"My Life Is My Sundance"?
"Spirituality cannot be bought or sold and nobody has
the
right to capitalize by attempting to do so. Prayer
cannot
be purchased. Those who participate with and support
the
fraudulent 'Pipe Carriers', 'Medicine Men', 'Clan
Leaders'
and 'Shamen' heal only the exponent's personal
finances
and, in doing so, assist in the destruction of not
only
Lakota culture but the spiritual ways of all
traditional
indigenous people."
- Lakota Oyate
In Westword (Denver, CO) print edition, 15 - 21 Mar.
2007
(p. 31), a title calls to us, "Get Personal With
Leonard
Peltier..." followed by "Sundance Sensation" and
"Leonard
Peltier's Life hits the stage". Please highlight the
words, "Personal", "Sensation" and the phrase "life
Hits
the Stage" if you read on because, if the truth is
known
it becomes tragically clear that the No Win/Free
Leonard
Peltier Ca$h Vacuum has dropped to a new low.
The play, "My Life Is My Sundance", currently being
presented at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art,
is based on Leonard Peltier's autobiography by the
same
title. However, this Lakota would like to suggest
CAUTION, since it is NOT what it appears to be.
In the:
Declaration of War Against the Exploiters
of Lakota Spirituality
Lakota leaders speak out against those who "are
selling books that promote the systematic colonization
of our Lakota spirituality" and an "industry {that}
continues to saturate the entertainment media with
vulgar, sensationalist and grossly distorted
representations of Lakota spirituality...which
reinforce the public's negative stereotyping...and
which
gravely impair the self-esteem of our children".
They
admonish that "this exponential exploitation of our
Lakota spiritual traditions requires we take immediate
action to defend our most precious Lakota
spirituality...".
Local media coverage designed to boost ticket and book
sales of "My Life Is My Sundance" continue the
onslaught
against Lakota Sundance tradition in the name of
Leonard
Peltier.
In a Denver Post theater review, published 03/22/2007
and titled "Peltier prison monologue rallying cry for
supporters" the critic writes, "You know from the
start
this isn't going to be a typical night of theater.
You know by the solemn welcome from the old Native
American filling the entranceway of the tiny loft
theater
with smoke he calls "sacred medicine" ... by the "Free
Leonard Peltier" T-shirts in the audience ... by the
merchandise booth just a few feet from the playing
area."
Peltier prison monologue rallying cry for supporters
In "Beyond the prison walls: Local production brings
Leonard Peltier's writings to the stage" the Daily
Camera Theater Critic suggests the play offers
"spiritual insights" and inside the theater "a
replica of a Sun Dance shade arbor - a fabric that
gives shade to a dancer's supporters - will hang
from the theater's ceiling over the audience."
Beyond the prison walls: Local production brings
Leonard Peltier's writings to the stage
Beyond the prison walls
I submit that "My Life Is My Sundance", at first a
book
now a play, insults the Sundance ceremony of the
Lakota.
It stereotypically reduces the annual blood prayers
and
sacrifices of thousands of Sundance participants for
health and welfare of their loved ones, to words of
one
man and his "personal" struggle to escape his past.
Leonard is at the center of this Sundance, not the
Sacred
Tree.
Sundance is a Sacred Ceremony of fasting, not drinking
water and making prayer for four days. Sundance is
governed by traditional laws and leaders, and is
comprised
of blood prayers danced by the Sundancers. Given this,
how can Mr. Peltier even suggest his life is a
Sundance?
If Leonard Peltier is going to INVOKE the Sundance,
then he, and those who present the book and play, must
reckon contradictions between what he represents
therein and the Sundance Ceremony among the Lakota.
In Leonards' own words,
"Nearly five imprisoned years later, I still await
that
recommendation. I pray hard it will come soon. I pray
an
eagle will fly off the flagstaff in the President's
Oval
Office and at last deliver that long-delayed
recommendation
from the Attorney General's desk to the President's
desk.
And while the President sits there considering this
innocent
Indian man's appeal for clemency, I pray that that
eagle
will stand there on his desk, stare into his eyes, and
join
its cry to the cry of the millions of people around
the
world who have written to the President, appealing for
my
release. With all my heart I personally appeal to him
for
his consideration and for his compassion."
People's Path
This contradicts, and conflicts with what Lakota
people
understand the essence of our Sundance ceremony to be,
sacrifice and prayer for the good of others, NOT your
SELF.
Drawing again from the Westword article, this quote,
"Working on this, I've come to realize that this
has been a 31 year prayer that's been said since
1975..." Quigley-Soderman says. Certainly, Ms.
Quigley-Soderman must be referring to the Leonards'
prayer quoted above, showing his deception works.
Reviews and Advertisments for this play make reference
to
the film, "Incident at Oglala" in which a "Mr X" was
introduced as the "Real" shooter of the FBI agents in
June 1975 on the Pine Ridge reservation in SD. "Mr X"
was
later proven to be a HOAX by Peltier associates
themselves.
(see; News From Indian Country, Leonard Peltier
Exposed:)
Indian Country News
Is this being truthful on Mr. Peltiers part? Does
this
represent the conduct expected of a Sundancer? No.
In the Sundance Circle and the prayers of the
Sundancers,
it is NOT common practice, Nor is it acceptable, to
complain. However, contrary to this Sundance tenet,
"My
Life Is My Sundance" is one continuous complaint.
With
words like, "My life is an extended agony. I feel like
I've lived a hundred lifetimes in prison already."
Nonetheless, Leonard persists "...yes, I am a Sun
Dancer.
That, too, is my identity. If I am to suffer as a
symbol of
my people, then I suffer proudly...".
All I ask, as a Lakota and fellow Sundancer, is that
he
"suffer" with dignity appropriate to the calling
rather
than in boosting book and ticket sales.
In "My Life Is My Sundance", people are misled to
believe
his complaints of misery will somehow "educate an
unknowing
and uncaring public" to the plight of us "poor"
Indians.
Were we all to share in the spoils of his book and
ticket
sales, I might be more inclined to "believe" his life
is
his Sundance that will do us all some good.
In closing, I request humbly, that you NOT support
this
insult to Lakota Spirituality and our Sacred Sundance
by
NOT buying the book or NOT attending the play, and
instead
help Mr. Peltier know the true virtue of the Sundance
he's
invoked, which is hardship, strength and Sacrifice.
Learn more about Leonard Peltier at:
News from Indian Country
Dedicated to the Spirit of Annie Mae
Leonard Peltier, now what do we do?
It's murderers who make headlines and devastate families
#2 Dedicated to the spirit of Annie Mae
Different views of June 26, 1975
Thank You
Richard J Two-Elk
3/22/2007
"We are all students and we are all teachers.
We are students of those who know more
and we are teachers of those who know less..."
TLAKEALEL
Kalpulli De Koacalco
Koacalco, Mexico
Education Service Intro
Contents
April 2007 Reports
Last updated on April 5, 2007