Misuse of Lakota ceremonies in TV show draws comments

Misuse of Lakota ceremonies in TV show draws comments

By Clara Caufield,

NSNT Staff Writer

 

LAME DEER, Mont. – As a result of the story in a recent issue related to the presentation of Lakota ceremonies portrayed on the Yellowstone TV series, Native Sun News Today received several comments.

First, Michele Shining Elk, Manager and Publicist for Mo Brings Plenty, the Oglala cultural advisor to Yellowstone got in contact. (How many average Indians do you know that have such a paid gal pal?) She expressed disappointment about the article because it stated that Brings Plenty could not be reached for comment. (In fact, several people such as Arvol Looking Horse, Mark Lonehill and myself attempted that, to no avail).

After the first article, in both email and via telephone she promised to “Make an interview with Mo happen.”  NSNT welcomed that opportunity, but to date, it has not happened and as of her last communication, she said that Mr. Brings Plenty feels that this writer is biased in favor of Looking Horse and thus does not wish to communicate. In that way, he is right. No self-respecting Lakota or Cheyenne will disregard the Man who carries the Pipe for us. We are happy to step into this controversy with one who knows and carries the old ways.

Second, Harold Salway, highly regarded Oglala leader is standing with Arvol Looking Horses’ concerns.

Harold Salway grew up in a traditional way. He is a first language speaker of the Lakota language and traces his lineage to a first cousin to Crazy Horse’s camp on his father’s side and maternal lineage to Chief Red Cloud. The Salway name is white connection, from an Irish/French great-great-great-grandfather.

Salway has been active in Indian Affairs at many levels since the 1970’s, a keen student who had opportunity to learn from many spiritual elders from the Lakota Nation.

“That was when I quit being crazy. My Dad asked me what I was going to do, suggesting:  serve your people, protect the women, children and elders.  So, I put on the badge of a protector in 1975.”

In additional to growing up in a traditional community in Bear Creek, Salway has been chosen to serve his people in tribal government beginning in 1986, as 5^thh member, tribal council member, vice-president, and President consecutively also active at the Federal level including on the Founding Board of Trustee’s for the National Museum of the American Indian, with his appointment in 1987. In 1998 shortly after being elected to a second term as Tribal President, he hosted a meeting with President Clinton who came to Pine Ridge with the Secretary of Housing Andrew Cuomo, Agriculture Dan Glickman, and Assistant Sec of Interior Kevin Gover, and approximately 70 Tribal Leaders, a historic event.

Finally in 1990, elders from the Lakota Nation put him into the position of traditional Headsman (commonly known as a Chief). Salway acknowledges Oglala Headmen such as Joe American Horse; Mel Lonehill; Paul Iron Cloud; Wilber Between Lodges as well as the Elders Council, sixteen elderly men seven of whom were over 90 years old. They met on a regular basis met for years. “I learned a lot from those elders, history, pre-treaty, social, political, economics, ceremonial protocol etc.”

Salway has also worked with Arvol Looking Horse for many decades. “He is our Head Man, akin to a Pope” Salway noted. “A hard road to walk.”

In 1990 Gerald One Feather and he went to Canada to research forms of traditional government investigating roles and responsibilities, in which the “whip” society was to maintain control of violations of tradition, custom, social, political, spirituality etc. “We need to revitalize this tradition,” Salway stresses.

“Many today do not have the depth and breadth of knowledge that is necessary to behave properly in a traditional way,” he concludes.

Salway has since changed his name back to Left Heron, his Oglala name. “When you tell somebody something, you must verify where you got your knowledge from, but nowadays that is not always true. Many cannot verify how they got the right to be a headsman, medicine man, Tiospaye (community of families) coordinator/director, whip man, society leader, announcer, etc. So, you have people in L.A., New York, overseas making big money off our religion, culture, history, language, etc.

During our research of traditional government when we started in 1990, we found out there were17 bands of Sioux in Canada and fifteen in the US, and 40 Tiospaye’s in Canada and forty-two in the US. Today there could be over a million Sioux in this world,” he explained. “However, many are providing mis-information about our sacred way, exploiting it, profiting from it. Yellowstone is just one example of that.

“I know the Brings Plenty family very well; they are my relatives and some of us have questioned Mo’s behavior – just one example of this problem. Arvol has asked if we should hold a meeting in Oglala country because that is where his parents and some Elders are from – when things are wrong, you should not be afraid to deal with it. That is when you try to hold relatives accountable.’

“What happened on Yellowstone, was not proper, they should have gotten approval and more guidance from the relatives and his Tiospaye. I disagree with what was done there. There are traditional ways to make this right, but if not, things can “come back on you or your family which may result in many harmful ways that will impact the relatives and tiospaye”.  We should call him back into the circle and help him learn from this by setting up a Tiospaye gathering with the leadership and other relatives that have the status of holding the position of society leadership. He is only one going wrong and maybe it is not his fault and could be addressed by the relatives back home. This situation gives opportunity to address this problem, there are many of our relatives that are out there exploiting our culture, religion, history, language, etc. that need to be held accountable. How else are we to stop the shame of who we are, I know the ways of our people fairly well to state these things and can attest to who taught me the things I learned and can give you names of the witnesses who saw what I saw of the miracles, the teachings of our way of life, the songs and music, the languages, and the kinships.  I am only a man, but I know of what I speak to in a sacred manner, Hau Hecetu Yelo!”

 

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

The post Misuse of Lakota ceremonies in TV show draws comments first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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