"At that meeting my mother was with me,
standing behind Martha Bad Warrior an the people. she was
inexpressive throughout everything. but later she spoke to me of
words related by Martha to the Elk Head brothers, interpreters
for me, a message that none
of her people she knew were worthy to become the keeper of the
sacred calf pipe"
Do you interpret this last line of
what was translated to Wilbur's mother (Chippewa), as
meaning none of her people she knew were worthy..
LBW: I want to point out here, I did not say
the "entire" Lakota race was unworthy, those are accusations and
words of angry people--and are not my words--and will not be
repeated again. Our Nation has suffered enough, lest we start to
destroy ourselves, and play into the hands of those who would
rather have the entire Lakota Nation not exist.
We are speaking of historical
data, and the concept worthiness and honesty amongst our Lakota
Nation had deteriorated through continued systemic cultural
abuse. This abuse as you know, as in all abuse cases--those
abused begin to perpetrate the abuse they felt amongst their own
relatives. The conditions on the reserves and the level of
mistrust was epidemic, while at the same time people were trying
desperately to survive in extreme conditions.
Martha Bad Warrior
JL: You said earlier on in the
interview that you believe Andrew Dupree passed Martha's Canunpa
to Fools Crow.
So several days after my experience
in the home of Martha Bad warrior, Andrew (Dupree)and his
wife came to me asking if they could use my car for the
evening. This request I granted them immediately. I asked no
questions, they offered no reason for the request. I trusted
Andrew completely as he had proven himself trustworthy as a
kinsman aught, Just as did the Larrabies, Elk heads, Iron
Lightening, Fielder and others. I often thought of how
often these friendships started. There was one explanation,
it seemed: The part I played in running down information in
family trees on the reservation and in supervising the
distribution of food and clothing during the drought.
It was late at night when Andrew and
his wife brought back and awoke me on the arrival of it.
They said they had gone to Martha Bad Warrior at her home
in Green Grass. It was a meeting by appointment, they told
me. Now, the surprise of a life time. They brought forth
an object wrapped in a piece of calico striping. As they
unraveled it, they were exposing tome the original sacred
calf pipe. for it ha the exact makings described to me by
Martha and the beautiful lady from the sun. I asked Andrew
to fill me in with the details.
Andre said to me than Martha placed
the pipe in his hands, he and his wife went out together to
a high hill near Marthas home and paid homage to God in
prayer, saluting him in the four corners of the earth and
universe and directing the pipe to the north, the east, the
south and the west. Afterwards bowing in great reverence to
the greatness of God, they turned and went to the car. From
there they drove to where I was at the Cheyenne river
agency.
"Wilbur" said Andrew rest assuredI will leave the pipe in the hands of a trusted
one. He is an Indian and known by many as a true friend of
the Indians.
JL: Is this "trusted one" who you have
interpreted as being Frank Fools Crow. If so, how did you
come to this conclusion?
LBW :I believe Andrew was speaking of
Fools Crow. Fools Crow was recognized very young for
his ceremonial abilities, he would've been 46 years old or so,
when Andrew would've passed it to him, not a kid. He was at
Turtle Mountain in the 1930-1940's.... Fools Crow was 100 in
1989 when he died, he'd have been born about the time of the
first Wounded Knee. It makes sense it would go to the nephew
of Nicolas Black Elk....when, at the same time Black Elk came
out with the first book on Black Elk and the Sacred Pipe, and
Seven Sacred Ceremonies/teachings.
JL:
When you said Fools Crow gave your father his ceremonial sun dance
pipe because he had the proper vision. Do you see Fools Crow
ceremonial sun dance pipe as a substitute for Martha's pipe, since
no one knows where that is?
LBW: Yes, this is
what I believe, and why I do, is to what lengths the Lakota went to,
to do this series of ceremonies 1970-1975, despite the Freedom of
Religion Act did not happen until 1978, which means...they, the
Lakota participating, were in defiance of the Governments law
outlawing the Lakota from conducting these ceremonies....the
punishment to do so was harsh.
And, what certain
individuals have done to prevent people from actually seeing
women participating in these ceremonies with the men, since we've
posted the photos on my site. Two important things
were done in 1971, during these ceremonies. The passing of Fools
Crow's Sun Dance Cannunpa to my Father, and the passing of the
"Staff" of power back to the women. The fact that in
1994 when my Father died, Lakota Traditionals went into his
coffin looking for this Cannunpa Wakan, after his funeral at the
Dupris cemetery. No one has come forward with who did this. My
Lakota cousin, Lisa told me in 2000, that they were looking for
this Cannunpa Wakan.
