The following blog post is a reflection written by Lynda King, one of our volunteers. Any views expressed are her own and not necessarily One Spirit's.
By Lynda King
The month of November has been observed as Native American Heritage Month since 1990, the year that President of the United States George H. W. Bush issued the declaration that made it so. Last year, during my first visit to Pine Ridge Reservation, I interviewed Charging Buffalo House’s Bamm Brewer, and asked what Native American Heritage month meant to him as a Lakota, and he quickly answered, “Every month is Native American Heritage month to me.” Then I felt humbled, and a little silly, for even asking such a question because, as I’ve learned, the Lakota people are deeply connected to their history, ancestry, and traditions in a way that most people I know would not understand.
As a descendant of people who came to America in 1620, I grew up learning about the history of my ancestors’ arrival, and the familiar story of their friendship with the Natives they met when they arrived. I have learned and observed the traditions my ancestors brought here with them from Europe and subsequently handed down to their descendants. But those things are just things I learned. They are not anything I feel in my soul; they are facts in my head. As I grew older, I began to see the other side of the story. I learned about the theft of Native lands and the campaign of ethnic cleansing the Europeans embarked on against the people who welcomed them here. I have learned that what the Indians experienced after my ancestors’ arrival didn’t just change facts in their heads. Those things tore at their very souls, and continue to do so today.
Since joining One Spirit in late 2023, I have wanted to know more about the Lakota culture. I have been very fortunate to meet some of the wonderful people who live on Pine Ridge, and have learned from them about some of the things they cherish, that give their lives meaning. I have also learned about the poverty they endure, the prejudices they experience, the opportunities that are denied them. One Spirit is part of a growing beacon of hope working to help the Lakota people not only survive, but to thrive.
Late this summer I decided to take a Lakota language class, and will be working my way through it until summer break this year. It is not an easy language to learn, but it is beautiful, and I have learned how the Lakota culture is deeply embedded in the language. The language transmits not only words, but also beliefs, concepts, traditions, and values, in a way that English (my native language) does not.
All of my classmates are Lakota—from across the country, and a few places outside this country—but they all speak at least some of the language. They are part of a growing number of people working to not only save, but also to revive the Lakota language, and thereby help to preserve the culture and heritage.
The new perspective I’m gaining is helping me better understand Bamm’s statement to me last year—that for him, every month is Native American Heritage month.
P.S.—As for me, I have been studying hard; so far, I’m able to count to 10 in Lakota without looking at my notes!
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