We are often asked about some of the different aspects of a Pow Wow, especially the songs sung during these special events…so we decided to bring in one of our in-house experts from our bookstore to talk about the different songs and share some good resources for those who would like to learn more.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Rose] For those folks you don’t know about Pow Wow, its a huge social gathering. Its about family and friends. We even invite our dead ancestors to join us. The energy is powerful and everything is about the Drum, the Singing, and the Dancing…and none of them can exist without the other.

[Frank] Right! Pow Wows are a big social events. There are a lot of aspects to a Pow Wow…the major thing is the Drum. The Lakota word is chanchega, which basically means “a kettle with a skin over it”.

There are lots of different Pow Wow songs and a good reference to learn more about them is the book Sharing the Gift of Lakota Song. This was written by Ronnie Theisz, a former professor at Black Hills State University who taught American Indian Studies and specialized in Lakota culture. In this book, Dr. Theisz explains how these songs are seen as gifts and explains the differences in how the songs are sung and the sacred versus secular.

The types of songs sung at Pow Wow are secular, they are not sacred or strictly limited to ceremony.

[Rose] Yes…that’s a different kind of singing.

[Frank] One thing about Sioux Indian Pow Wows, we have the Flag Song, Honoring the Singers Song, Round Dance, the Rabbit Dance (this is where males and females dance together), Love Song, Selecting a Leader Song…

The book is very informative! If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about Lakota Pow Wow music…this is the book to turn to.

[Rose] So, Ronnie gives not just a general overview of Pow Wow, he’s also very specific.

[Frank] Right…for Lakota song.

[Rose] Does he just talk about song? Does he also talk about the actual dancing… for instance, why its called the Rabbit Dance or why its called the Flag Dance?

[Frank] Yes, he gives some of the history of each dance and explains their origins. Basically the Flag Song is an anthem. At one time the Sioux Nation was at war with other tribes and the United States, but after the Reservation period we came to embrace and honor the American flag.

This song is always sung at the beginning of a Pow Wow. It shows the progression of relations between Natives and non-Natives and how we became Americans.

[Rose] …and that we are here to defend and fight for the Flag and our nation, the United States and our Lakota nation.

At a Pow Wow, the flag is the first thing that enters the arena, then the Veterans, then the beloved elders, and then the dancers. Does the book talk about why this is?

[Frank] During the Grand Entry, the most honored comes first.

[Rose] Also, folks should know this is specifically the Lakota’s view on Pow Wow. There are all kinds of Nations all across Indian country that have their views about Pow Wow, but specifically we’re talking about the Lakotas.

"Little Big Horn" buffalo robe by Mike McLeod

June 25 and 26, 1876 witnessed one of the most decisive battles in U.S. history.

The 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army led by Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer along with an estimated 800 Native warriors from the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes engaged in this merciless battle along the Big Horn River.

This was known as the Battle of Little Big Horn to many, but to some Native Americans, it is remembered as the Battle of Greasy Grass.

There have been many recorded accounts of this legendary battle, and although they vary on many details according to which side the account came from, certain elements have remained constant…

• Custer divided his forces believing that he would be able to surround the encampment and prevent their escape rather than fighting the warriors head on.
• Custer attempted to approach what he believed to be a sleeping village from the North while the second part of his force, led by Major Marcus Reno and Captain Frederick Benteen, planned to approach along the river from the Southeast.
• The scouts under-estimated the size of the camp (it was much larger than their first estimation).
• The scouts tried to warn Custer about the possibility of overwhelming forces, but their warnings fell on deaf ears.

In the end, Custer continued his advance and (according to Native American accounts) his forces were destroyed within an hour.

Testimony of the survivors from Reno and Benteen’s forces (just a few miles to the south of the battlefield) described hearing the sounds of the battle assumed that Custer was engaged with hostile forces. Many of the men also said they heard several rifle vollies (a standard signal for help at the time), but as they were engaged in their own skirmish with Lakota and Cheyenne warriors, they were unable to help.

Historians have debated whether there would have been any survivors from Custer’s five companies had Captain Benteen rode to his aid. They do however agree that had he not chosen to remain with Reno’s forces, the chances are both his companies and Reno’s would have been lost as well.