JL: Do you
know if Fools Crow ever spoke of being given Martha's pipe,
or of anyone else knowing for certain he had this?
LBW: There are
some distinctions that need to be made here It is important
here to realize that over the course of these past years of
researching which Canunpa Martha Bad Warrior had and which
one Chief Fools Crow had - the question arises as to the
whereabouts of the Sacred Buffalo Canunpa that was made for
use by the Ceremonial Chief during ceremonies at a
Nation-wide level. This Sacred Canunpa - with the Standing
Buffalo and other special markings - would be the only
Canupa that the Ceremonial Chief would have used and we can
clearly see this in the hands of our most "Sacred and Holy
men and women " of our Nation. This is especially true
since the passing of the Religious Rights and Freedom Act
finally permitted our Nation to conduct our Sacred
Ceremonies in public. The first public
ceremony was the Sundance and WBCPWC -
which Chief Fools Crow permitted to be documented and
photographed. This is the only time to my knowledge that
this permission had been given. (The photographs I have
provided you are from this very ceremony.)
Chief
Frank Fools Crow was the Ceremonial Chief of our Nation
until his passing. He had many Canupas in his
possession. What is most important is the relationship
between the Ceremonial Chief and the Keeper of the
"Sacred Canupa". When the Ceremonial Chief was called
upon to perform Ceremony for the Nation - such as the
annual Sundance and WBCPW - Canupa Ceremony - he would
call for the "Sacred Canupa" - not the original Canupa
from White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman (it had deteriorated
many years ago) - but the Sacred Buffalo Canupa that
was to always sit with the original Sacred Canupa. The
very first Canupa Wakan - has long since gone and quite
understandably could not be used for the special annual
Nationwide Lakota ceremonies.
The
Buffalo Canupa that was passed from Chief Fools Crow
to my father, was the very Canupa that was to only
be used for Ceremony for the Nation
by the Cermonial Chief and
is not to be interpreted as Chief Fool's Crows
personal Sundance Canupa. Remember what I said
above - his personal Canupa was very distinctive
and different from the Standing Buffalo Canupa.
I am familiar with this Canupa and design - and due
to privacy and respect to whom it was passed and for
their own safety I will not describe Chief Fools
Crows personal Canupa; besides that is not the issue
nor anyone else's business -- at this time.
What is
very important is understanding why in the early
1970's did Chief Fool's Crow allow - photo
documentation of this Sundance and WBCPW - Canupa
ceremony, particularly why was the focus of these
photos on Calvin Dupree - my father and the Sacred
Buffalo Canupa. In addition to this I would also
like to add that this Buffalo Canupa appears in
other photos that concerned the entire Lakota
Nation.
One of the
Sacred Seven Ceremonies that our Lakota Nation performed
more than all the other ceremonies is the Inipi - or Sweat
Lodge Ceremony. During this ceremony the Canupa is utilized
inside the Sacred Lodge. The humidity and heat take their
toll on the Sacred instruments that our Medicine people
use. Many Medicine people have more than one stem for each
Canupa and some Medicine people have more than one Canupa
bowl. Many of the stems are very ornate and decorated with
Sacred symbols, quill work and beaded symbols that identify
- Clans, families, locations and other spiritual messages
significant to the user and the Lakota Nation. Many of the
Canupa Bundles or Pipe Bags - have symbols and meanings that
identify - the person carrying the Canupa, their spirit
name, their home location and their clan.
The response to
this continued wear and tear is a very common sense
approach. Many Medicine people have a Canupa that is for
sharing during special Canupa ceremonies and is kept
specifically for these special events. Lakota and other
Native Medicine people have a personal Canupa, which is for
personal or family use only. They may have a Canupa that
they use only in the Inipi, another for their Sundance and
even another for Ceremony within community. Our elders
instruct us to bring out our Canupa's at least seven times a
years to honor our Nation and the Sacred Red Road.
The
"basic concept" is that when a Medicine person
- who walks the "Good Red Road" -
has gained the respect and honor of their Nation and the
elders who instructed them in the Sacred teachings; they
attend to their needs as they see fit -- in regards to their
personal Medicine instruments. What this means is that each
Medicine person chooses what suits them according to what
demands are made upon them during Sacred ceremony and the
"Position" they hold within
our Nation.
