Post by yellowhair1850 on Jun 4, 2011 12:39:19 GMT -5
Just then, Fighting Woman rode up, with two birds, a variety of which was unfamiliar to Jacob, and a rabbit. Still upon her pony, she looked down at him and held out the birds saying, “Take these wakiye. We will eat them tonight; the rabbit is for the morrow. And then you will ride, we have lost enough time because of your foolishness.”
Jacob made no reply at that time. Later, while he was plucking the feathers of the unidentified birds, he said, “I am sorry I slowed you down today, but tonight while we eat, will you tell me of yourself and of your people? I don’t even know what tribe you are with.”
For the first time since he had known her, Fighting Woman smiled before saying, !”“Damakota (I am Dakota).
They did not speak during dinner, but afterwards as they lay on their backs looking at the bright firmament, this is the narrative as spoken by Fighting Woman:
“Dakota means ally. There are four tribes within the Dakota, the Yankton, the Yanktonai, the Lakota, and the Santee Sioux. The first three tribes live in the west. We, the Santee Sioux inhabit the east. Within the Santee Sioux are four bands, the Mdewakanton, the Wahpeton, the Sisseton, and the Wahpekute. My people are of the Mdewakanton.
“We received the name Sioux from the Chippewa and the French. The Chippewa called us Nadonessiou, which means adder, or enemy. The French shortened the name to Sioux. But, we are the Dakota!
“Many winters ago, before my time, we lived at Knife Lake, Isantamde in my tongue. We were called the Isanyati, which in your tongue means Dwelling at the Knife. From that, the Wasichus called us the Santee Sioux. Nevertheless, I am Dakota!
“I will tell you one other thing of my people. I will tell you how we came to be in this world. And then, no more questions until we reach my village.
"In the beginning, before the creation of the Earth, the gods resided in the sky, and humans lived in darkness.
“Chief among the gods was Takuskanskan, the Sun, who is married to the Moon; he has one daughter, Wohpe.
“Old Man and Old Woman, whose daughter Ite is wife to Wind, with who she gave four sons, the Four Winds.
“Of the other spirits, the most important is Inktomi, the devious trickster. Inktomi conspired with Old Man and Old Woman to increase their daughter's status by arranging an affair between the Sun and Ite.
“The discovery of the affair by the Sun's wife lead to a number of punishments by Takuskanskan, who gave the Moon her own domain, and by separating her from the Sun created time.
“Old Man, Old Woman, and Ite were sent to Earth, but Ite was separated from Wind, her husband, who, along with the Four Winds and a fifth wind, the child of Ite, but not Wind, established space.
“The daughter of the Sun and the Moon, Wohpe, also fell to earth and later resided with the South Wind, and the two adopted the fifth wind, called Wamniomni.
“Alone on the newly formed Earth, some of the gods became bored, and Ite prevailed upon Inktomi to find her people, the Buffalo Nation. In the form of a wolf, Inktomi went beneath the earth and discovered a village of humans. Inktomi told them about the wonders of the Earth and convinced one man, Tokahe, to accompany him to the surface.
“Tokahe did so, and upon reaching the surface through a cave, saw the green grass and blue sky. Inktomi and Ite introduced Tokahe to buffalo meat and soup and showed him tipis, clothing, hunting clubs, and bows and arrows.
“Tokahe returned to the under world village and appealed to six other men and their families to go with him to the Earth's surface.
“When they arrived, they discovered that Inktomi has deceived them: buffalo were scarce, the weather had turned bad, and they found themselves starving. Unable to return to their home, but armed with a new knowledge about the world, they survived to become the founders of the Seven Council Fires."
Jacob asked, “The Seven Council Fires?” “Yes, Oæeti Œakowin; the Mdewakanton, the Wahpeton, the Wahpekute, the Sisseton, the Yankton, the Yanktonai, and the Lakota,” responded Fighting Woman before turning away from Jacob and falling asleep.
The next night as they ate, Jacob prevailed upon Fighting Woman to tell him more of her people. With a sigh and a shrug, she told him of White Buffalo Woman.
“After Tokahe lead the six families to the surface of the earth they wandered the earth for many winters. Sons were born and sons died. Winters passed, more winters than could be counted. This was before Oæeti Œakowin. Then we were not Dakota. Not until White Buffalo Woman did we become Dakota.
“Two scouts were hunting the buffalo when they came to the top of a small hill. A long way off, they saw the figure of a woman. As she approached, they saw that she was beautiful. She was young and wore a white buckskin dress, and carried a wakin on her back. One of the scouts had lustful thoughts and told the other. His friend told him that she was scared and to banish such thoughts.
