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Black Elk Speaks ‘new’ Truth: Reviewing ‘Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala’
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Pat McGuigan, February 1994
In John's Gospel, there is that poignant moment when a reluctant Pontius Pilate, about to send Jesus of Nazareth to his death, rebukes the Galilean with the question: "What is truth?" (John 18:38 KJV) Relying too much on reason, Pilate was unable to find faith, and thus unable to know truth.
After reading Michael F. Steltenkamp's biography of an enigmatic symbol of Native American spirituality -- Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala (University of Oklahoma Press, 211 pages with index and bibliography, $19.95) -- one concludes with reasonable certainty that at some point in his last five decades, Black Elk studied that encounter between one of this world's rulers and the ruler of all.
Perhaps he even preached on it. If he could speak today, what lessons on truth might Black Elk give Americans of all ethnic backgrounds?
This book persuades that his message would be controversial, shocking those who consider Black Elk of the Lakota Sioux a precursor of New Age sensibilities and religion.
As Steltenkamp reports, Black Elk was "Born when buffalo was still the staple of Plains tribes" and "he shared in the victory of Little Big Horn" (1876) – when the Sioux and allies under Sitting Bull defeated the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry under Gen. George Armstrong Custer. Black Elk was a key figure in the 1890 "ghost dance" movement, a final, largely spiritual resistance which ended at Wounded Knee, in a massacre Black Elk could describe powerfully decades after the fact.
The neo-pagan vision of Black Elk is mostly drawn from two studies which have been treated as if they were original source materials: John Neihardt's Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux (1932) and John Epes Brown's The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk's Account of the Seven Rites of the Oglala Sioux (1953).
Steltenkamp's book (released in September 1993) is sure to spark controversy among serious historians of the American West. This book may leave in tatters the reputation of Neihardt, a poet who, on the basis of lengthy interviews with the subject, wrote Black Elk Speaks.
As Sam Gill noted in his Oct. 31 review for The New York Times, "Neihardt's treatment focuses on the first 25 years of Black Elk's life, ending with the tragedy at Wounded Knee. Black Elk, as Neihardt presents him, is a pathetic man whose past has been lost and whose future is impossible. " But as Steltenkamp observes, The real Black Elk lived until 1950: "Neihardt and Brown both erred by depicting him solely as a 19th-century figure. " In "amazement, I learned that Black Elk had preached Christian doctrine to his people for the greater part of his life and that he had been formally invested with the office of catechist. "
Black Elk, The Christian
Black Elk converted (in 1904) to Christianity as taught by Jesuit missionaries. He preached that Catholic faith to fellow Sioux, as well as other tribes, until his death.
This is not merely an issue of historical nit-picking. Emotional words from Neihardt's 1932 book provide the ending of the 1971 best-seller, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.” Yet Steltenkamp, with magnificent restraint in his references, indicates that many of the words attributed to the holy man cannot be found in extant transcripts of the original Neihardt-Black Elk interviews.
(Tulsan Wes Studi, the actor of Cherokee ancestry, in the early 1990s dominated the nation's screens as the title character of the film, "Geronimo. " One of Studi's first successes was a staging of "Black Elk Speaks" which also starred Will Sampson and David Carridine.)
Thus, the contemporary image of Black Elk is based, in Steltenkamp's charitable characterization, on "the poetic craftsmanship of John Neihardt. " It is possible for readers inclined to harsher judgments about Neihardt's sense of responsibility to history to feel more kindly toward Joseph Epes Brown, who -- in a letter -- encouraged Steltenkamp's search for the truth: "I have felt it improper that this phase of his life was never presented either by Neihardt or indeed by myself. I suppose somehow it was thought this Christian participation compromised his 'Indianness,' but I do not see it this way and think it time that the record was set straight. "
Stories from Pine Ridge
The resigned Black Elk of Neihardt's book contrasts comprehensively with the hopeful Black Elk of Steltenkamp's book, drawn from interviews with those who knew and loved him, voluminous references to original and secondary sources, and publications from South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, where the holy man lived most of his life.