The aftermath of the battle has also left historians guessing based on what little physical evidence could be found. Upon return to the site of Custer’s battle, it was discovered that there were no survivors – dead horses were found lying in skirmish lines, the soldiers’ bodies had been stripped and mutilated (as was the custom at the time), Custer himself was found with wounds to the chest and head.

To this day, it is unclear exactly what transpired in the portion of the battle involving Custer and his men. By the time the battlefield was discovered, decomposition had set in and most of the remains were beyond recognition, so bodies were quickly buried.

Native American survivors also told many different stories – some witnessed soldiers committing suicide to avoid capture, others told of counting coup on men who ran when their ranks were broken and confusion set in. They also told of Lakota leaders such as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Gall, and the major role they played in the Battle of Greasy Grass, which is why each of them are forever linked to the stories of Custer’s fate, as well as those of 267 other men who died under his command.

To visit the site now, amongst the rolling hills full of tall grass and heavily treed river bottoms, one would find it hard to imagine that such a serene place was ever scarred by war.

More about the Battle of Little Big Horn

The Last Stand

Last Stand at Little Big Horn

Bards of the Little Big Horn

The Day the World Ended at Little Big Horn

Crazy Horse and the Real Reason for the Battle of the Little Big Horn

Crazy Horse and Custer

Walking into Donald Montileaux’s studio, a colorful drawing of Mickey Mouse is prominently mounted on the wall and seems as if to greet us as we enter the space. Looking around at Donald’s studio, this drawing of Mickey is surrounded by ledger drawings and masks; it appears to be a bit out of place, but since it’s hung in such a special way, we just have to ask…what’s with Mickey?

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Tracey] Can you tell us about Mickey Mouse?

[Donald Montileaux] Did you film him? Did you get a picture of Mickey? He’s my muse…

Well, when I was growing up, I never knew we were a poor family (you know, as a kid, you never know that), but my dad would come back from work, we’d eat supper, and then (because we didn’t have a TV), my dad and I would take out the sketch pad and draw pictures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. My mom was always the judge, and because I was their only child, I’d always win.

Mickey Mouse has been with me for 60 years…and even today, I can still draw him pretty good.

He’s probably also one who inspired me to become an artist…

I have a Mickey Mouse watch that I wear whenever I travel. I always tell people that Mickey’s with me today [Donald mimics the way Mickey looks on his watch at different times during the day]…so that’s why Mickey Mouse.

[Rose] That’s a great explanation! That’s awesome.

[Donald] If you go to my show at the Dahl, the first thing you’ll see as you enter the gallery, there’s a picture of me and a picture of Mickey Mouse drawing some horses with a paint brush (at my retrospective in 2003, I gave the drawing to my dad…but after he passed away and my mom passed away, I got Mickey back).

In this snippet of our talk with American Indian artist Donald Montileaux, we discuss his latest series of masks – where his inspiration came from, how he feels about exploring new ideas in his work, and some of the reasons why change is a good thing.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Rose] It’s such a privilege to have your work here, in our gallery. I find it inspirational…if I’m having a moment, I just walk around the gallery and always end up in front of your work.

Do you like this work (ledger drawings) over your three-dimensional work?

[Donald Montileaux] It’s always a step. My ledgers are my bread and butter (they’re the main course) and the other part’s the dessert…and how long can you live on dessert? You definitely need your meat and potatoes!

My philosophy is this: Don’t go too far, but still give your audience a new look at who you are.

[Rose] Lately you’ve been working on a line of masks for your current show at the Dahl. I know as an artist you have to evolve and start adding things, but do you like that three-dimensional quality, too?

[Donald] I think these (the ledger drawings) will always be me, these will always say “Don Montileaux”…but there are certain times when you’ve got to step back away from that because you need a refreshment, something that rejuvenates your work. That’s what my masks do because they’re not flat two-dimensional surfaces and they play their own game with me and have a whole different world (of possibilities).

The individual that gave me the story that inspired the masks is no longer with us, but it was a real blessing to have him here and hear his stories.

[Rose] You’re talking about Dakota Hollow Horn Bear?

