2013
Dakota
38 + 2 Memorial Ride 2017
December
24th Day 15
Romona
Chezem
Night before Christmas...NDN Style
Twas the night before Christmas and all
thru the teepee
Not an eyelid was shut because nobody was sleepy.
The Wal-Mart bags were hung by the fire so neat,
Hoping Chief Nick would fill them up with smoked
meat.
The children were nestled all snug in their
bed
While visions of fry bread men danced in their
heads.
With Ulla in her kerchief and my hair braided
tight
We turned up the scanner to entertain us tonight.
Then all of a sudden a crash we did hear,
The rez dogs started barking but thats
the norm around here.
The moon on the breast of the new falling snow
Gave the luster of midday to my rez car below.
When what to my ndn eyes should appear
But an ndn sleigh with eight tiny reindeer!
With a little rez driver so stoic but quick
I knew in a moment it must be Chief Nick.
More rapid then Rez Ballers the reindeer they
came
And he pointed with his lips then called them
by name.
On Fancy Dancer, on Smoked Meat, on Thomas and
Victor,
On Back Strap, on Philbert, on Black Cloud and
Trixster;
Sshhh, land beside the teepee, quiet for good
reason
We have to be careful its deer hunting
season.
The stickers on his sleigh read "I love
baloney"
Another one read, "My other ride is a pony".
The one in the middle said NDN Power
There was duct tape and bailing wire holding
it together.
When they teepee flap opened I just hung my
head,
For I just finished off his stew and fry bread.
He was dressed in full regalia from his head
to his moccs,
His outfit fully beaded right down to his socks!
His huckleberry eyes twinkled, his braids were
like WOW!
You have to see it for yourself, he was just
somehow!
The stump of his peace pipe held tight in his
teeth
And the smoke signals encircled his head like
a wreath.
His face was kind of greasy and he was ndn size,
He had a commod bod only a skin could recognize.
He spoke not a word just flashed his Tribal
ID.
He left a block of cheese and new tape recorder
under the tree.
He left hand drums and blankets and round dance
CDs,
huckleberry pies and the new Northern Cree!
Then he pointed with his lips, gave a big hearty
AYYE!
And he danced out the door and jumped in his
sleigh.
I heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight
"Merry Christmas to all, lets round
dance tonight!"
... by - Unknown
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Mo
Nichols
The wind is speaking from the North this Morning!
There is a briskness accompanied by a momentarily
calmness. Grandfather Sun is slowly showing presence
to us and will bring a loving warmth upon Mother
Earth and our people. Creator let us hear our
messages,the ones our Ancestors are delivering
for us, the wisdom they are sharing so we may
gain the wisdom we need! May this be a sign of
the explosion of healing that is taking place
for so many. We know our prayers are being heard,and
we give many thanks for all you have given. Please
continue to protect and provide for all involved
in this amazing journey.
Blessings, love, gratitude, honor,respect,forgiveness,and
healing surround us all! Riders we love you,we
thank, you we support you,and we are with you
in spirit! Ride proud loving warriors. This day
is for those that were here before us, those of
us here now,and those that are coming! A'ho
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Elaine
L Bear
Many prayers for strength, and warmth, may
our prayers carry you through.
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Wayne
Watson
Christmas Eve wishes to the riders, Horses
and supporting staff! Creator watch over you and
protect you!
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Cece
Walter
Prayers and blessings for all the riders, horses
and support staff. Thank you for making this honorable
journey. Stay safe and warm. Much love and respect
to you all.
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Wayne
Watson
Planning to ride next year with your help and
the Creators help! I have asked the Creator and
I know in my heart the Creator will make a way!
Yakoke!
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Ramona
Gerber
A new morning has arrived here in Alaska
and while I have my first cup of coffe, I think
about the riders - how they are feeling &
I am sure emotions will be running high. The culmination
of all the days put behind you leads to this one
astonishing day that will will forever be with
you - remembering the final miles.
Ride proud Warriors & know Ancestors from
the past are with you. They have watched over
you from day 1.