His daughter, Lucy (Black Elk) Looks Twice, was an ardent Christian who regarded the violent 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee -- when members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) evoked Black Elk's name -- as unworthy of her father's memory. In her own way, however, she eventually reconciled to the image of her father presented in ‘Black Elk Speaks.’
At the end, Black Elk was not obsessed with a world dead and gone, but worried about the pathological behavior he saw growing among young Indians at Pine Ridge. He was confident about his own fate, however. He told Lucy he believed God would send a sign that his exhortations to Christian faith and behavior were the proper path for the people.
A Night of Signs?
Many believe that when he died on Aug. 17, 1950, signs were indeed given. John Lone Goose, one of his friends, remembered "that night very well, and those bright stars. ... God sent those beautiful objects to shine on that old missionary. ... The night was still and warm with nothing fearsome about it - just quiet and nice. God was with us at that time. " Many others recalled Black Elk's night of passage. William Siehr, a Jesuit brother at Pine Ridge since the 1930s, attended the wake.
About 10:30 p.m., "When we left the place, we noticed that light. The sky was just one bright illumination. I never saw anything so magnificent. I've seen a number of flashes of the northern lights ..., but I never saw anything quite so intense as it was that night. " He continued, "the whole horizon seemed to be ablaze. That's the first and the only time I ever saw anything like it. " He wondered "at the immensity" of the display, which he described as "almost like fireworks" in the sky.
There is a logical explanation for all of this, but the words of William Shakespeare ("Julius Caesar," Act II, scene 2) come to mind: "When beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes."
In Steltenkamp's book of unusual depth, itself an act of charity, we beggars meet the Black Elk we never knew.
Note: McGuigan wrote this February 1994 review during his time as chief editorial writer for The Oklahoman, the state’s largest daily newspaper.
Black Elk Speaks ‘new’ Truth: Reviewing ‘Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala’ Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK
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More notable Oklahoma Senate forwards to House: Medical parole reform OHLAP expansion to juniors3/14/2021 ![]()
Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – March 8-12 was a busy work week at the State Legislature. Under the dome, the Senate sent to the lower chamber a pair policy objectives aiming to ameliorate underlying social challenges for certain groups in the state. A measure reforming criteria for applicants seeking medical parole received full Senate approval Wednesday. Senate Bill 320, by Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, provides for the medically frail and vulnerable to receive consideration in medical parole proceedings, also known as compassionate release. “Our prisons are at 107 percent capacity. In addition, Oklahoma’s prison population is aging quickly with many over 65 — a large portion of that group has medical conditions that prevent them from being able to take care of themselves on a daily basis. This puts them in danger, causes more work for already understaffed prisons and is a tremendous cost to the state,” Garvin said. “This is fiscally responsible legislation that creates commonsense guidelines for who can apply for compassionate relief parole. Once an individual qualifies to apply, they still must go through a board review to determine if they should be released on parole. This is a much-needed change for these frail individuals and our prison system.” S.B. 320 defines medically frail as someone who has a medical condition that prevents them from performing two or more activities of daily living independently. It defines medically vulnerable as someone with one or more medical conditions that would make them more likely to contract an illness or disease while incarcerated that could lead to death or cause them to become medically frail. The measure specifies the medical conditions that place an individual in the medically vulnerable category. “Oklahoma’s current medical parole statute has been interpreted to mean that only those near death or dying can be considered for early release, leaving behind a large population of individuals with chronic, debilitating illnesses who are no longer a threat to public safety,” Garvin said. According to DOC, only 12 people in Oklahoma’s prison system were granted medical parole in 2020. A medical determination will remain a three-step process with a prison medical provider and DOC’s director and medical director all agreeing on the assessment. The DOC director would then request that a person be added to the medical parole docket before the Pardon and Parole Board (PPB). Garvin said she worked with law enforcement, district attorney’s and judges along with DOC officials in drafting the bill. S.B. 320 will next be considered in the House. Another legislative press release touched on another policy objective to improve life for a targeted population. Narrative in a release from Senate staff related that “Hundreds of Oklahoma students complete their college degree each year thanks to the financial assistance provided them through the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), a scholarship program that provides free tuition to state colleges and universities for certain qualifying students.” Under current legal provisions, the release sent to CapitolBeatOK and other state news organizatios pointed out, “students must be an Oklahoma resident, have a federally adjusted annual gross family income of $55,000 or less, and enroll in OHLAP in the Eighth, Ninth, or Tenth Grade.” Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, wants to further expand the program by allowing homeschooled 16-year-olds or public and private school students to enroll as juniors, which he hopes to accomplish with Senate Bill 132 that passed unanimously out of the Senate late last Tuesday (March 9). “While some students know at a younger age that they want to go to college, for others it’s a decision made later in high school. OHLAP was created to ensure more students have the opportunity to get a college degree regardless of their financial situation, and Senate Bill 132 is an effort to help those students who decide to pursue a higher education their junior year,” Bullard said. “The program isn’t currently being fully utilized, so kids are missing out on this incredible scholarship opportunity, and we have to do all we can to make sure their dreams of getting a college degree come true. I’m grateful for the overwhelming support in the Senate, and I hope the House joins us in further helping Oklahoma’s students by expanding Oklahoma’s Promise,” Ballard said. There are currently about 30,000 high school students enrolled in the program and around 15,000 students attending college on an OHLAP scholarship. Bullard believes that allowing students to join the program their junior year will help increase participation in the free tuition program. As a result of Senate passage, the measure now goes to the House of Representatives where Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon, is serving as the author. More notable Oklahoma Senate forwards to House: Medical parole reform, OHLAP expansion to juniors Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK Senate Acts: Bullard advances Religious Freedom Act Standridge bill targets social media censorship3/14/2021 ![]()
Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week at the state Legislature, two Republicans guided to Senate approval measures with widespread support and grassroots advocacy.
On Thursday (March 11), the Senate voted overwhelmingly to protect churches as essential in the state of Oklahoma. Senate Bill 368, by David Bullard, R-Durant, creates the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, prohibiting declaration of religious institutions as nonessential.
The full Senate also approved legislation by Sen. Rob Standridge allowing social media users to sue for damages against any social media website that censors a user’s political or religious speech. Standridge’s Senate Bill 383 would eliminate selective censorship of opinion on social media and seek to ensure free speech is treated fairly.
Concerning his measure, Sen. Bullard said in a press release sent to CapitolBeatOK.com and other news organizations, “The U.S. Constitution guarantees our freedom of religion and clearly states that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof’,” Bullard said. “Unfortunately, many churches around our state and nation were unconstitutionally mandated to limit their religious services and told what they could and couldn’t do in their own buildings. We must fight for our freedom and our faith, and I want to thank the Senate for joining me in protecting Oklahomans’ rights.”
S.B. 368 prohibits any governmental entity from declaring or deeming a religious institution and any activity directly related to the institution’s discharge of its mission and purpose to be nonessential. Additionally, it prohibits the closure of such institutions for health or security purposes if those actions are greater than what is imposed on any private entity facing the same or similar health or security conditions.
The bill will next be heard in the House where Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, is the principal House author.
As for the anti-censorship measure, Sen. Standridge said in a separate release, “Oklahomans throughout the state are fed up with liberal, multi-billion dollar tech companies trying to promote their ideology by censoring and deleting posts supporting conservative views. The free exchange of ideas is being suppressed, and it flies in the face of our right to free speech. Citizens should be able to have an opportunity to pursue civil recourse.”
Under S.B. 383, users in the state could sue any owner or operator of a social media website that purposely censors a user’s political or religious speech. The measure applies to deleted posts or the use of algorithms to suppress such speech.
Websites would be immune from liability if any censored posts called for immediate acts of violence or enticed criminal conduct. It would also exempt posts involved in bullying minors, false impersonation or those from an inauthentic source. The measure does not apply to individual users who censor the speech of other users.
Users above the age 18 could seek damages of a minimum of $75,000 per intentional deletion or censoring of that user’s speech, along with actual damages and punitive damages if aggravating factors are present. The prevailing party may also be awarded costs and reasonable attorney fees.
