Ben Black Elk Speaks Preserves Lakota Oral History for Future Generations

http://makeashorterlink.com/?B24412545

VOA

Jim Kent
Rapid City, South Dakota
13 Jul 2003, 01:08 UTC


Lakota holy man
Black Elk grew up at
the end of the 19th
century. His
participation in the
1876 Battle of the
Little Bighorn and the
Wounded Knee
Massacre in 1890
made him a vital link to the days when
Native Americans still roamed freely
across the Great Plains. But it was his
vision for the future of his people, which
he experienced at the age of nine, which
raised him above other spiritual leaders
and made him a legend among the
Lakota. His wisdom and memories were
recorded by poet and scholar John
Niehardt 70 years ago and have since
become required reading for anyone
interested in Native American culture.
Now, the wisdom and memories of
Black Elk's son, Ben, have been
recorded for a new generation.

"Well, I am Black Elk. Ben. The son of
the famous Indian that you read so much
about in Black Elk Speaks. And, I've
come a long ways. And I've known the
world by experience," says the recording.

During the spring of 1931, Ben Black Elk
translated his father's words for writer
John Neihardt. In the years that followed,
and particularly after his father's death in
1950, Ben Black Elk became one of the
last links to the "old ways" of his people.
He often visited local schools to retell
traditional stories of Lakota history and
culture to students. Some of those
sessions were recorded by Lakota
educator Warfield Moose, Sr., who
entrusted the tapes to his son in 1996

Susan Bordeaux Bettelyoun's "With My Own Eyes," for example.

People should put more faith in oral transmission. Just because something is documented on paper doesn't mean it is any more valid than any other historical source.

I use these sources in my profession. They help to see through the Eurocentrism of Euro/American sources...they are great.

"We always had plenty; our children never cried from hunger,neither were our people in want...The rapids of the Rock River furnished us with an abundance of excellent fish, and the land being very fertile, never failed to produce good crops of corn, beans, pumpkins and sauashes...Here our village stood for more than a hundred years, during all of which time we were the undisputed possessors of the Mississippi Valley...Our village was healthy and there was no place in the contry possessing such advantages, nor hunting grounds better than those we had in possession. If a prophet had come to our village in the those days and told us that the things were to take place which have since come to pass, noneof our people wouldd have believed him." (date unknown)

"It was lonesome, the leaving. Husband dead, friends buried or held prisoners. I felt that I was leaving all that I had but I did not cry. You know how you feel when you lose kindred and friends through sickness--death. You do not care if you die. With us it was worse. Strong men, well women and little children killed and buried. They had not done wrong to be so killed. We had only asked to be left in our own homes, the homes of our ancestors. Our going was with heavy hearts, broken spirits. But we would be free...All lost, we walked silentl on into the wintry night." WETATONMI--NEZ PERCE

"What treaty that the whites heave kept has the red man broken? Not one.
What treaty that the white man ever made with us have they kept" Not one.
When I was a boy the Sioux owned the world; the sun rose and set on their land; they sent ten thousand men to battle. Where are the warriors today? Who slew them? Where are our lands? Who owns them? What white man can say I ever stole his land or a penny of his money? Yet, they say I am a thief. What white woman, however lonely, was ever captive or insulted by me? Yet they say I am a bad Indian. What white man has ever seen me drunk? Who has ever come to me hungry and unfed? Who has ever seen me beat my wives or abuse my children? What law havie I broken? Is it wrong for me to love my own? Is it wicked for me because my skin is red? Because I am a Sioux; because I was born where my father lived; because I would die for my people and my country?"

And nothing about the "white man" has changed. And in the after-life, will he not be held accountable? Ward919

Thanks for our history.

I searched the VOA site but didn't see any info on where to purchase copies of the CD>

eom

Lakota Dakota Home Page: Arts and Artists Music and Musicians
... their music. Ben Black Elk Speaks: This site provides information
on a CD of Ben Black Elk speaking about Lakota tradition. Ben ...
puffin.creighton.edu/lakota/index_arts.html - 25k - Cached - Similar pages


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