Canunpa at the 1973 Sundance
Medicine man
Frank Fools Crow
Chief
Frank Fools Crow was the Ceremonial Chief of the Lakota
Nation at the time the Religious Rights and Freedom Act
finally permitted our Nation to conduct our ceremonies
in the "open". Not only was this one of the most
important and joyous days for our Nation it was
especially important for our Nation to see the Canupa
Wakan - the Standing Buffalo Canupa that was
supposed to have been in the care of the "Keeper" was in
the hands of the Ceremonial Chief of our Nation where it
belonged and EQUALLY IMPORTANT - IT WAS PASSED TO A
FAMILY THAT HAS PROTECTED IT EVER SINCE. This is the
Sacred Canupa that was passed to me by my father on his
death bed.
When you
ask me about Martha Bad Warrior, and the lineage of the
Sacred Canupa you are asking me to also speak for those
who are hiding the truth about what happened since the
days of Martha Bad Warrior. Traditionally trained
Medicine people avoid speaking poorly of others in their
own Nation and at the same time make no excuses for them
and the way in which they walk in their lives -
especially upon the Sacred Red Road.
You need
to look closely at what I have said here knowing full
well it is not our way to chastise, ridicule or blame
people for the things they have done in their lives.
What truly needs to be addressed is:
Why has
the Sacred Bundle not being used for Lakota Nationwide
Ceremony and not been opened in modern time?
Why is
the Standing Buffalo Canupa - the one I carry passed to
me by my father on his death bead - and the last one
USED BY CHIEF FOOLS CROW - not been seen since 1971 at
the annual WBCPW - Canupa Ceremony and Annual Sundance?
Why has the
Sacred Canupa the one in "The Keepers" possession never
been brought out in front of our Nation especially at our
most Sacred of all ceremonies -
Please
also consider in my reply to this entire issue of this
Sacred Canupa the true essence of our Lakota nation and
our meaning of Mitakuaye Oyasin. We are related to all
that is, all that was and all that is to come. What was
done by our elders and Medicine people was in response
to the direction given them through the Spirits, our
ancestors, oral teachings and what direction they see in
their lives as they walked in "service to their
Nation". It is not our place to question the direction
given by our elders and the" Holy Men and Women" of our
Nation. What was given me was a name that reveals not
only my human name but my "Spirit Path upon
the Good Red Road". This name has been
passed through the years and carried by other women
before me and speaks to my reason and purpose and
direction in my life. What was ALSO given me
were Sacred Bundles and a means to protect them until
the time came to Look Back and raise this Sacred Bundle
in prayer for our entire nation.
The true issue is that I am amidst a Sacred Sharing
with you. I am "Looking Back Woman" and this name
speaks to my Spirit Path and walk upon Mother Earth
on this "Good Red Road." What the Creator has
placed in my care is not something any person can
judge or question knowing how this came to pass and
what is happening within and without our Lakota
Nation. What has been passed to my family and is
now in my keeping was done for a reason that is
beyond us all.
What I am saying here is the controversy stops
here and now. Should any person continue to
attack my family, speak poorly of what was
witnessed and properly passed to my family -
they will disgrace themselves, AND our elders in
their wisdom and direction. The Scared Canupa
and all Canupas held by our Lakota nation are
for the health and healing of our people.
The
Sacred Standing Buffalo Canupa that is in the
keeping of my family calls for prayer from all
Canupas within and without our Nation. This Sacred
Bundle is also speaking to the heart of our
teachings and directions GIVEN by our elders, and
Medicine People, to unite the Hoop not Break
it. There are "Broken Arrows" in our nation and
this Sacred Bundle is moving towards the balance
that is required and the cleansing that is about to
occur. This Sacred Bundle is calling for all Lakota
people to be pure of heart and have courage to not
divide our nation and serve those who would prefer
our Lakota Nation never existed.
"Hey friend
what I say here is the truth - because I say it is so. " - are
words roughly translated from one of our songs. They are said
while holding our Canupa in prayer and to do otherwise would
disgrace, all that is Sacred to our Nation, our elders teachings
and direction given. I pray you and those that read these words
understand the Bundle is in my Keeping and as a woman - I am
speaking to my nation and all our allies. Please hold our
Lakota Nation in prayer and help us during these difficult
times.
JL: Is there a distinction
between a Canupa wakan, or a ceremonial sun dance pipe or
the WBCP?
LBW: This is
a very important point and one that has been turned
against my words repeatedly. I will try and clear these
distinctions up for you. All Canupas that have been
brought forward in vision, lineage or descendency in our
Native cultures - for use on the Red Road are here to
serve our Relations in finding health (body -mind and
spirit) and help - are ALL SACRED. The Canupa is both a
living spiritual instrument and symbol; and like all
symbols they transcend time and cultural changes.
