"Being Lakota is a matter of mind." -- New Lakota Dictionay

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The words are "lakhotapi kin wichothawachin ekta yelo" and as I learn the language I find them to be true. I can now read the words and know what many of them mean. I have nearly completed my inter-lineal translation of all the published stanzas of George Sword and it has brought me to a place I could never have imagined. I have seen the Blue Water Creek (mni tho wakpala) country and the lakes at its head in images on the internet and it is wonderful country. It was their birthing ground in the old days. Red Cloud was born there. Most of the children of Smoke were probably born there. I imagine that John Shangrau and his older brother Julian Louis Shangrau were born there. And, in 1855, the "hornet" Harney was there also. There is a stain on the land and blood in the water. The goal of extermination began on mni tho wakpala and killing pte was the means to rob them of their life and denigrate them to the point where they are now. I pity the wasicu. Like John Dunbar who became Dances With Wolves, I no longer consider myself one of them. In my mind I am lakhota, which, as I translate and parse the syllables, I think of myself as "of them who regard affectionate inclusion as the highest attainment" and, if I could make amends for the atrocity I would do it. I know in great detail what happened back then and it sickens me. And what happened at Standing Rock recently sickens me. Those of the deeds of the wasicu and I renounce them.

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James Riley Walker was such a man and was profoundly changed by his contact with the Lakota. And anyone who disparages his name or his memory knows not of whom they speak. Read his words and then we can speak more of him. Elaine Jahner thought very highly of him and her solo book on the mythology is wonderful and very descriptive of how George Sword presented his case for the adulteration of his language with his essay on Stone Boy. Delphine Red Shirt, a direct descendant of Red Shirt speaks highly of James Riley Walker and praises him for having been given the great honor of helping to preserve Lakota language and culture. Without James Riley Walker we would know little of George Sword and the world would be poorer for it.

[dT]

Georg .. talk to the tribe. Perhaps you can be adopted. Surely the Lakota must have a ceremony for this?

Best Wishes,
dT

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Thanks for the idea dT. Yes, they do have an adoption ceremony. It is called hunka. From my reading they have a tradition of inclusiveness. But I think a person has to be invited and I may not be tiyospaye material. And even if they would want me, I no longer am able to travel further than the doctor's office. It would have to be done "in absentia" and that seems more than a little foolish. It -- how they make someone hunka -- is written up in one of the books about James Riley Walker if you are interested. Lakota Belief I think is the title. As I recall its the horses tails thing.