5
Permission.
The first word of this book. Without permission from the
“spirits” nothing can be accomplished.
There is no power revealed in this book that is not already within you.
It must also be qualified; no one who reads this will be a medicine man
or woman automatically. Medicine men are born not made.
Reading this book should help you to become a better human being. That is
all.
************************************************************
It is important for readers to understand how this book came to be. In 1986, I
was introduced to the Rev. Dr. Claude-Marie Barbour (Catholic Theological
University) and her interdenominational mission group SHALOM. Claude-
Marie connected me to someone who could answer many of my questions.
From 1986 until his death in 1990, Gilbert Yellow Hawk, a
Sicangu
(member
of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe) medicine man from St. Francis, SD was a
mentor to me in my return to my cultural traditions. Gilbert and his wife,
Ollie, enjoyed the fact that I was in graduate school, spoke
Lakota
and was
truly interested in living the
Lakota
way of Life. It was with his prodding that
I began to compile my research on
Lakota
spirituality with the thought that
I might one day put it to use. It was also at a
Lowanpi
(Singing) Ceremony
with him that I received permission from the spirits to complete this book. I
wasn’t sure that I would ever finish this, but I began to see a need for it when
I started working with our young people.
What I was searching for as an adult and what I realized I was denied because
of the US government’s ban on our religion and culture was the same thing
that I saw these young people looking for as well. Since I began teaching
Lakota
History and Culture courses at the college and in my instructions
with students at the elementary and high school levels, I experienced a need
for this book. My purpose, therefore, in writing this book is to share with the
Lakota
people, especially the students in my classes and in the schools on
the reservation, the information that was withheld from all of us when our
tradition and culture was prohibited. It is our birthright and should not be
hidden from us any longer.
When I moved home to Kyle, South Dakota, I spent a great deal of time
visiting with Johnson Last Horse (an uncle of mine). The bulk of this
material is taken from discussions with him during 1992. It is the Way of the
Sundance combined with some of the old stories.
All of the Information is translated and interpreted by the author.