S.B. 383 now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration. Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, is principal House author of S.B. 383.
For both the House and Senate, last week was (with limited procedural exceptions) the deadline for the respective chambers to advance proposed new laws for initial consideration in the other.
Note: Patrick B. McGuigan contributed to this report.
Senate Acts: Bullard advances Religious Freedom Act, Standridge bill targets social media censorship Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]() Staff Report OKLAHOMA CITY – Play-based learning is a step closer to becoming an integral part of Oklahoma’s early childhood education experience as the Oklahoma Play To Learn Act overwhelmingly passed the House on Tuesday (March 9) after a vote of 76-16.
www.CapitolBeatOK.com Play to Learn Act Passes House, becoming eligible for Senate consideration Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]() Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation to streamline the process for juvenile record expungements passed the House on Monday (March 10) with a bipartisan vote of 86 to 9.
According to a press release from legislative staff, sent to The City Sentinel and other news organizations, House Bill 1799, authored by Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, “would encourage the juvenile, their parents or guardian, or their attorney, to seek juvenile expungement. This would allow Oklahomans to begin the juvenile record expungement orally or through a written petition at the time the case is being dismissed, instead of waiting until they turn 21.”
Rep. Miller explained further, “Many people believe that juvenile records are automatically confidential. This legislation would simplify the process for Oklahomans to have their juvenile records sealed.”
Rep. José Cruz, D-Oklahoma City, a coauthor of the legislation, said H.B. 1799 is a chance to remove obstacles for Oklahomans trying to succeed, while also prioritizing public safety.
“This legislation doesn’t change the circumstances in which a court can access expunged records,” Cruz said in the House release.
“What it does is remove barriers to employment, education, and housing. To a lot of Oklahomans doing their best to improve their circumstance, this policy change could be the difference in failure and success.”
As a result of this week’s votes, H.B. 1799 became eligible to be heard on the Senate floor.
www.City-Sentinel.com
Juvenile Expungement Legislation Passes Oklahoma House of Representatives Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Wednesday (March 10) overwhelmingly passed House Bill 1679, sending to the state Senate the proposal, also known as the “Sarah Stitt Act.” Oklahoma House of Representatives Unanimously Approves Sarah Stitt Act, Sen. Weaver to shepherd in state Senate Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – A release from the Senate communications staff affirmed, “Low turnout is far too common in local school board elections, but that trend would change thanks to a bill approved Wednesday (March 10) by the Oklahoma Senate.”
According to the release sent to CapitolBeatOK.com and other news organizations, Senate Bill 962, from Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, would align school board election dates with the dates of primary and general election dates for county, state and federal offices. (http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20FLR/SFLR/SB962%20SFLR.PDF)
Treat said low turnout in school board elections is due to those elections happening outside of the traditional election season dates.
“Participation in local school board elections is woefully inadequate. That’s troubling because school boards have the greatest impact on our communities and our state’s future,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.
“Aligning school board general elections with county, state and federal general elections will bring increased voter participation in these important local elections that help determine the direction and governance of our schools.”
S.B. 962 now advances to the Oklahoma House of Representatives where the primary House author is Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.
Senate approves bill aimed at increasing voter participation in school board elections Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate has given its approval to a measure to make sure local governments don’t ignore the will of their citizens when cutting police department budgets.
Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, is the author of Senate Bill 825 which was approved on Monday (March 8).
Standridge said the concept is straightforward — if the citizens had previously approved a tax increase to fund public safety, the local government cannot redirect or reduce those funds without a second vote of the people.
“I think most Oklahomans are opposed to the idea of defunding police, particularly if they voted to provide additional funding for law enforcement,” Standridge said.
“This bill simply says if the public votes for a tax increase for public safety, then that funding cannot be cut or redirected without going back to those citizens for a vote before any changes are made. This legislation is aimed at making sure the will of those voters is honored.”
The measure now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration. If signed into law, it would take effect on Nov. 1, 2021.
