Poems from the road.....
I wrote the first one in the 1980's after driving towards Eagle Butte on Hwy 212. This is where you can enjoy the plains in all of its glory. Espically in the spring and there has been a lot of rain and the grasses have grown tall. It looks like a green sea. I love this time of year and want to be there on driving. What is so great is the beauty and the fact that I'm driving towards a meeting with family. What a wonderful sence of freedom can find you.
The second was also written about the same place when I observed the hawks.
Prairie Wind
Wind across the prairie,
blowing, intertwining,
touching everything
in its breath
caressing each blade of grass
as it passes whispering to the flowers
weaving through the branches
moving,
ever moving
flowing over all
creating the beautiful music
for the dancing of the grasses
green and green and green some more
it awakes me to my reality
reminds me of my tomorrows
my thoughts are as the wind
the wind as it is
the substance of the high plains
the strength of the land
my dreams are as the wind
cascading across the night
seeping into my sleep
caressing my thoughts
blowing the past into my memory
whispering about the future
the wind ever moving
ever changing
ice in winter
fire in summer
the wind the music
of the high plains
it makes the land sing
I know the song it is written in my heart
and the heart of my people
hear it softly sing
it whispers
listen to the whisper
it tells of our loved ones
who heard its voice
and have gone on
to walk upon the clouds
hear its mournful cry
crying for our people
it tells of places and
old forgotten names
names that still call out
the existence of our land
wind you are the freedom
that was stolen long ago
you blow it in our faces
whisper it in our dreams
the freedom that is still there
if we want to take it
reach out and grasp it
let our hearts flow
let us join our brothers
as they fly using the wind
to roam across the sky
sky and earth joined together
by the breath of our creator
who blows his blessing upon us
the wind
the beautiful wind
blowing across forever
Mary Lee Johns
Hawk
I fly on Hawk wings caught up
on strong currents across this mighty land.
Looking down my heart grows heavy
I see black ribbons that slash the earth.
I search for my strong black brother he is gone.
Only small herds of his children are left
In prisons of green pastures.
I search for and listen for the howl of my wise
gray brother and hear his song no more.
I search for my red brother and find him huddled
in lost dreams and hovels of loneliness.
The land is lonely for her children
who once fed upon her bosom and bounty.
Only feeble, weak little creatures are left,
their hearts and spirits are strange and sorrowful.
They do not know the language of our songs.
The strong and powerful who knew the songs of our land
have been cast aside driven out by strangers.
My wings grow weary in my search. I find only emptiness
the wind cries for our losses and I am alone.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Lakota Concept of the Family
The Lakota Family
These are excerts taken from a much larger paper I wrote for a class I took on the Family at the University of Lincoln.
The Lakota world had order and structure, decisions were made through consensus and because harmony was essential no one was ever forced to follow against their will. The social organizations were built around the intricate needs of the families and their relationships to each and were based upon long standing traditions developed over a long period of time. Although the individual was important the needs of the family was paramount. Individuals were always happiest when they were with their families—to be isolated was worse then death.
The family was a closely related group of siblings working together to assure the survival of their children and relatives. In their closeness lay their strength.
"…The Sioux conceived the family as an ever-living yet ever changing entity. As a body of individuals related through descent, it was enduring. Membership was a matter of consanguinity where each person reckoned his affiliation with respect to lineage of grandparents and parents, and with relatives—uncles and aunts, brothers, sisters, and cousins. While the individual might literally choose between belonging to his father's or mother's family, he was nevertheless, a member of both families.." (Hassrick 1964).
"The core of all kinship training" was the correct teaching of behavior and loyalty that was to be shown between brothers and sisters and boy and girl cousins. It was the responsibility of the boys to never "…embarrass his girl relatives but strive to only spare them and make them happy." They were taught, "Your sisters and cousins depend on you, and you must never fail them…" They were also responsible, as men, to train the sons of their female relatives in the ways of becoming warriors. In this way they continued to show honor to the "women of their generation who (they) had been taught to respect, protect, and aid." (Deloria 1988).
Girls were trained to always place their brothers and sisters and cousins above everyone else. A sister was the proper woman who carried her brother's war trophy, won in battle, in victory processions. (Deloria 1988). When a man dressed well—it was an indication that his sisters and female cousins loved him, because they were the ones who made his clothes (White Hat 1993). The women showed their male relatives honor by making them beautifully adorned clothing and making things for their children.
