Give us a chance to pick out the men we want. ‒TWO BEARS, FORT RICE, JULY 2, 1868

When I read through the list of names,  I was drawn to the name I a wi ca ka ... I began to imagine what he thought of Article 5 and the unknown unnamed agent whose responsibilities would so heavily impact the people living under the guidelines of the treaty. ‒KAREN PRATT, CROW CREEK SIOUX TRIBE, 2019

After the treaty was signed, the Goverment Agent made village settlements across the reservation. When I was a little boy, the village of Kyle was small. They had a doctor, a police station and a government office. At this time they would call the government agent a boss farmer. ‒RICHARD RED OWL, OGLALA SIOUX TRIBE, 2019

In my piece I tried to express how I think the reservation agents actually treated the native people. Sleeping, ignoring the lines of Native Americans with real concerns standing right outside their door. But that was not only a problem in 1868, it's a modern problem. ‒CHARLES HER MANY HORSES, ROSEBUD SIOUX TRIBE, 2019

Article 5. AGENT as DETECTIVE

The agent is to live in the agency building, investigate all complaints by and against Oceti Sakowin citizens, and forward the information gathered to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs who, subject to revision by the Secretary of the Interior, shall decide all cases.

ARTICLE 5. The United States agrees that the agent for said Indians shall in the future make his home at the agency-building; that he shall reside among them, and keep an office open at all times for the purpose of prompt and diligent inquiry into such matters of complaint by and against the Indians as may be presented for investigation under the provisions of their treaty stipulations, as also for the faithful discharge of other duties enjoined on him by law. In all cases of depredation on person or property he shall cause the evidence to be taken in writing and forwarded, together with his findings, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, whose decision, subject to the revision of the Secretary of the Interior, shall be binding on the parties to this treaty.