Biography
of Chuck Derby, (Running Elk)
2006
Isle of Wight
Chuck
Derby was born in Pipestone Indian School hospital, Minnesota
to Ethel (nee Crow) and Harvey in February, 1941 and he has
continued to live there ever since. According to tradition,
as the family's first born son he inherited the name Chaske.
Which has since been mutated to Chuck or Charlie.
After
attending Pipestone High school, and Haskell Institute (a
post-graduate vocational school for Native Americans,) in
Lawrence, Kansas, Mr Derby worked in general construction
and natural gas pipeline construction before he began working
for the Pipestone National Monument as a general laborer in
1963. He was promoted to Maintenance Supervisor in 1967 and
continued in that position until he retired in 1994.
In his personal life Chuck has been working in the quarries
since his father first took him there as a small child. He
often says that he thought he was playing when he filled his
little buckets up with dirt, when he was about five, and it
wasn’t until the buckets got bigger and heavier that he realized
that this was not playing, but something much harder. He has
also been pipemaking for over 40 years, another skill passed
down to him from his father. By continuing the quarrying and
pipemaking he is following in the footsteps of his father,
grandfather, and ancestors, who quarried prior to the 1860's.
Mr Derby has been a lifelong adherent to traditional values,
and has served on many Native American committees and Boards,
dealing with various things regarding historical and traditional
Native American issues. Not least of these issues involve
the quarries, pipemaking and ceremonials. He has been to Washington
DC to testify to Congress on behalf of the Native Americans
who use the Pipe. In recent years Chuck has served as the
elected spokesperson for the Original Pipestone Dakota Tiospaye.
In the 1970's Chuck appeared in the film, 'Hiawatha Pioneer
Trail' demonstrating both quarrying and pipemaking. His most
recent movie experiences include 'Minnesota
River and Fields' in May 2000. Among other venues Chuck
participated in was the Festival of Nations in Minnepolis,
where many countries exhibited their own unique crafts. He
has exhibited in the Minnesota Historical Society at the State
Capitol in St Paul and also at the Iowa State Fair in Des
Moines, in the 70's where over 60,000 people visited his exhibit.
In 1972 he again demonstrated his work at the Second World
Conference on National Parks, where over 90 countries were
represented, and at the Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha. He has been
presenting cultural educational programs with his life and
working partner Gloria since 1994.
At the request of Native American elders, Chuck was given
the honor of carving an exact replica of the original pipe
of the respected Oglala Lakota, Crazy Horse, which was to
be used for special purposes at the Crazy Horse Monument in
the Black Hills, where he had participated in a Pipe ceremony
with Arvol Looking Horse, Charles and Godfrey Chips, Ruth
Ziolkowski, (the wife of sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski,) and
others. Through the years of working with pipestone and making
ceremonial pipes Chuck has associated with many Native American
elders, spiritual leaders and medicine men, in 1998 he was
adopted by the Lakota Spiritual leader Joseph Flying Bye as
his son, which was a great honor. He was taught many things
by Joe as well as the spiritual leader, the late Amos Owens.
By knowing these people he has learned a lot of cultural and
spiritual lessons. Due to these ancient teachings he has been
able to incorporate traditions into his everyday life, just
as his ancestors did many years ago.
In
September 2006, Chuck participated in a unique ceremony on
the Isle of Wight, UK, with a Druid. The two cultures wove
their ceremonies around each other in a respectful way. It
was quite amazing the way the two cultures complemented each
other. After the ceremonies Chuck and Gloria spoke at a school
about cultural values.
|
Chuck
in his younger years dancing at a powwow with his children,
Diana and Ray.
|
|
Chuck
recently after lecturing at Mankato State University.
|
|
Chuck's
adoptive father Joe Flying Bye on a visit to Chuck in
1995.
Grandpa Joe crossed over to the Spirit world, June
22, 2000. He will be missed.
Please click on Grandpa's photo to find information
on his teachings. (Center Records)
|
"Tunkasila
wamayang u ye, Tunkasila wamayang u ye, Tunkasila wamayang
u ye hey oh, Ikce wicasa ta cannunpe wan, Yuha hoye
wa yelo hey, Mitakuye ob wani kyelo, Heyaya hoye wa
yelo hey oh."
|
August
2010 - Sadly Chuck passed away from Pancreatic Cancer on the
7th August. He had been diagnosed only 4 months prior to his
passing. It was a shock to us all that he had such a short
while to be with us. He is greatly missed.
He
is buried in his beloved Pipestone in sight of the Pipestone
Quarries that he loved so much.
|