The respect shown between brother and sister was observed by complete face-to-face avoidance after they reached a certain age. They, however were expected to be completely loyal to each other and be prepared to help each other when necessary. Older siblings were responsible for watching their younger brothers and sisters. If a child did something that was considered inappropriate the older one was always admonished in its place. The older children were willingly to be scolded in this manner because of their obligation and love for the younger—knowing that this was the way younger children learned what was considered proper behavior without feeling discouraged. They then observed how their behavior caused problems for their older siblings and would behave accordingly from then on.
I was raised with these same values and behaviors and have incorporated them into the way I raised my children. I remember taking pains to iron my brothers' shirts and pants so they would be perfect. I was the one who ironed because I did the best job. They never left our house without looking like they were loved. They in turn did things that proved on a daily basis how much they cared for their girl relatives. We still flock around and try to outdo each other when they are around us. My sisters are my very dearest friends and their children are cherished and loved as well as their grandchildren. There are people who think the Lakota ways are found only in the past but this is totally incorrect. We still live these ways.
WORKS CITED
Deloria, Ella C. 1988. Waterlily. University of Nebraska Press: Lincoln, London.
Hassrick, Royal B. 1964.The Sioux: Life And Customs Of A Warrior Society University of Oklahoma Press: Norman and London
White Hat, Albert, Sr..1993. Lakota Iyapiun Wowapi Nahan Yawapi (Writing and Reading the Lakota Language), edited by Jael Kampfe. Unpublished Document. Available from author at Sinte Gleska University. Rosebud, SD.
The family was a closely related group of siblings working together to assure the survival of their children and relatives. In their closeness lay their strength.
"…The Sioux conceived the family as an ever-living yet ever changing entity. As a body of individuals related through descent, it was enduring. Membership was a matter of consanguinity where each person reckoned his affiliation with respect to lineage of grandparents and parents, and with relatives—uncles and aunts, brothers, sisters, and cousins. While the individual might literally choose between belonging to his father's or mother's family, he was nevertheless, a member of both families.." (Hassrick 1964).
"The core of all kinship training" was the correct teaching of behavior and loyalty that was to be shown between brothers and sisters and boy and girl cousins. It was the responsibility of the boys to never "…embarrass his girl relatives but strive to only spare them and make them happy." They were taught, "Your sisters and cousins depend on you, and you must never fail them…" They were also responsible, as men, to train the sons of their female relatives in the ways of becoming warriors. In this way they continued to show honor to the "women of their generation who (they) had been taught to respect, protect, and aid." (Deloria 1988).
Girls were trained to always place their brothers and sisters and cousins above everyone else. A sister was the proper woman who carried her brother's war trophy, won in battle, in victory processions. (Deloria 1988). When a man dressed well—it was an indication that his sisters and female cousins loved him, because they were the ones who made his clothes (White Hat 1993). The women showed their male relatives honor by making them beautifully adorned clothing and making things for their children.
The respect shown between brother and sister was observed by complete face-to-face avoidance after they reached a certain age. They, however were expected to be completely loyal to each other and be prepared to help each other when necessary. Older siblings were responsible for watching their younger brothers and sisters. If a child did something that was considered inappropriate the older one was always admonished in its place. The older children were willingly to be scolded in this manner because of their obligation and love for the younger—knowing that this was the way younger children learned what was considered proper behavior without feeling discouraged. They then observed how their behavior caused problems for their older siblings and would behave accordingly from then on.
I was raised with these same values and behaviors and have incorporated them into the way I raised my children. I remember taking pains to iron my brothers' shirts and pants so they would be perfect. I was the one who ironed because I did the best job. They never left our house without looking like they were loved. They in turn did things that proved on a daily basis how much they cared for their girl relatives. We still flock around and try to outdo each other when they are around us. My sisters are my very dearest friends and their children are cherished and loved as well as their grandchildren. There are people who think the Lakota ways are found only in the past but this is totally incorrect. We still live these ways.
WORKS CITED
Deloria, Ella C. 1988. Waterlily. University of Nebraska Press: Lincoln, London.
Hassrick, Royal B. 1964.The Sioux: Life And Customs Of A Warrior Society University of Oklahoma Press: Norman and London
White Hat, Albert, Sr..1993. Lakota Iyapiun Wowapi Nahan Yawapi (Writing and Reading the Lakota Language), edited by Jael Kampfe. Unpublished Document. Available from author at Sinte Gleska University. Rosebud, SD.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Two books on Leadership
Two summers ago I took a class that is required to receive a Masters Degree in Lakota Leadership and Management at the Oglala Lakota College. The class was "Lakota Foundation for Leadership". It was an excellent class taught by a very skilled and knowledgeable instructor that I thoroughly enjoyed. The following is part of an essay that was a required assignment for the class. I mention two books that I recommend for anyone interested in the topic of leadership.