[Donald] Yes. He inspired the masks by telling me a traditional story about them. I thought a lot about this story and how I could capture the beauty of these masks…but before I had figured out how I could present them, Dakota left us and I let the masks go for a whole year…but then they kept coming back. I think it was really something he wanted to have them out there.

I was walking through a store one day and I saw a mask and got the idea. I thought about how to cut it down, refine it, melt it a little bit…I knew something would come out of it. With that I had my base and then the masks started talking and everything came together…again, I’m merely a channel.

[Rose] You’re the lead for a lot of our young artists and I’m sure Dakota would be excited to know he influenced you.

[Donald] I hope so…

What insight! In this snippet of our interview with Native American artist Donald Montileaux, he shares with us some of the meaning behind his work, what he enjoys about the art making process, those who have inspired him, and the thing he admired most about his mentor Herman Red Elk.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Rose] Do you ever find that you have “artist’s block” and you need to get some inspiration? Where do you get your inspiration?

[Donald Montileaux] Fortunately, I never have…because I’m full time, I’m never not an artist. I go to sleep at night and I say my prayers and I thank the Lord for the day, and then I wake up in the morning and I thank him again…but in-between that real wake up and that dream state, that’s when most of my ideas come to me. I just let them roll and enjoy them as I think them through…then I wake up and go right to the studio.

[Rose] I love these guys (she says as she points to one of Donald’s shadowy horned figures). They just have a spirit, an energy of their own. Whenever I see them, it’s comforting.

[Donald] Ah, these guys are helpers. I call them my enchanted figures, my guardian spirits. According to my culture (the Lakota culture), when we first came out of Wind Cave to come up on the surface of the Earth, we were crying, poor, starved, and we didn’t know how to care for ourselves, so we started praying. The Great One heard our prayers…down below there were these Helpers that came up and out and gave us the gift of the buffalo.

(Referring to the same shadowy figure with horns)…that’s why I represent them in the form of a buffalo – they are always there, even today. If we need help, we can pray and do the right things to make them come to us and help us – these are Helpers. They’re not anything to be scared of, these are Helper Guys.

When I do my individuals and I do my people, I like to hear them talk to me – they’re always visiting and we’re talking back an forth and all the sudden one guy will say “hey, hey, I’d like to have a green trailer”,  so I’ll jump over there and get him (because I don’t want to loose that talk), and then another guy will start talking more than the one I was working on, and then another will start saying something – as the piece evolves, these individuals are telling me more about what they want to be, as opposed to me telling them what I want.

[Rose] So, the medium, the creation all speaks to you…it’s something inside of you that has to come out?

[Donald] Oh, yeah. I guess I’m just a go between. Spiritually I believe they’re still there…maybe I’m just bringing them back and putting them in color.

[Rose] Do you have to do a lot of historical research or do you lean more on stories that were taught to you by your family, your friends, your respected elders?

[Donald] I’ve done both. When I was younger, growing up I spent a lot of time researching by going to libraries and museums.

And then I’d go to elders and spend a lot of time smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee (because that’s how you have to do it) and listening…I did this a lot throughout my 20s, just went and talked to the old people (because there were still a lot of them left then). So, I heard their stories, and especially when Herman (Donald’s mentor) came by, he would tell me stories as he was drawing, as he working with pulling a hide, or curing a hide.

The other thing Herman used to say is when you do a hide you have to be able to draw the images in your sleep…especially the horses. I never really knew what that was (I was like 21, 22 years old at the time), but as I matured, I understood what Herman meant…now, I can draw my horses and my images in my sleep. What he meant was you can never make a mistake on a buffalo hide – when you put black down, it’s there, you’re committed…so you have to know that image.

Herman used to just study his hide. He’d have it on an easel and he would just study it and look at it for 3 days…4 days…whatever it took…and then finally, he would take his bone brush and make the first mark and everything would fall into place after that. He just had it in his mind, it was already there…it just moved from his mind, to his hand, to his art. I always admired that.

I’m kind of there now, I have that movement, that flow of thought.

