Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog and Richard Erdoes

My friend Darci gave me this book because she knows I often work on the reservations here in South Dakota. I have found the Lakota people to be fascinating and inspiring. I have found their challenges to be incredibly difficult and hope I can be a support in improving educational opportunities for children on the reservation. I like to expand my understanding of our state's history and this book gave me a perspective I hadn't read before.

Mary Crow Dog chronicles her life in the early 1970's. She describes what it was like to be involved in the American Indian Movement, the siege of Wounded Knee, and the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. I related to much of what she describes, because at that point in time I was involved with anti-war (Viet Nam) protests in the Bay Area. The sense of purpose, the ignorance, the sociality, and the idealism were all things to which I could relate.

I was alternately impressed and disappointed as she described her relationship with leader Leonard Crow Dog. They were adventurous and brave and often foolish. It was especially disheartening to read about Crow Dog's spiritual life. Mary took great pains to describe how serious and relevant Lakota ceremonies are, and yet often described how certain aspects were disregarded when it was inconvenient. It's hard to take someone or someone's practice seriously when they themselves didn't honor it. It feels more like an adventure than a sacrifice...although there was much hardship and sacrifice involved.

In some ways this view of history is very superficial and describes actions and hardships but lacks any analysis or deep understanding of what brought the actions about. It's an interesting ride, and a perspective I hadn't read before, but sadly lacking in generating empathy for the movement and the struggle.

The Lakota Way by Joseph M. Marshall III

I heard Joseph Marshall speak at a recent Indian Education Summit here in South Dakota. He is impressive! Soft-spoken, well-spoken, candid, and real. An absolutely wonderful and authentic presence! I decided right then and there that I had been missing out by not reading his books! So, I asked my friend Doug, who has read them all, "Where should I begin?" He told me that this one is his favorite book...not just his favorite book of Marshall's, his FAVORITE book. Well, I had to start there, didn't I?

I'm so glad I did! The stories are captivating...Marshall is a wonderful story teller and many of the characters in his stories I had heard of before, like the legendary Iktomi. After the stories, Marshall muses on their meaning and application to modern day life. There is warm wisdom here and clear-eyed analysis of history and the way it has been portrayed. Here are the Lakota values he describes:
1. Humility
2. Perseverance
3. Respect
4. Honor
5. Love
6. Sacrifice
7. Truth
8. Compassion
9. Bravery
10. Fortitude
11. Generosity
12. Wisdom

Here are some pearls I marked...
Words from his grandfather after he complained of kids calling him bad names:
"You cannot forget what they said any more than you cannot feel the wind when it blows. But if you learn to let the wind blow through you, you will take away its power to blow you down. If you let words pass through you, without letting them catch on your anger or pride, you will not feel them."

page 9: To truthfully describe one's action in combat through the forum of ceremony was not considered bragging because the recounting--the story of action--was a gift. It became part of the identity and lore of the storyteller's warrior society, and it served to strengthen the entire village--not to mention that the deed recounted served as an example for young men to emulate.

page 49: ..it is easy to respect someone who is as much like us in every way possible. Respecting someone with different beliefs, different dress, or different customs, or something entirely different from us is not easy.

page 56...everything that happens is a gift from life itself, if for nothing else than to teach us a lesson.

page 68-69: ..intertribal warfare had a different meaning and purpose than the usual defensive-offensive aspects of imperialistic warfare. It was in a real sense an intentional proving ground.

Page 71...war is really a fight between the good and bad sides of humans...

page 155...Bravery is a requisite virtue because life demands it. Whether it's cancer, a broken heart, a lost opportunity, a bad business deal, an approaching hurricane, a tough decision, or a dark alley, life will continually throw challenges at us. Any challenge is also an invitation, a standing invitation...Lightning-struck ash trees were rare, but they were preferred because they had suffered the ultimate adversity, and ultimate adversity produces ultimate strength.

page 158..If you don't think you know how to be brave, look around; you'll find someone who does know. Follow him or her. If you follow long enough, you'll learn to have courage, or the courage within you will rise to the top. When that happens, turn around, and don't be surprised if someone is following you.

Collected Wisdom and Seventh Generation: Native Students Speak About Finding the Good Path

South Dakota Teach For America uses two books to help orient their new teachers to life and school on our American Indian reservations. Collected Wisdom is teachers' voices, and Seventh Generation: Native Students Speak About Finding the Good Path has students' stories. Both of these books have helped me understand on a small scale the struggle and the pain of life as an American Indian today. There is also great hope and wisdom here! The hope comes from promising practices like supporting and honoring native languages and customs. These are both rich resources for anyone working in schools in South Dakota, whether or not they are located on a reservation. Both books helped me understand why there is such an urgency about preserving the Lakota Language and culture.

I read these books in the Spring of 2008, and in the intervening years have verified that these are accurate and hopeful resources for anyone wanting to understand better what they see on reservations.