Málakhxota (I Am Lakota)
Greetings my friends and relatives! Welcome! My name is Dakota Wind. I live in Heart River country. I am from Standing Rock. I am from the land of sky and wind. A long time ago the people said, "This is the Beautiful Country!"
I am Iháŋkthxuŋwaŋna (Yanktonai) on my father's side and Húŋkphaphxa Lakhxóta on my mother's side. I was born and raised in Fort Yates on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. I dance in the Men's Traditional at the wačhípi (pow-wow). My Lakȟóta name is Ozúye Núŋpa ("Two Wars"), for my lalá (grandfather) who was in WWII and Korea.
I have a B.A. in Theology from the University of Mary. I have my M.A. in History from NDSU. I'm working on a PhD in History these days.
About the header...
I like the look and feel of pulp magazines. I've employed Albert Bierstadt's "The Rocky Mountains, Lander's Peak." My logo is part sci-fi and part old-west magazine. Bierstadt's work has a graphic quality to it that lent itself to use in creating this retro-looking design.
About the name of my blog..."The First Scout"
I used to work at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. It's more than a state park, it's also a state historic site. There were several cultural occupations of that site including Late Woodlands culture (from about 1000 years back), Mandan (1550-1781), Lewis & Clark (Oct. 20, 1804), and a US Military occupation (1872-1890) for which it is mostly known. Fort Abraham Lincoln was built at the northeasternmost point of Thítȟuŋwaŋ territory which is recognized in the 1851 Fort Laramie Treaty.
There were more than a few natives who worked at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park long before me, but I was the first native to work on the military side of the park. It was an opportunity to talk about the 1863-1864 Punitive Campaigns, the battle site across the river from Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park (the Apple Creek Fight of 1864), the Little Heart Butte Fight (about fifteen miles south and west of the park), the 1875 Treaty of Fort Abraham Lincoln, the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the US Indian Scouts, and the fact that Fort Abraham Lincoln was also a prison camp for native prisoners during the Indian Wars.
One day, an uncle of mine happened to visit the park and saw me working there. He exclaimed, "Tunwéya Thxokáheya," which means, "The Scout Who Came From Behind To Lead," when he saw me. I liked it and so I use it here.
About OCHETHI SHAKOWIN HISTORY AND CULTURE
I used to subtitle my blog "Your News from the Edge of History" and "Mystic Warriors of the High Plains." The further along I get in my studies I thought I should subtitle it "Ochethi Shakowin History and Culture" because that's what I do.
Tokshá akhé! Until next time!