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Sheryl
Dowlin
Tomorrow, as you ride into Mankato, we
will remember the 38+2 plus, Mr. Bud Lawrence,
a co-founder of the Mahkato Wacipi who crossed
over in late November. His spirit will be with
you.
Mitakuye
Oyasin
Bruce and Sheri Dowlin
Boise, ID
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Ingrid
Emitt
many blessings and riding in mind with you
all
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Maryanne
Merrick
Incredibly Soo Honoured too the riders and
breathtaking beauty of the horses. Soo healing
to Me.
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Silvie
Diet
Prayers from Germany
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Donna
Anderson
Aho and Amen!
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Eldora
Perank
Safe travels
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Audrey
Haas
God Bless you all. .
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Lynn
J Ceccarelli
New member shared her first post.
Blessings and prayers to all our riders and
horses. We are so proud of you.
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Donna
Anderson
Creator we ask that You would hear, bless,
and honor our prayers offered up over the Dakota
38+2
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Marilyn
Nored
Prayers and safe travels
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John
Leith Admin
merry christmas
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Members
Stories
Gloria Hazell-Derby
I have been asked to tell my Story, and so today
I will do so. It is long so part will be here
and part will be on a separate web page.
I
am English, I first came to America in 1981
with my, then, husband and 4 children. This
is a long story that surpasses 35+ years.
My ex taught computer languages at a college
in NJ, and his students often came round for
extra tuition and one day a young student gave
me a book and said 'I think you should have
this.' The book was Bury my Heart at Wounded
Knee, that book changed my life in ways I could
never have imagined.
Reading through the book in the next few weeks
I became, as most of you probably have if you
have read it, sad, angry, completely insensed
and confused as to how anyone could treat other
human beings, as the Natives of America had
been treated through the years. One thing that
most of you probably wouldn't have felt though
was recognition of a photo in that book, not
just of the photo but of the person themselves.
That photo took me around to many reservations
during the following years. That photo was of
Wambditanka, Big Eagle, a sub chief in 1862,
who was imprisoned in Davenport in 1862 for
2 years.
As we lived near to Princeton back then I went
to the library at the Uni a few times to check
out the history of the 1862 Dakota Uprising
as it was called back then, and so much rang
true with me and I had no idea why. Of course
there really wasn't a lot to read as the history
is sort of kept quiet. (As you probably know).
So every time my husband had a few days off
work we would travel out west, searching for
history. We went to Santee, Lower Sioux and
Upper Sioux, Flandreau, Sisseton, Crow Creek,
Lower Brule, and of course Pipestone.
In Santee I met a wonderful elder, who said
he was a 'handsome Isante', I said he was and
we got on fine. He had to have been in his 90's,
he had a great sense of humor and he remembered.
I wish I had met him a bit later down the line
because at that time I was not used to the Dakota
accent, and so probably lost a lot of what he
said because he spoke and laughed at the same
time, I can see heads nodding! I never recorded
anything, just took notes and wished later that
I had used a recording device. However it was
a start Big Eagle had been sent to Santee after
his prison time was up.
In Flandreau I found the book 'Mary and Me'
and a museum who allowed me to look through
old documents, and I found Big Eagle again.
He had been one of the Dakota from Santee who
started the Rez in Flandreau. As I said this
all happened after he was released from Davenport.
So I had to back track. I went to the Lower
Sioux and immediately felt I knew the area,
it was like coming home. I went to where the
'Uprising' began, and could hear voices in a
field however there was no-one there. I found
out later that was where the Dakota had got
together before they attacked the town. For
ages (I mean years) I couldn't go into the warehouse
there that is still standing. It scared me.
When I did eventually go in, it was OK, but
by then I knew the story.
Continued HERE
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Thanks
for the messages, keep sending them in please.
That's
it for today.... Prayers sent from me in England for
the Riders, the Horses, the Crews, the Communities who
feed and house the riders, crew and horses, the Supporters
worldwide and YOU... Mitakuye Oyasin
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