Senate approves bill requiring vote of the people before removing police funding originally approved by citizens Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK Upper chamber passes bill allowing governor appointments to fill U.S. Senate vacancies in Oklahoma3/11/2021 ![]()
Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – According to a press release from Legislative staff at the Capitol, "In order to save taxpayers millions of dollars on a special election in the event of a future mid-term U.S. Senate seat vacancy," the Senate passed legislation Tuesday night (March 9) to allow the governor to fill the seat by appointment.
Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, is the author of Senate Bill 959, which would move the special election for the U.S. Senate seat to the next regularly scheduled statewide general election.
“According to the State Election Board, holding a special election to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat would cost taxpayers around $4 million. These types of elections are extremely expensive and inconvenient for voters,” Paxton said.
“Allowing the governor to temporarily appoint someone to the empty seat and coordinate the special election with the next regularly scheduled general election would help avoid a nine-month void of representation, which is what it would take to run a complete special election cycle. This change is even more important right now due to the 50/50 split in the U.S. Senate.”
To be eligible to be appointed by the governor, an individual must have been a registered Oklahoma voter in the same party as the previous member for at least the last five years. The appointee would not be eligible to run for the vacancy in the special election or regular election.
“We’ve set specific eligibility guidelines for the appointee, and also prohibited the person from refiling for the office once the special term is fulfilled to protect the seat from the unfair advantage of incumbency,” Paxton said.
“This bill encourages a robust election cycle for this important elected position, as the appointed individual is only meant to be a placeholder so that we don’t go underrepresented in the U.S. Senate.”
S.B. 959 will next be heard in the House where Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, is the principal House author.
Upper chamber passes bill allowing governor appointments to fill U.S. Senate vacancies in Oklahoma Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK ![]()
Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY –Every day in Oklahoma, hundreds of pregnancies end in miscarriage and stillbirth.
While a 2019 law requires healthcare providers to inform parents of their right to request fetal remains for private burial following a stillbirth or fetal death in pregnancies occurring at 12 weeks of gestation or later, families who lose a child in the first trimester are not given the same choice.
Given the high number of miscarriages and fetal deaths that occur in the first 12 weeks, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, wants to extend the same courtesy to all grieving Oklahoma families who lose a child.
“Losing a child, no matter at what stage of pregnancy, is devastating for expectant parents and their families, but the loss is further magnified when medical facilities dispose of the infant’s remains without consulting with the family to see if they want to bury them,” Pugh said.
“This is a deeply emotional issue between scientific definitions and family love. If a baby hasn’t fully developed in the womb, some medical professionals consider the remains medical hazardous waste that must be disposed of. However, to some grieving families, that was their child from the moment of conception who deserves a proper burial and funeral. Lily’s Law will ensure that all families have the opportunity to properly mourn their child and honor their life however they choose.”
Pugh said the bill was requested by a concerned mother who has lost two children to miscarriage. While her family knew of their right to request their children’s remains and had them buried, she has learned through her work in a pregnancy and infant loss ministry that many families do not realize they can ask to have their baby’s remains.
The bill is named in honor of an Oklahoma family who lost their daughter, Lily Gianna, early in the first trimester in 2012.
Overcome with shock and grief, the young couple did not realize they could ask for their daughter’s remains, nor did the facility offer the option. Had they known, they said they would have chosen to recover Lily’s remains and bury her.
Senate Bill 647 further clarifies the definition of fetal death and stillbirth in statute. It also subjects birthing centers and medical facilities to the same requirement to maintain a written policy for the disposition of a child’s remains from a stillbirth or fetal death event as licensed hospitals.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists estimates that approximately 80 percent of all pregnancy losses occur within the first trimester or first 12 weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 10-20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage before the 20th week of gestation. Close to 24,000 babies, or 1 in 160 babies, in the U.S. are stillborn, which can occur after the 20th week up through delivery.
S.B. 647 now goes to the House. Rep. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, is principal author in that chamber.
Oklahoma Senate approves Lily’s Law; protects rights of grieving families Click on the headline to read the full article at CapitolBeatOK |
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