A Pipe is just a
rock and a piece of wood. What makes it a "Canupa" or Sacred
is the manner in which it serves the purpose and vision of the
original White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman's directions to our
Lakota Nation, and how the person who holds it conducts them
self in the everyday life. The Red Road and the Canupa are not
for Sunday worshipers. It is a lifetime commitment where you
give your life to serve your people and you do not put it down
because times get tough, or pick one up because want to be a
Hollywood Indian in Disney Land.
The problem with
the Original Canupa Wakan - or the First Canupa received
from White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman - is that it has wasted
away with time. There is even talk that some of the holy
men and women of our Nation have small pieces of the
original Buffalo Bone . What is known - that for many years
the Sacred Canupa Wakan - or First Canupa from White Buffalo
Calf Pipe Woman - has not been seen or used for many decades
because it simply was non-functional as a Canupa. It had
deteriorated so badly only fragments of the original Canupa
remain. (This is a very similar parallel to the Christians
and their Cross of Christ - there are pieces of it all over
the world in many Sacred places - but does the original
Cross of Christ exist - no it does not).
Due to the condition
of the First Canupa, it was undertaken many years ago by the
Elders and Medicine people (women and men)- to have a Ceremonial
Canupa - one that could be brought out each year at the White
Buffalo Calf Pipe Ceremony and Sundance. This Canupa was to be
used by the Ceremonial Chief of the 7 Lakota Nations. The
Ceremonial Chief was not an inherited title, or a descendency -
it was a title EARNED THROUGH SERVICE
and held by a person whose every waking moment was dedicated to
the Red Road and serving All our Relations- and most importantly
- a person who HAD NO BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS.
The person who held this Canupa Wakan to the Four Directions to
call the Ancestors, was a person all the Nation knew to be a
"true holy medicine person" - a position in our culture that
comes from the manner in which these people carried themselves
and the Sacred teachings of our Ancestors.
Elk Head Keeper of the
Canupa Wakan
JL:
Do you see your self in-line with the keepers of
the Canupa Wakan like Standing Hollow Horn, Two
Runs, Bad warrior, Elk head and Martha Bad Warrior?
LBW:
What makes a person worthy is how they carry the
four original gifts given all human beings -
Courage - Generosity, Compassion and Humility.
These gifts are then witnessed by the elders and
the people of your Clan and Tribe amongst our
Nation. The elders see the children that give
to others before they take for themselves, they
see those that show compassion, to those who
attack and hurt them - they see the willingness
to put their life on the line for - the weak,
innocent, the children and elders. These people
were also the first to stand against our enemies
- their only weapon was their truth and the
Sacred Canupa Wakan they held across their heart
for our Nation.
When a person looks at themselves and thinks
they are worthy, it is because they are
speaking from an egocentric point of
view. People who walk the Red Road and
carry a pipe in this manner - abuse others
and our Sacred Ceremonies and are more
inclined to be individuals or groups
whose motives are guided by
financial, personal gain and Spiritual
Materialism, rather than service and truth
for our Nation.
JL: When you came in possession of this
Canupa. Did you also have a vision at that
time?
LBW: Once again you have
asked a question that speaks of the Sacred
or Wakan - to our people. A Vision cannot be
spoken of until it comes into this world or
"alive" and is received from the "Spirits".
The details of the Visions that I carry
cannot be spoken off until certain events
occur within our Nation. I have spoken
before of my vision to see the Hoop of Life
repaired for ours and All nations, but this
is a Vision from our elders and given us as
a direction in our lives.
I will speak to one of my
visions and direction given by Spirit, that
I now see others repeating - which refers to
the "call to prayer" for the Seven
Council Fires. I see all our Lakota /Nakota
/Dakota relatives coming to Turtle Mountain
to a Sacred Council site and I see the
Standing Buffalo Canupa being opened and
offered to all those worthy WOMEN and MEN
that come to represent each of the Seven
Nations of our Peoples. In this vision I see
both WOMEN AND MEN holding their Canupas and
our prayers united, and the Standing Buffalo
Canupa will be offered to this Council to
mark the time of cleansing and unity for all
out relations.
JL: Have you used
this Canupa in ceremony or have you used
it for personal purpose?
LBW: This is a deeply private
question that is not for discussion as the use and
reason for using a Canupa are very private and
between our Relatives and the Spirits we speak to.
Please understand the Sacred Canupa has been called
for and used and is in my family's "Keeping " to
serve our Nation. I have my own personal Canupa
which I use each day as instructed by my elders. The
Sacred Buffalo Canupa has been and will continue to
be used and will response to all worthy and
respectful requests.
