Rez Ramblings/Blunt Horn Productions

Tamara Hadridge (Matthews) I may have written about Taku Sku Sku before but it has helped me to understand the Lakota way.  As a Lakota man I truly understand what the United States has perpetuated against Native America and it was an all out war.  They tried to destroy the Lakota man and today we can see the battles continue because the Lakota man is almost gone from the Tiwahe or family on the Rez.  I want to thank the men who have tried to keep their families intact.  God knows what has happened to the Lakota Man.  That being said I have tried to understand the Sacred Mover in the Taku Sku Sku and have sought to make it a part of my life.  I asked my good friend Chris Eagle Hawk what it meant and he told me it is the spark inside me.  Well I truly understand the spark means the Creator has left his inprint in my Nagi or Spirit and I need to embrace the mover in my life.

Now how does this relate to my company Blunt Horn Productions LLC, well it is simple use the model our ancestors have sought for centuries.  Take a spark and watch it grow, you see many people want to define what it means to be Lakota but the Lakota is already there we need to embrace the Mover in our lives. 

I am utilizing the Lakota Philisophy of the Sacred Mover because I believe I need to be fully Lakota and as a Follower of Jesus I hope to become a complete human being. 

Red Skins or First Nations

My good friend Chris lives in Maryland and their state hosts the Washington Redskins a NFL team that has many people around the country who love them.  Personally I am a Denver Bronco fan and usually end the football season when they lose.  That being said I have an opinion about using American Indians for mascots and it is thought out for sure.  Years ago I went on the radio as a caller with Native American Calling a radio show that is heard throughout the world.  Now I have been a guest sharing about my expertise which is Native American Christianity but this day I called in to the show and they were talking about using American Indians as mascots.  Vern Bellecourt was the key guest and I was wrestling with the idea of people using pop causes to further themselves rather than serving the cause.  Now I truly understand the idea of using caricature of American Indians as wrong because they depict us with big noses.  Of course Clinger from MASH the series had a huge nose but not all Americans Indians have big noses and sound like John Wayne Indians. 

Back to the Native American Calling show, I called in and wanted  to weigh in on the conversation and this is my opinion and continues to guide me.  I was put through to the radio host and Vernon Bellecourt who was an activist for American Indians during the Civil Rights Movement.  Vernon was speaking about the use of American Indian Mascots and the detriment they were to our American Indian Life.  Within that year I had the oppurtunity to hear Vernon Speak about a Rapper, actually he we American Indian Rapper, he was full of White hate speach in his lyrics.  I was disturbed when I heard the rapper and now I had the oppurtunity to speak at Vernon.  I am Lakota and was ready to deal with the Ojibwe Bellecourts.  White Hate and now Vernon was battling against the use of Red Skins, Indians, Chiefs and so on.  I actually love the the idea of the Fighting Sioux because that is what Lakota do and they did it very well.  They destroyed the United States of America here in North America and that is why they are upset and will not return the Medal of Honors Medals. 

I told Vernon Bellecourt he needed to clean up his own back yard and I have fought for 17 and half years to do just that, make Lakota better.  I like the Red Skins because they believe they are powerful, and the Chiefs because they hope to win.  Oh and the Indians because they are beautiful and magnificent and it is an honor to be a Cleveland Indian.  We are a great and powerful people and some muiltibillion dollar sports teams want to say they believe we are the best in the world. 

My opinion is we are a great people and I like the Fighting Sioux and the Indian and The RED SKINS as well as the Chiefs but they will continue to lose because the Broncos are going to win it all next year. 

Rez Life=Culture of Death

The year 2013 will mark the 34th year I have lived on the Pine Ridge Reservation, I will turn 48 this year.  You can do the math, and I will continue with my position paper that I thought should be shared.  I have been living on the Rez since 1979 and it was a very dark place, full of death and despair.  The Civil Rights Movements were coming to an end with the African Americans, Mexicans Americans, and the American Indians all fighting to for the same liberties of White Americans.  

As I share my book, (Rez Ramblings) with others I find myself coming to a point and sharing, This country I have come to love is not the country I was born into...  First of all the country was segregated and in the south you could not drink from the same fountain or even marry outside of your race in some states.  1968 the Supreme Court ruled you could marry outside of your race, after all are we not the human race of different hues. 

Pine Ridge was started in 1889 and was a concentration camp so they could systematically destroy our people.  America set out with the idea they would full conquer all of the lands.  Poor health care, education, economic structures have been the plan of the United States of America.  They killed many families and the people of this country have their heads in the sands.  It really is sad because I share the message to the people who will listen, they cannot believe what took place. America has been involved in Human Rights Issues for Centuries as well as fight American Indians.  My reason for writing this blog today is to right the wrong.  I want people to understand what is taking place in 2013 and we are battling the conditions of a system that started out with the idea to kill Indians.

The Rez Life is a Culture of Death that was dreamed up by men who had very little compassion and understanding the Indigenous people of this land are a great people and were environment friendly and could teach the world a few things about extended family.  Today we have in our midst a dependency that creates hopelessness.  People want things for free and are not walking in balance.  Our youth are giving up hope because they no longer dream dreams and seek visions for their lives.  People seem to be waiting for others to do something for them because that is what is expected from a people who were not allowed to live free.  The government set out to destroy the food source of the Great Plains and succeeded as they brought the American Bison to point of extinction. 

Our young people are fighting for their lives living in a place of hopelessness and when someone seeks to help them, they are criticized or ridiculed for their wanting to empower the youth.  I say support all that are seeking to bring hope across the Reservation.  We are a great people on the Pine Ridge, and we are the people of Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, and Black Elk who once led their people are were successful.  We need to understand the spiritual darkness of hopelessness and deal with these issues from a balanced viewpoint.  We are a people of great fortitude and strength.

I have completed a book about the Pine Ridge Reservation and it is a great introduction to our people and how we live our lives.  Jackie Siers Rowland a council woman on the Oglala Sioux Tribe just purchased a book and I hope you will also help me live my dream of developing my books and dreams.  https://www.createspace.com/3941671