A Glimps of Og Nash or Oglala Nation

I was busy over the last weekend with guests from Minnesota and Colorado and we had the Oglala Nation Fair and Rodeo.  It was a great weekend as I got to joke around with some people and my friend Rich from Minnesota.  We were walking around the arbor and came across a very tall Indian Woman from Canada dressed in her Regalia; I looked up at her and said you are the tallest woman dancer I ever saw.  She just laughed and was very pleasant to visit and Rich is just a little shorter than me and I called him over.  He had to really look up to her and he looked astonished because of her height.  So some white people standing in a circle and asked them if they were having, uh let’s just say a pow wow?  You know as well as I do White Americans call a circle of friends talking a “Pow Wow”.  All the Indian people were engaged and walking around seeing friends and family.  Some were waiting in line for food and most of the people were watching the dancing going on in the center of the grounds. 

The funniest thing that happened was when I told two older White Americans from Wyoming my friend Rich needed Jesus.  He actually says he is kinda Christian, his words not mine.  But it was funny as Rich has a pony tail but he is Chinese.  They tried to tell me to move closer and gather in a prayer circle but I refused and told them I do not like to be touched.  I know but it gets me out of the laying on of hands.  Oh so the old guy is talking inches from his face and I could not hear what was being said but they then bowed their heads and the old guy prayed for Rich and probably the rest of the Heathens.  Rich was funny because he said he saw the light of what the White Christians were doing when they came to the Rez.  Here is the picture from my phone. 

 

 

Hanging out at the Oglala Nation Pow Wow is awesome because you run into family and friends and it truly is awesome.  My legs were tired and had aches through Tuesday but it is fun to eat bad food and just let yourself indulge a little bit.  I love the jokes about behaving because if you end up in Jail over the weekend you might end up cleaning up the Pow Wow Grounds and I drove down there Monday it was clean.  Then on Tuesday I saw some guys dressed in Jail Garb and they were still cleaning up the mess after a celebration on the main road across from Pizza Hut. 

 

I am sure everyone had a good time because it looked amazing and the cars were jammed packed and you could walk faster to the Pow Wow than drive.  I was able to see some relatives and that is always good.  Took a picture with the Her Many Horses who my relatives from my dad's family.  Love Tiospaye(Extended Family)

 

Champion Dancers



Indian Boy in the City

As a young boy my earliest memories were of this area located just east of Downtown Denver.  Across the street to the right is a Safeway Supermarket and my life started here or at least my earliest memories.  I lived less than a block away from this church and yet I never really understood the importance it would have on my life.  I would walk by and hear the most beautiful music coming out of the open windows.  It was a black congregation and the music was heavenly as I would walk by the church on my way to the Supermarket. 
I would walk by this church often running errands for my mother to the store and I would hear the songs and be amazed.  I was attending classes to learn about God in the Catholic Nunnery and remember one day I was blowing bubbles as I listened to the stories.  Of course the Nun was not happy and came to the back of the room and scolded me.  It was all good and I paid closer attention but there seemed to be something missing in my formative years and the Nuns were not really doing a great job. 
I was picked to attend a field trip through the Nunnery and I said I would go with them.  I was taken to a Training/College place for priests and I was shown around the campus.  I saw the biggest books I have ever seen in my life and I was astounded because it seemed like a place of growing and learning and I really wanted to learn about God.  It was a passion of mine and I wanted to learn all I could but things were going to change in my young life. 
So here is how my life was changed for the rest of my life and I write for my grandchildren because I know they will wonder where they came from and how we lived early and in 2014.  As I was walking by the Anglican Methodist Episcopal Church, which is an African American Church and the name is confusing but the Black Folks could sing and I thought many times before, God must be in that church because people who sing like this have to know God.  So one day at the age of 8 years old I was walking by the church and looked up and basically told God I did not know him, I looked at the steeple and was very clear with God.  Eight years old and I realized I did not know the Creator and things were gonna changed.
Well it took four years after hearing about God and Jesus.  It was clear there was a message for me but it did not happen until I was 12 years old and I was in the Black Forest near Colorado Springs and I heard a message on John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosever believes in HIM would not parish and have everlasting life.  The guy speaking said is there anyone who would like to give their life to Jesus.  I raised my hand and this burley white man came up and prayed with me.  I gave my life to Jesus that night and it changed me. 
I eventually went back to the city and found myself floundering a bit but then our family moved to Pine Ridge and it was a sad day leaving the city.  I had no choice and was being removed from my surroundings.  I did not want to leave but I was only fourteen and things were going to change even faster for my life.  I arrived in Pine Ridge and met my relatives and was lost a bit since I prayed to receive Jesus.  But I came to a church called Pine Ridge Gospel Mission and found a home and started listening to the word of God and it was powerful as I sat and took in all that was said.
Eventually I felt a calling to attend Bible College and wound up in Minnesota but life was not even close to perfect, we face a sick baby and bad decisions and struggle even up to today but I assure you God never left and I have some great things happen in my life and I know God has me in his arms. 
My faith is mine and I trust the Father and what Jesus did on the cross. 

The Death of White Clay

I have said it many times and I will not stop, the only way to close White Clay is to open up sales of Alcohol on the Pine Ridge.  The people in the northern part of Sheridan County do like the way their communities looks.  They want us to go back to where we came from, duh that would be the Great Sioux Nation.  This little area is suppose to be protected from this type of trade, or alcohol.  I am going to be blunt in this because I believe we are a great people.  I have met people actually believe we are less human than the white people because we lack genes.  I am sick of people believing we are less than human.  I have tried to be respectful but it is time to make changes in our lives. 

When I was young I studied prohibition of the early 20th century and it was not successful.  People seemed to actually drink more and crime rose in the 20s.  I do not like to see our people in White Clay begging for money and passing out on the streets.  It is a sad place and I hope the people will vote for the sales of alcohol on the Pine Ridge because it is time we deal with our own problems.  The beer store owners are not going to help us.  I know a couple of them but they are just out to make a living.  Let's shut down White Clay by voting for Alcohol Sales on the Pine Ridge. 

Remember Rez Ramblings on Amazon 

Deep Green Resistence at the March For Justice 2012

I hope people enjoy the video and maybe get to see some of the relatives.  It was a hot day and I got a little sunburned and then I had to come back and do my janitor work.