Coincidence
An oil painting called Apparition of the Buffalo Calf Maiden by artist Frithjof Schuon painted in 1959 depicting an important figure in the Lakota religion, the White Buffalo Calf Lady. Who is said to have given the Lakota the sacred White Buffalo calf pipe. (Courtesy: Wikki Commons)
Story told by Joe Jacobs
When I was 70 years old, I went to Standing Rock for a week with my friend Ka'nahsóhon. We were welcomed by everyone there - all our brothers and sisters from north, east, west, and south. While we were there we did some ceremonies on the side of the mountain with Arvol Looking Horse who is the keeper of the white buffalo calf pipe.
While this was all happening, a herd of buffalo came running down the mountain and a golden eagle came down and sat on a fence post, letting people touch it. There were messages all over. Energy coming from all the other native people there. To be there with everyone, doing the ceremonies with Looking Horse, was a spiritual experience. It’s too bad because even with all the ceremonies and manpower we had, that almighty dollar could not be stopped.
A map of the Standing Rock staging area, 2016. (Courtesy: Wikki Commons)
I remember when we left Standing Rock, we were just taking a stroll and there were two bald eagles sitting in the tree very low. As we drove back home, we hit the state of Michigan, and I looked up at the sunroof in the car and there was a bald eagle circling the car making sure we got back safely. When I noticed it, I acknowledged the eagle and said a few words. I used to use the word coincidence but one time I was talking about these things that happen and an elderly woman from town stopped me.
She said, “Don’t you ever use that word again.” She gave me a little tobacco and continued, “In our way of life, everything happens for a reason. So never use the word coincidence.”
Since then, I try not to use that word anymore. Being a native person everything has a meaning, it’s not random. The only word we are allowed to use is respect. Respect for Mother Earth and everything on it. That word is the word I like to use.
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Ok Thiwatatón:nis
Chief Arvol Looking Horse, who is the 19th generation keeper of the sacred Buffalo Calf Pipe. (Courtesy: Wikki Commons)
Joe Jacobs ROKÁ:RATON
70 shitewátien', ì:'i tánon' ontiatén:ro Ka'nahsóhon Standing Rock ieionkenenónhne' tsahià:ksera nikarì:wes. Akwé:kon ne tho thón:ne's wa'tionkhinonhwerá:ton' - akwé:kon ne iakwatate'ken'okòn:'a tánon' iakwateno'senhokòn:'a ne othorè:ke, entiè:ke, tsi tkarahkwíneken's tánon' tsi ia'tewatshóthos nithonenónhseron. Tsi nikarì:wes eh ieiákene'skwe' tohkára ní:kon teiontenonhweratónhkhwa wa'akwaterihwahténtia'te' ne Arvol Looking Horse, onontákta nonkwá:ti, raónha nà:'a ratenónhnha' ne karà:ken tsistekerià:kon owí:ra' kanén:nawen.
Tsi nikarì:wes shiioterihwahténtion akwé:kon kí:ken, skanèn:ra tsistekerià:kon takontitákhe' nonontoharà:ke taionanontatstenhtonhátie' sok skatsi'é:ra ehtà:ke nontá:we' tánon' waten'èn:rote' onawa'ahtà:ke onnitskwà:ren', onthón:tate' ki' ne ón:kwe ken' niakonwá:iere'. Kwah tsik nón:we wathroriahtsherá:ien'. Ka'shatsténhsera' néne tsi niiá:kon onkwehón:we eh ítien's taiakohrehátie'. Kwah tokèn:'en wa'tiontionhnháthe'te' tsi akwé:kon skátne iákwe'skwe' wa'tiakwaié:na' Looking Horse tsi wa'akwaterihwahtentia'tánion'. É:so tsi iohnhá:tenht tsi sénha'k ontkwé:ni' ne ohwísta', sá:ne tsi ní:kon ionkwaterihwahtentia'tánion' tánon' tsi niionkwentióhkwahkwe'.
Kè:iahre' shonsakahtén:ti' é:ren sá:kehte' ne Standing Rock, nek teiontiate'khahahkwenhátie' tánon' tekeniiáhse á:kweks kwah ken' nitiottè:'a okwí:rakon tkenítskote'. Shontaiatiatorihátie', ia'tionkenón:ko' ne Michigan tsi watonhontsá:te', tánon' è:neken ia'katkáhtho' karahkwíta's otsísera' ne ka'seréhtakon, skaià:ta á:kweks teio'serehtáhnhen kátie' ionkeni'nikòn:rare' wáhi ne skén:nen iaonsaiákenewe'. Sha'káttoke' thí:ken, wa'tkenonhwerá:ton' ne á:kweks tánon' tohkára' nikawén:nake wa'kì:ron'. Katewennátstha' shos ne ok thiwatatón:nis nek tsi énska shiwakhtharáhkwen ne ken' nikarihò:ten's tánon tseià:ta iakokstén:ha kanatakonhró:non wa'tiónktahste'.
Wa'ì:ron', "Tóhsa nonwén:ton sá:satst ne tho na'kawennò:ten'." Ken'k ní:kon oien'kwahón:we wa'ón:kon' tánon' ionsaiontahsónteren', "Né: tsi nitewaweiennò:ten, akwé:kon ioríhonte' ne tsi niiá:wens nothé:nen. Tóhsa ki' nonwén:ton sá:satst ne ok thiwatatón:nis." Tho náhe' shikate'niénhtha' ne tóhsa aonsá:katste ne tho na'kawennò:ten'. Tsi konkwehón:we, kwah akwé:kon iórihonte' nahò:ten', iah ok thiwatatón:nis té:ken. Nek wá:tons aiétewatste' nowén:na' karihwakwenienhstáhtshera'. Sherihwakwénienhst ne Iethi'nisténha Tsi Ionhontsá:te' tánon' akwé:kon nahò:ten' ká:ien'. Wakon'wéskwani á:katste ne tho na'kawennò:ten'.
Edited by: Aaron McComber, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Translated by Karonhí:io Delaronde