JL:
Do you see a problem with the fact you live in
Canada and not in South Dakota where the Lakota
people live and practice most of their ceremonies
etc?
LBW: The Border that
exists today did not when our Nation roamed the
grasslands and what is very important is the
understanding of what Turtle Island and Turtle
Mountain mean to this question. The place called
Turtle Mountain is the geometric and geographical
center of North America - Turtle Island. So no I do
not see a problem with where I live.
What is very
important is that I am NOT living within my Nation.
I am a Woman standing in a place that the men of my
Nation, who call themselves wakan and created
"the protection of ceremonies
proclamation"
-- would not permit me to be who I am. They would
say I am not allowed to do what I am doing and they
would try to disgrace and destroy what is Sacred to
our people by attacking me. I am a Woman whose
father's burial site was desecrated in the search
for these Bundles - I am a Woman who sent a
magnificent horse home to our Nation as a gift to
carry the Spirit of my father - to run free - and it
was MURDERED, while in the care of my relatives who
reside outside Eagle Butte.
I am a woman who does
not live in our lands, and while I was trying to
help my people with lodging, in my 17 year
old innocence- was violated by the very men who
claim to be Sacred and carry us toward this
blueprint of Christian fundamentalism by: setting
out twelve wakan men, dismissing women from all
levels of Ceremony and Sacred Council, and calling
for the very government that attacks us to regulate
our Sacred Ceremonies. I am a Woman given these
Sacred Bundles to carry for our Nation and I am a
Woman alive today because I do not live on our
Nations Lands.
JL: When you said earlier about wanting to
use your Canupa to unite the 7 council stones
and the seven fires. Have you been
preparing for this?
LBW: Yes I have
been planning and preparing for this over the past
four years with my contacts in Manitoba and other
relatives.
I want it known here that :
I am the person who raised this Vision to life of
the SEVEN Council Fires and the Sacred Stones that
go with this Sacred Council and I am making
arrangements for a ceremony this year. It is during
this ceremony that the Sacred Standing Buffalo
Canupa will be opened to those worthy to represent
their respective nation within our Lakota people. I
will also state very clearly no person with blood on
their hands will enter this Sacred Council, nor ever
touch the Sacred Canupa Wakan - AND THAT IS WHY THE
BUNDLE AND I ARE NOT AT HOME at Cheyenne River, and
are under the Blanket of protection of warrior
Societies here on the northwest coast of
Turtle Island.
There are "Broken
Arrows" in our Nation at this time - that have
entered the very heart of our Lakota People - this
is the time to heal and help our Lakota Nation and
all HER people. It is the time to REMEMBER ALL
THESE TEACHINGS CAME FROM A WOMAN - or has
everyone forgotten this?
JL: What do you see is the logic and reasoning for the Lakota
spiritual ceremonies needing regulation by the US government
and not
by your own people?
LBW: I see no logic in it at all. We have had the rights to
practice our Ceremonies reinstated over 35 years ago. That was just
about the very time that these Hollywood Indians starting looking
for their own Disney land and using their Canupas like brooms sticks
flying off all over the place - but especially at the mouth. Now
look where they are - inviting someone to regulate our ceremonies
again. Does this appear to be very disturbing to you? I know it
makes my skin crawl that these men think they can tell a woman how
to be spiritually. This insults the very origin of our nation and of
all nations of the entire world - women are the source of life. It
reminds me of the stories of our people being told to not speak our
language or have their tongue cut. If you want to see my point - see
how it feels in your heart if you even try to insult your own
mother! Can you feel that? Well imagine if you
were that mother, or any woman.
The Creator's endless dance of creation and destruction are
paired like two spirals of energies flowing in opposite directions.
The weave they make through the fabric of our reality, reveals
hidden and deep understandings of our universe in the unity of
opposites. When this unity fails as in the imbalance of men and
women in this world - destruction can dominate until all is in ruins
- and the cycle of Creation begins again.
We have done this before - and now is the time to restore
Balance. I truly appreciate your efforts to open these issues
honestly and respectfully to the world. If it was easy to walk the
Good Red Road - it would be paved by now or called - the yellow
brick road. Well this is not the land of OZ and I am not the "wicked
witch of the west." I am one woman saying she has had enough of this
violence and I am making this "call" to restore balance to our
Nation as the process of cleansing begins. I am one Woman walking
with these Sacred Bundles and the "holy smoke " they release in
prayer carries my words on my breath and from my heart. Please
remember the joyful sounds of our children's future begins in the
drum beat of our mothers' hearts.