“As the woman came up to them, she said to the one with the lustful thoughts, ‘If you would do what you are thinking, come forward.’ As the scout stood before the woman, a white cloud covered them from sight.
“Then the woman stepped from the cloud and it blew away. There on the ground, at the beautiful woman’s feet, was a pile of bones with worms crawling in and among them.
“The woman then told the other scout to go to his village and tell his people that she was coming, and for them to build a council tipi large enough to hold all the chiefs of the nation. She said ‘I bring a great gift to your people.’
“When the people heard the scout’s story, they constructed the lodge, and put on their finest clothing. Then they stood about the lodge and waited.
“When the woman came, they saw that she was beautiful. And as she entered the lodge, she sang a song:
‘With visible breath I am walking.
A voice I am sending as I walk.
In a sacred manner I am walking.
With visible tracks I am walking.
In a scared manner I walk.’
“Out of the wakin she withdrew a pipe. On one side of the pipe was carved a bison calf. ‘The bison represents the earth, which will house you and feed you,’ said White Buffalo Woman.
“From the wooden stem hung twelve eagle feathers. The chiefs were told, ‘The feathers represent the sky and the twelve moons. With this pipe you shall prosper. With this pipe you shall commune with Wakan Tan’ka. With this pipe you shall become the People. With this pipe you shall be bound with the Earth, for She is your mother, She is scared. With this pipe you shall be bound to your relatives. Only the good may lay hands on this pipe. The bad may not even see it.’
“Having given the pipe to the People, and having said what she had to say, she turned and walked four paces from the lodge and sat down.
“When she arose, she was a red-and-brown buffalo calf. She walked further, lay down, and came up as a white buffalo calf. Walking still further, she turned into a black buffalo and stood upon a hill. She turned to bow in the four directions of the four winds and then vanished.
“Before White Buffalo Woman we were as animals. Because of White Buffalo Woman we honor our mother the Earth; we honor our parents and grandparents. Because of White Buffalo Woman we honor the birds of the sky; we honor the beast of the earth. Because of White Buffalo Woman, we know that Wakan Tan’ka resides in all animals, in all trees and plants and rocks and stones. Wakan Tan’ka is in all. Because of White Buffalo Woman, we know that Wakan Tan’ka lives in each of us. Because of White Buffalo Woman we have become Dakota.”
When she had finished speaking, Fighting Woman smiled at Jacob for the second time since he had awakened from his illness. She then frowned and said, “Enough talk, it is time to sleep.” As Jacob lay looking at the stars, and before he fell asleep, he thought, “That girl should smile more often, she has a beautiful smile.”
Jacob made no reply at that time. Later, while he was plucking the feathers of the unidentified birds, he said, “I am sorry I slowed you down today, but tonight while we eat, will you tell me of yourself and of your people? I don’t even know what tribe you are with.”
For the first time since he had known her, Fighting Woman smiled before saying, !”“Damakota (I am Dakota).
They did not speak during dinner, but afterwards as they lay on their backs looking at the bright firmament, this is the narrative as spoken by Fighting Woman:
“Dakota means ally. There are four tribes within the Dakota, the Yankton, the Yanktonai, the Lakota, and the Santee Sioux. The first three tribes live in the west. We, the Santee Sioux inhabit the east. Within the Santee Sioux are four bands, the Mdewakanton, the Wahpeton, the Sisseton, and the Wahpekute. My people are of the Mdewakanton.
“We received the name Sioux from the Chippewa and the French. The Chippewa called us Nadonessiou, which means adder, or enemy. The French shortened the name to Sioux. But, we are the Dakota!
“Many winters ago, before my time, we lived at Knife Lake, Isantamde in my tongue. We were called the Isanyati, which in your tongue means Dwelling at the Knife. From that, the Wasichus called us the Santee Sioux. Nevertheless, I am Dakota!
“I will tell you one other thing of my people. I will tell you how we came to be in this world. And then, no more questions until we reach my village.
"In the beginning, before the creation of the Earth, the gods resided in the sky, and humans lived in darkness.
“Chief among the gods was Takuskanskan, the Sun, who is married to the Moon; he has one daughter, Wohpe.
“Old Man and Old Woman, whose daughter Ite is wife to Wind, with who she gave four sons, the Four Winds.
“Of the other spirits, the most important is Inktomi, the devious trickster. Inktomi conspired with Old Man and Old Woman to increase their daughter's status by arranging an affair between the Sun and Ite.
“The discovery of the affair by the Sun's wife lead to a number of punishments by Takuskanskan, who gave the Moon her own domain, and by separating her from the Sun created time.
“Old Man, Old Woman, and Ite were sent to Earth, but Ite was separated from Wind, her husband, who, along with the Four Winds and a fifth wind, the child of Ite, but not Wind, established space.