Lakota Foundation for Leadership/Management
06 July 2007
Essay
At the beginning of the class my understanding of leadership was basically in regards to what traits and values a good leader should have. I believed that great leaders were “servants” to their people and how a person achieved this altruistic ability was what we would be covering in the class. I also thought the Lakota concepts of Leadership would be the main area of study.
I still believe in the idea of the “servant leader” but my understanding of leadership has significantly expanded. Both books, Leadership Without Easy Answers (1994) by Ronald Heifetz and Real Leadership: Helping People and Organizations Face Their Toughest Challenges (2005) by Dean Williams gave me tremendous insight into what a leader had to do when dealing with difficult situations. The examples they used were excellent. I learned about the idea of adaptive work and how it’s a leader’s responsibility to find ways to help their followers began the process. The idea of real leadership requires getting people to face reality and dealing with tough problems was not new – but many of the ideas on how to accomplish this were. The manner in which both Heifetz and Williams broke the process down into understandable concepts gave me a better understanding of the role of leadership.
Lakota Foundation for Leadership/Management
06 July 2007
Essay
At the beginning of the class my understanding of leadership was basically in regards to what traits and values a good leader should have. I believed that great leaders were “servants” to their people and how a person achieved this altruistic ability was what we would be covering in the class. I also thought the Lakota concepts of Leadership would be the main area of study.
I still believe in the idea of the “servant leader” but my understanding of leadership has significantly expanded. Both books, Leadership Without Easy Answers (1994) by Ronald Heifetz and Real Leadership: Helping People and Organizations Face Their Toughest Challenges (2005) by Dean Williams gave me tremendous insight into what a leader had to do when dealing with difficult situations. The examples they used were excellent. I learned about the idea of adaptive work and how it’s a leader’s responsibility to find ways to help their followers began the process. The idea of real leadership requires getting people to face reality and dealing with tough problems was not new – but many of the ideas on how to accomplish this were. The manner in which both Heifetz and Williams broke the process down into understandable concepts gave me a better understanding of the role of leadership.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Granduation
I'm on vacation – but will post some of my poetry when I get an opportunity. Today I'm leaving the readers with two poems I wrote for a niece when she graduated with her undergraduate degree and one when she recently graduated with her masters. This is for all of those who are graduating these next few weeks. In fact I will be attending my oldest grandchilds graduation this week. A very important occassion for my family.
Star Watcher
(In honor of my niece Marcella Gilbert for her college graduation)
I am Star Watcher
daughter of Rides the Wind
Who looks to the stars
to guide my heart
The stars they say
are the holy speech of Tunkasila
If your heart is pure
and your vision is strong
The way of life will come to you
at night in the dream world
Or in the early morning
when you first awake
The possibilities are endless
to those who dare
Swim out into the channels
that flow by
I am Star Watcher
daughter of Rides the Wind
I dare to watch the stars
and listen for the way
I have gone far from home but I know
the path of my returning for
I let the stars guide me
I am Star Watcher
(Lakota translation - Tunkasila : The Creator of all Things)
Honors
Star Watcher
(In honor of my niece Marcella Gilbert for her college graduation)
I am Star Watcher
daughter of Rides the Wind
Who looks to the stars
to guide my heart
The stars they say
are the holy speech of Tunkasila
If your heart is pure
and your vision is strong
The way of life will come to you
at night in the dream world
Or in the early morning
when you first awake
The possibilities are endless
to those who dare
Swim out into the channels
that flow by
I am Star Watcher
daughter of Rides the Wind
I dare to watch the stars
and listen for the way
I have gone far from home but I know
the path of my returning for
I let the stars guide me
I am Star Watcher
(Lakota translation - Tunkasila : The Creator of all Things)
Honors
(for my niece Marcella Gilbert for
Attaining a Masters of Science in Nutrition)
The old Lakota saying
"the honor of one is the honor of all"
is in the song we sing today
for our daughter
this daughter
who has traveled many, many miles
towards goals that were as high
as the highest mountains
she's traveled
this road with the
same determination of the
old grandmothers
who knew they had to
learn new skills
so we could live
her vision
for her future was sure
it was connected
to the future of our people
she knew
this was the way
she could help
now our
family sings an honor song
for a medicine woman
who knows the secrets
of our food
the secrets
we need so our people and nation
will live
our daughter
has brought many honors
but for me
it’s the love she gives
that warms me
Mary Lee Johns
December 5, 2008
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