excerpts from episode one of the Buffalo Show@Bryant Lake Bowl, Lake St. Mpls, MN. Apr. 25, 2017
You see me here, right now, at this present moment, old graying, wrinkled, pot-belly mixed blood Dakota elder, speaking english, wearing contemporary clothes in this urban place, but, I’m not alone, never alone, says the orphan, look back there, see, look not with your eyes, but your heart and soul, there is Maza Duta, itancan of the Sisseton Dakota, there is Red Iron, Chief of Sisseton Dakota, one of my Grandfathers, his Daughter, Bad Fourth Daughter married the French-Canadian trader, Louis Provencalle LeBlanc, he was illiterate, but drew symbols and spoke and lived amongst the Dakota and took care of his family, they all, so many stand around me, from the scaffolds of Mankato to the concentration camp of Big Island below Fort Snelling, to the world wars, the cities and reservations of the friendly people, can you not hear the cries of those killed, taken, massacred, neglected in foster homes, abused in adoption, who died from hoplessness of drug addiction, needles in their arms, pills stuffed in their own mouths, or drinking bottles of booze and killing themselves, sick and weak, lost without hope, sucides and killing themselves in accidents and violence, no, look see them all, my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, friends and loved ones from everywhere and all over, yes, the dead living still, moving with us, for we are all spirits, the body dies, the spirits doesn’t, unseen, but there, gone, but not lost, forgotten but not forsaken, echoing around, following in the shadows of their footsteps, the centuries of laughter, of work and existence, all inside me, all around me, oh, you there, not alone, you brought in your ancestors too and will leave to meet those yet born, never before has it mattered more, for us two-legged actions affects the world, we need to fulfill the common destiny that the Creator made for us all, to come to this land of plenty and share, to learn how to live in a higher order, that mitakuye oyasin, or, we are all related is the way we must go, so, my family, my friends, know that all that is alive is related, that mystery of the flame of life has made us, has made us connected and related, so, let us walk with our ancestors, our families, our destiny is here, now, let us save our Mother Earth and make the world good once again, you are never alone, you are unalone, like me, here, buffalo unalone…