A good book

I just read a really fine book, "The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn" by Joseph M. Marshall III, published by Viking Press.
The unique thing about this book is that the author is both a full blood Lakota and an historian.
Needless to say, this is the story of the battle from the Lakota viewpoint, plus events leading up to it and afterward. If all you know is the story told in history books or movies or tv, even ones supposedly sympathetic to Indians, you will discover every thing you thought you knew was wrong. On the other hand, if, like many of us, you have gone out of the way to find the true story, you may not learn much new here. However, it is still very much worth reading, if only for the author's unique, thoughtful, articulate, and passionate analysis.
There were a number of places where I was forced to rethink old, standard ideas, even though I knew the true story already.
Also worth while is the story of reservation life the next generation or so after the battle, and what the battle still means to modern Lakota.
I would absolutely recommend this book for any friends or relatives whose only knowledge of the so called "Indian wars" comes from old movies, but for any of you as well.
Don't forget drum practice friday at Ellen's.
I still don't have the prison dates handy, I'll get them.
The Northern Illinois University powwow is the first saturday in November. I don't have any more info right now, but it's always a good one.

chilly at Mt. Pisgah

It was kind of cold last week at Mt. Pisgah, and rainy. That doesn't explain why we were so down as a drum. We just didn't quite have it last saturday. We did an an okay job, we always do, we just could have done a lot better.
Maybe we were just burnt out. OH WELL!
We have dates for the prison now, I don't have them now but I will get them, plus we still don't know if there will be a winter dance in Hamilton.
I just read a great book, The Day The World Ended At Little Bighorn. I think I will talk more about it tomorrow.

Mt. Pisgah

Had a great time as usual singing at Mt. Pisgah last weekend, even though it was kind of hot for October. Kind of! It hit the nineties!
We sang really strong, but then we always do these days. There are fewer and fewer people on the scenic drive these days, though, and fewer vendors and everything else. And now we hear this may be the last year for Mt. pisgah, the last place on the Scenic Drive where there is something other than cheap flea markets.
Many years ago, the Inali Dancers got our start going around to places on the scenic drives and performing, showing real native things to people who hadn't thought they cared.
Now the Black Fox singers are starting to get a name (inali is black fox in cherokee), people want to pay us to come, but I kind of miss the old days.
We've come a long, long, long way.

Good time, Good cause

Great time at the benefit powwow last weekend. Not a whole lot of people there, I don't know why, but we were really on!
We thought we were going to be the host drum, but we weren't. Toyoshape (I don't know how it's spelled) were. I remember a lot of times in the past dancing to them, I guess they're our elders, but we smoked them!
We sang great, we sang strong, we sang together.
We are Black Fox!
Plus a lot of money was raised for a great lady, bless her soul.
Some of us will be singing this weekend at Mt. Pisgah. See you there!

P.S. I have a great book review coming up.