“The daughter of the Sun and the Moon, Wohpe, also fell to earth and later resided with the South Wind, and the two adopted the fifth wind, called Wamniomni.
“Alone on the newly formed Earth, some of the gods became bored, and Ite prevailed upon Inktomi to find her people, the Buffalo Nation. In the form of a wolf, Inktomi went beneath the earth and discovered a village of humans. Inktomi told them about the wonders of the Earth and convinced one man, Tokahe, to accompany him to the surface.
“Tokahe did so, and upon reaching the surface through a cave, saw the green grass and blue sky. Inktomi and Ite introduced Tokahe to buffalo meat and soup and showed him tipis, clothing, hunting clubs, and bows and arrows.
“Tokahe returned to the under world village and appealed to six other men and their families to go with him to the Earth's surface.
“When they arrived, they discovered that Inktomi has deceived them: buffalo were scarce, the weather had turned bad, and they found themselves starving. Unable to return to their home, but armed with a new knowledge about the world, they survived to become the founders of the Seven Council Fires."
Jacob asked, “The Seven Council Fires?” “Yes, Oæeti Œakowin; the Mdewakanton, the Wahpeton, the Wahpekute, the Sisseton, the Yankton, the Yanktonai, and the Lakota,” responded Fighting Woman before turning away from Jacob and falling asleep.
The next night as they ate, Jacob prevailed upon Fighting Woman to tell him more of her people. With a sigh and a shrug, she told him of White Buffalo Woman.
“After Tokahe lead the six families to the surface of the earth they wandered the earth for many winters. Sons were born and sons died. Winters passed, more winters than could be counted. This was before Oæeti Œakowin. Then we were not Dakota. Not until White Buffalo Woman did we become Dakota.
“Two scouts were hunting the buffalo when they came to the top of a small hill. A long way off, they saw the figure of a woman. As she approached, they saw that she was beautiful. She was young and wore a white buckskin dress, and carried a wakin on her back. One of the scouts had lustful thoughts and told the other. His friend told him that she was scared and to banish such thoughts.
“As the woman came up to them, she said to the one with the lustful thoughts, ‘If you would do what you are thinking, come forward.’ As the scout stood before the woman, a white cloud covered them from sight.
“Then the woman stepped from the cloud and it blew away. There on the ground, at the beautiful woman’s feet, was a pile of bones with worms crawling in and among them.
“The woman then told the other scout to go to his village and tell his people that she was coming, and for them to build a council tipi large enough to hold all the chiefs of the nation. She said ‘I bring a great gift to your people.’
“When the people heard the scout’s story, they constructed the lodge, and put on their finest clothing. Then they stood about the lodge and waited.
“When the woman came, they saw that she was beautiful. And as she entered the lodge, she sang a song:
‘With visible breath I am walking.
A voice I am sending as I walk.
In a sacred manner I am walking.
With visible tracks I am walking.
In a scared manner I walk.’
“Out of the wakin she withdrew a pipe. On one side of the pipe was carved a bison calf. ‘The bison represents the earth, which will house you and feed you,’ said White Buffalo Woman.
“From the wooden stem hung twelve eagle feathers. The chiefs were told, ‘The feathers represent the sky and the twelve moons. With this pipe you shall prosper. With this pipe you shall commune with Wakan Tan’ka. With this pipe you shall become the People. With this pipe you shall be bound with the Earth, for She is your mother, She is scared. With this pipe you shall be bound to your relatives. Only the good may lay hands on this pipe. The bad may not even see it.’
“Having given the pipe to the People, and having said what she had to say, she turned and walked four paces from the lodge and sat down.
“When she arose, she was a red-and-brown buffalo calf. She walked further, lay down, and came up as a white buffalo calf. Walking still further, she turned into a black buffalo and stood upon a hill. She turned to bow in the four directions of the four winds and then vanished.
“Before White Buffalo Woman we were as animals. Because of White Buffalo Woman we honor our mother the Earth; we honor our parents and grandparents. Because of White Buffalo Woman we honor the birds of the sky; we honor the beast of the earth. Because of White Buffalo Woman, we know that Wakan Tan’ka resides in all animals, in all trees and plants and rocks and stones. Wakan Tan’ka is in all. Because of White Buffalo Woman, we know that Wakan Tan’ka lives in each of us. Because of White Buffalo Woman we have become Dakota.”
When she had finished speaking, Fighting Woman smiled at Jacob for the second time since he had awakened from his illness. She then frowned and said, “Enough talk, it is time to sleep.” As Jacob lay looking at the stars, and before he fell asleep, he thought, “That girl should smile more often, she has a beautiful smile.”