Going Home

Starting off our immersion activities with the heartbreaking blanket exercise. Watching Native territories shrink and shrink to pockets on unwanted land. I was randomly given Scroll #5, roleplaying Capt. Richard Pratt, the creator of the nightmarish residential school system.

The strange feeling of being put on the air at reservation wide KILI Radio within about 20 minutes of leaving Wounded Knee. Unsure of what to say except to express deep grief paired with gratitude to our hosts. I bought a big, bright blue t-shirt commemorating 35 years of KILI Radio and I wear it often.

The relative low cost of the local art for sale given its quality. I bought handmake Elkskin booties from Teresa Red Feather for my son on-the-way, which came with a little turtle, both hand beaded. The turtle wasn’t just for decoration. It was a pouch for his umbilical cord after it fell off, to be sewn up by the mother and kept safe at home. This is to ground the child in their origins, so that they do not wander erratically. We followed suit.

The Two Bulls family. Not normally on the docket for PRRC, but because I’d met Twila Two Bulls at the Indigenous Studies Program in Vancouver that summer, we visited their home and Christchurch Episcopal in Red Shirt Table, SD. Poignant memories: The Episcopal hymnal in the “Dakota” language, making bracelets out of hide by hand, eating fresh cooked Bison stew with fry bread, looking out at the snow covered valley below and the bombing range across which renders the land of their youth forbidden. Taking portraits of the family– particularly Priests Twila and Robert Two Bulls, Sr., both whom I greatly admire.

That Wind Cave is one of the largest cave systems in North America, and hasn’t been explored more than 10%.

Grandmother’s face in the womblike opening of Makȟá Oníya / Wind Cave.

Brother Ian’s peach and apple cobbler.

Bringing communion to a housebound Elder with Pastor Karen and Adam.

So that they do not disrupt an introduction with their ego, the Lakota offer soft handshakes.

Nation. One? Two? Both? Neither? The BIA office flew both flags. 

Being taught how to pray with tobacco to honor the land and ancestors, and to put it out when I see an Eagle. 

The way that all of the churches work together in town to piece together an effective, sustainable ministry for the people of Pine Ridge. Pastor Karen, Lutheran, lived in the parsonage of the Episcopal Church across the street, and led services at the Presbyterian Church next door. She attended Sunday morning mass at the Catholic Church down the highway.

The birthday celebration we had for Liz Little in the fellowship hall of Our Lady of the Sioux Catholic Church, where we dined and conversed with many elders.

The lovely ecumenical worship service we had our last night there.

About a month after I got back, I drove with a friend over to Chestertown, Maryland on a Friday afternoon to attend George Washington’s Birthday Convocation at Washington College, where Henry Red Cloud was to receive an honorary Doctorate. He proudly wore his feather headdress and his wife Lula gave the Invocation. They were so dignified. Nice to see you again Henry.