Chapter 12: June 2-11, 1996 Relatives Created and Friends Divided

The choices we make and the chances we take, determine our destiny.

Anon

South Dakota, June 2-5 Hunkapi

So too is the buffalo holy, because it is the gift of Wakan-Tanka.
Flat Iron (MAZA BLASKA) Oglala Sioux

The afternoon was spent doing the shopping to bring Courtney's riding outfit up to practical standards right down to some very unsexy but comfortable "granny britches" underwear. Since a good hat and good boots are essential to anyone who plans to spend serious time in the saddle they found those for her as well. This required traveling to a larger town but with both Leotie and Odakota along on the outing, Courtney did not lack for expert help. His poorly concealed crush on the pretty singer provided some humorous moments, at his expense. Besides the clothing, she also purchased a good quality wool blanket which would serve as her bed in the wilderness. On the ride back she decided to engage the usually taciturn young sheriff in conversation.

"Odakota, you say so little I don't feel like I know you very well. Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"You are an attractive man; I'd even say a hunk. So tell me, who's got your heart?"

"No one, I really don't have anyone special at all."

"Now, Odakota, that's hard to believe, what's the problem? Too shy? Too Picky?

"I don't know, I guess I just haven't met the right person."

"My brother is being too diplomatic to tell you the real reason," interjected Leotie, "He's not too picky, there just isn't anyone to pick from. It's part of the problem we discussed earlier."

"You mean the problem of the young people having to leave to find opportunity."

"Exactly, all of the bright and spirited young women that Odakota would find interesting leave. Those that stay are those that have no ambition or have no choice because of lack of ability."

"Then why have the two of you stayed? Because of Gaho?"

"Yes mostly, it's the blessing and the curse of having such a remarkable mother. And opportunity, I am Gaho's apprentice and I hope, one day, to have her skills as well as those of a social psychologist. My brother likes his job and maybe as Sheriff he's able to make the reservation a little better place. The price we pay is not being around others who we have much in common with"

"That's a stiff price to pay at your age."

"It's not so bad for me. I spend a good portion of each year at school where I have an active social life. My brother is stuck here all year round. I know it's tough on him. I get so horny just during the summer I can't imagine how he manages. And I know it's harder for guys."

"Stop Leotie, you're embarrassing me," he mumbled, his face beginning to give an extremely literal meaning to "red" man.

"Have you ever noticed, Ominotago, how easily embarrassed men are about sex?" asked Leotie, "I believe that women are a lot more honest about our needs. Men think about it a lot but women probably think about it more seriously."

"Oh I'm sure you're right about that, I sometimes think we don't let men know some of the things we are thinking because it would scare hell out of them."

"Amen sister! I'm sure my brother would be very nervous if he knew just how good he looks to me after a month or so without a date. There I am randy as hell living with the sexiest man in South Dakota and the only thing protecting him is a questionable old taboo based on pre birth-control problems. Watch out bro, one night you may find you have some company in your bed."

"Stop it Leotie! Don't joke about things like that. It's not in good taste," protested a vehement Odakota, "that's incest; it's even against the law."

"Relax bro, I'm not ready to jump your bones quite yet... but I'll bet you are in very good taste," teased a thoroughly unrepentant Leotie.

"Ominotago glanced down at Odakota's crotch where a fairly impressive tepee had suddenly sprung up.

'Well, ' she thought to herself, 'the voice may protest, but the body is sure willing. I wonder if Leotie knows? I wonder if I should tell her? Oh hell, I know damn good and well I will tell her. Most girls wouldn't mind a pow-wow with that hunk of warrior. I find him very attractive myself, but my life is quite complicated enough already, I'm definitely not looking for romance.'

That evening they rode out onto the plains to a camping spot alongside a small stream. Here they set up a campfire and cooked a simple traditional dinner of buffalo soup, prepared by placing hot rocks directly in a skin bag, accompanied by boiled Indian turnips and fry bread. Dessert was more of Gaho's wonderful Lakota plum cake,. After eating, they sat around the fire to listen to Gaho.

"I hope you can understand that I wanted to be under the open sky, the real home of the Lakota, to tell you our stories. The greatest legend is that of the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Two thousand years ago, two Lakota warriors were hunting in the Black Hills, here in what is now South Dakota. They saw a white buffalo calf, which turned into a beautiful Indian maiden as they approached. One warrior wanted to take her in an unclean way and she bade him to approach. But when he did, a black cloud covered him and when the cloud lifted he was left as a skeleton. The second warrior, learned respect from this and fell to his knees and prayed."

"She told him to return to his people and she would come in four days bearing gifts. On the forth day, a cloud came down, and from the cloud stepped the white buffalo calf. The calf became the young girl who carried a sacred bundle in her hand. She spent four days among the Lakota people and gave them a sacred pipe and seven sacred ceremonies. The seven rites are:

Nagi Gluhapi, The Keeping of the Soul; Where all outstanding issues with the dead are settled so that they may move on to the spirit world.

Inipi, The Rite of Purification, sometimes called the Sweat Lodge; In this ritual, guilt and evil are released to allow you closer to Wakan Taka, The Great Spirit.

Hanblecheyapi, Crying for a Vision, or Vision Quest; The ritual you will participate in where fasting and meditation are used in an attempt to achieve a greater vision and deeper insight.

Wiwanyag Wachipi, The Sun Dance; A ceremonial dance where the dancer's sacrifice and suffering, prevent suffering in others. Now the pain is symbolic; in ancient times, it was very real.

Hunkapi, The Making of Relatives; The ceremony in which a person is adopted into the community in a permanent bond.

Ishna Ta Awi Cha Lowan, Preparing a Girl for Womanhood, or the Puberty Rite; The ceremony that purifies a girl who has had her first menstrual cycle to welcome her to womanhood.

