Sunday, March 18th, 2018

Ethleen Iron Cloud Two Dogs, Lakota Educator

After trekking through the rather muddy plains of the Pine Ridge Reservation, we returned to our hotel to hear Ethleen Iron Cloud Two Dogs speak about the Lakota way of life. She was joined by her husband Rick Two Dogs, one of two Spiritual Leaders of the Lakota Oglala people on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Ethleen quickly captivated me and my co-travelers with her stories and descriptions of Lakota traditions and beliefs. She began by leading us through a meditation-like activity where she showed us how Lakota people view life. She led us through the hills of the prairie to where we met a messenger, in whatever form we chose, who gave us our life's purpose. This moment highlighted the belief that there are no coincidences; everything happens for a reason. From there, Ethleen took us through a presentation that further detailed Lakota life. She first described the foundation of Lakota life: wotakuye, or kinship. She said that wotakuye is "the glue that has held the Lakota people together" through the challenges and hardships that they face. Broken down, wotakuye literally translates to "collectively who we cheish forever into the future." This set the tone for the rest of her talk. Ethleen told us that if we were to take away only one thing about the Lakota lifestyle that it should be that kinship is core. We also learned about the importance of Pte Oyate, or the buffalo nation. Lakota lifestyle is derived from the patterns and ways of life that we observed from the buffalo herds that once wandered the plains. For example, the tenet of kinship is inspired by the relationships and dynamics within the herds. Buffalo protect their young and maintain close relationships, respect the environment, and have a matrilineal society. Ethleen also pointed out that the buffalo, similar to the Lakota reservations, are now confined to pastures and not allowed to roam freely. These restrictions have led to an imbalance that has brought about lasting harm to the Lakota. With sacred places outside of the boundaries of the reservation, the Lakota were unable to practice their religious rituals that resulted in many of the imbalances that continue to exist today. For example, the normal cycle of the nagi yata (spirit world) has been thrown off, resulting in high levels of trauma in childhood and high rates of suicide attempts and completions, alcoholism, drug addiction, and incarceration. Also, with life expectancy in the mid-forties to early fifties, there are very few elders left to pass on the Lakota traditions, culture, history, and beliefs to the next generation. However, despite all of these challenges, Ethleen emphasized the importance of the continued existence of the Lakota language and lifestyle through such hardships. In our closing comments, all students noted their gratitude for hearing Ehtleen speak. Her emphasis on environmentalism, kinship, and her own personal stories were impactful. She encouraged us to think outside the standard Western notions and to see how the Lakota lifestyle, one that is not rooted in capitalism, dominion, and a need for concrete evidence, is a much more sustainable model. As she joked, "Science is finally catching up with us" when she described the spirituality of the water. As our first day in South Dakota comes to a close, we are all very excited to see what else is in store!

• Isabelle Wood, Class XII The Nightingale-Bamford School