summary of Singing Deer of the Sioux Nation
I am called Singing Deer, and I have seen nine summers. I am of the Dakota Sioux. This means friendly in your tongue. We live on the Great Plains, and the buffalo is our friend. It is said that long ago, my people lived underground in the Black Hills. They were enticed to come and live on the surface of the Earth. So they moved upwards and turned their faces towards the sun as they walked through the Wind Cave to the outside world.
But when they saw the hardships they faced outside of the Earth, the people tried to find their way back to their home where they had lived for thousands of years. Sadly, the way was lost to them. Their leader knew of their fate and saw that his people would never return to their home underground. He saw the struggles and hardships that lay before them up above. Their leader made a great sacrifice: He came to the surface as a buffalo and provided food, shelter, clothing, and tools for his people ever after. Ever since the beginning, my people have loved the buffalo, even as it provides much of what we need to survive.
My family lives together in our tiospaye. This is what we call our community. We are very wealthy, for our family is large. My many uncles, aunts, and cousins live in our tiospaye as well. Many young ones who have become orphaned have come to live with us and join our family. We call them wablenicas. They want to join our tiospaye, I believe, because my mother, my Ina, is so very kind and good. Yes, we are wealthy, as our family grows ever larger.
Each one in my tiospaye--man, woman, or child--has a specific job. Each is well respected for their work, for we all believe that we survive only by working together. Alone, we are poor; together, we are wealthy. Wakan Tanka, the Great Mystery, has provided many people for my family, and so the hard work is divided by many. Some devote themselves to cooking; others hunt; still others stretch and tan the buffalo hides for our leather. I help with the farming and harvesting of the corn and herbs.
ChivesOur people have been called the "People of the Herbs," and so I am proud of the work I do for my tiospaye. The herbs we gather are used by the medicine woman for healing. It seems a small thing, I know, to collect herbs for the tiospaye. But it was only two moons ago that my cousin fell ill from a snakebite. The herbs, prayers, and chants encouraged Wakan Tanka to release him back to our world. Now, my cousin and I run in the wind together as always. We rely on one another, our tiospaye. My herbs help my cousin; my cousin brings the milk so that I might grow strong. It is the nature of things. We are not alone in this world. Wakan Tanka brings us our tiospaye, so we know this is true.