Tapa Wanka Yap, Throwing of the Ball; A ball game performed only by women. Remarkably, this is the only one of the seven sacred rituals not still practiced today.

The White Buffalo Calf Woman also told them that in a time of need, they should smoke from the pipe adorned with eagle feathers, and the smoke would carry their prayers upward to the gods. The pipe is now central to all Lakota rituals.

Gaho continued far into the night telling the Lakota legends and stories. Leotie and Odakota, who had heard them many times before, were just as swept up in the tales of heroes, heroines and spirits, as Ominotago. Finally, the stories came to and end and they all wrapped up in their blankets and were soon asleep. A week before, Courtney would have found the idea of sleeping on the ground rolled in a blanket ridiculous, and yet after the day of riding and the night of legends, Ominotago, as she now though of herself, slept as though it were a feather bed.

Her preparation to become a relative continued for the next two days,. her time divided between learning more about her new "family", getting accustomed to the outdoors, and meeting the community. An easy way to win friends was to keep her guitar handy, and to never refuse an invitation to sing. She was also able to beg a few hours to herself to prepare a surprise song for the Hunkapi ceremony. Compared to her usual work, it was a simple and unpretentious little ballad, but simple or not, it was the first new song she had been able to write since Darryl left. She felt herself healing just from the strength she absorbed from Gaho, who radiated it like the sun radiates warmth.

The night before was spent busily cooking and planning for the next day. Ominotago laughed at the hustle. "I seem to recall someone telling me that Hunkapi is a very simple ceremony. So what's all this commotion about then?"

"The ceremony is simple enough," replied Gaho, But that doesn't mean the whole village is going to pass up an excuse to throw a big party, especially for a celebrity like you."

"There's another problem, what are the chances of this thing not being completely overrun by press and paparazzi?"

"Very good, how are they going to find out?"

"The whole town knows."

"The whole town is also Lakota Sioux; we have a few hundred years of experience to tell us that keeping things to ourselves is a good idea. There will be no leaks from here. Also, we've got a pretty tough sheriff if someone did get greedy"

"In that case," laughed Ominotago, "This will be the smallest audience for a song debut in my entire career. That is, if you don't count the song I wrote just for Darryl, which had an audience of one. But then it will never be released to a larger audience."

"Even now?"

"Yes, even now. No matter what happens, or maybe doesn't happen, between us in the future, I can never forget what Darryl meant to me. He knows I will always hold his song in a special place in my heart, just for the two of us. Why do you ask?"

"It may be important; it gives the two of you a very special connection."

"I'm not feeling very connected right now, Gaho, I just feel very empty." "I know child, I know you do. It won't always be that way. Trust me."

"I do Gaho; you've done so much already. I'm probably just tired."

"Not surprising, we've crammed a lot in a few days, but we need you fresh tomorrow as guest of honor. You head to bed now and get good night's sleep."

Courtney did as suggested, and her head had no more touched the pillow than she was sound asleep. It seemed only moments later that Leotie was waking her for a big Gaho breakfast. After breakfast, they spent a quiet morning together as a family, the first time they had been able to do so. When the time for the ceremony approached, they all went to the tribal ceremonial lodge. Gaho, Leotie, and Odakota all wore ceremonial clothing including beaded vests and moccasins. Once again Gaho presided.

"The Hunkapi ceremony is really conducted between two individuals. Since I am the Medicine Woman, Leotie will represent the family. This morning's ceremony is a private one of purification and after prayer, I will paint your faces to symbolize rebirth."

Gaho prayed in Lakota and shared a sacred pipe with Leotie and Ominotago to purify them. Then she painted their faces using traditional Lakota designs.

"The rest of the ceremony will involve the whole village. Ominotago, Odakota will now take you with him and he will help you find a place to hide. Nothing too hard now, this is a ceremony not a chance to embarrass your sister."

Gaho and Leotie waited an adequate interval and then left the lodge and joined the crowd of villagers gathering there. Stephen Lone Eagle, the tribal chairman arrived, and he joined Gaho and the crowd quieted expectantly.

Stephen Lone Eagle arose. "Does anyone here today wish to make a new relative today?"

Leotie stood up. "I do."

"Where is your new relative?"

"I do not know."

"Go and find your relative."

Leotie quickly began to make her way through the village in her quest, entertaining the guests, who were generous with advice and encouragement. About the time, Leotie was beginning to wonder if Odakota had tried just a little too hard she spied a painted face sitting under a tree. Taking Ominotago s hand she led her back to Stephen Lone Eagle and Gaho.

"I've found her."

Stephen Lone Eagle conducted the Pipe Ceremony using the sacred pipe from the legend of White Buffalo Calf Woman. Leotie wrapped a Star Quilt around Ominotago, and tied an immature Golden Eagle plume attached to a quilled rawhide medicine wheel to her hair.

Stephen Lone Eagle rose and asked Leotie, "What is the new name of your relative?"

"She is to be called Ominotago, beautiful voice."

Stephen Lone Eagle turned to the assembled villagers. "Our sister Leotie has made a new relative who shall be called Ominotago, she of the beautiful voice. As you know we traditionally honor new relatives with an honor song. Because our new relative has such a great talent we are going to let her do the honor song herself. I understand that she has written it just for this occasion and that no one has ever heard it before this moment."

Ominotago rose and took her guitar. Strangely, despite the many concerts she had given before huge audiences, she felt more nervous performing in this intimate group than she had in years. On the other hand, she sensed more feeling in her voice than she'd had since Darryl left. The song itself was a simple ballad based on the legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Not surprisingly, the entire village loved it and she was forced to sing it twice, and would have probably had to sing it many more times, if Stephen Lone Eagle had not intervened on her behalf.