In this episode, artist Donald Montileaux tells us why creating ledger drawings are culturally important to him and also explains his technique and the importance of good materials – ledger books, the unique physical qualities of the paper, and their history – and what he does to ensure the longevity of his drawings.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Donald Montileaux] I live in 2 cultures. I live in the European culture and the Native culture, and my art is a good marriage for that because I’m half French and half Native – the European side is the ledger book and all the writing, that’s European too, but then the image on top of that is my Native side…and together they make a really beautiful statement. They bear our history…and that’s a good way of presenting my art [ledger drawings], especially for me as a Native artist.

[Rose] Right…so no denying either part of your heritage, but a perfect melding of both.

[Donald] And the beauty of each. Individually, each can stand alone, but together, there is a beauty that can be achieved.

[Donald refers to some ledger drawings he's been working on] Well, these two drawings that I’m working on today are on paper from my old, antique ledger books.

[Rose] Where do you find an old, antique ledger book? Do you just go around to antique book stores or do you have friends that collect them?

[Donald] Yes, I have friends that collect them for me – I’ve been doing this for so long that everybody in the world knows I need ledgers. When I go to different shows throughout the country, people will bring me books. So what I’ll do is barter for them – I’ll draw an image on one of the pages and give it to the person who brought me the book.

[Ledger books differ in size, some are long and narrow and others are larger and more square.]

[Rose] Do you have a preferred size or is it more about the paper?

[Donald] I like the paper, regardless of the size. The dates are important – [Donald refers to a few pieces of ledger paper laying on his table] this one is dated 1896. The quality of paper is also very important and the other thing is that it’s written on, which adds credibility to the piece.

[Looking at one of his pages, Donald explains more] This piece of paper is probably from a shop keeper’s ledger (it also has the name of the individual at the top) and this was his account for maybe a year or two years running.

Each one of my drawings are also fresh. Each time I draw a drawing, I do it on a separate piece of paper and then I use transfer paper to pick up the lines, turn it over and redraw it again on the other side, and then transfer it onto the ledger paper. This saves the face of the ledger paper (for instance, I hardly ever use an eraser on the ledger paper). Then I add all my blacks and then go to my colors.

[Referring to another piece of ledger paper] On this page, right here…its dated 1903 and the quality of the paper is good. If you hold it up to a window, you can see the watermarks…and I love the writing. It’s also very pliable…its really a nice paper.

One time when I was in an art show, I was visiting with a professor from the University of Pennsylvania. He asked if I know why my colors were so brilliant. I said “No, I really don’t.” He told me ledgers were actually made with a really high grade of paper; most of them were leather bound and made to last for a long, long time and the paper was made with strands of silken fiber. He explained that as I added my layers of color, I was actually burnishing them into the silken fibers and that’s what making those vibrant colors possible.

[Rose] I know part of the concern with paper is whether or not it’s acid free. Is there anything you do to the paper to insure that it’s not going to eat through the image?

[Donald chuckles at this and explains…]
Well, most of the paper I use is probably a hundred plus years old already and I do have a spray. You just spray it on both sides and it neutralizes the acid in the paper. Then I put my stuff on it (which is all acid free), and then I spray it with a clear coat.

So I really am maintaining that paper for another 2 or 3 hundred years.

[Rose] So with that, you insure that image is going to stay true, as long as its taken care of – obviously if you’re letting the sun shine on your artwork, it won’t, but as long as you take care of it, it’ll be around forever.

[Donald] I’ve seen my ledger pieces that are now 20 years old and they’re still as crisp as the day I drew them because the owner takes care of it by putting UV glass on it to protect them from the sunlight.

Roadtrip to Crow Country

Every April for the past several years, Michael (from the Sioux Trading Post) and Dan (our General Manager) enjoy a few days away from the store and take a trip to Montana’s Northern Cheyenne and Crow reservations.

Their goal is to network, meet new artists, and purchase some amazing new artwork for the store (they have also made a lot of friends over the years and say they look forward to reconnecting with them and catching up most of all).

Come out and see them – the trip begins April 26!

Scheduled appearances:

Thursday, April 26
Northern Cheyenne Arts & Crafts Center
Lame Deer, MT
11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Friday, April 27
Western Heritage Center
2822 Montana Ave, Billings MT
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
&
Chief Plenty Coups State Park Museum
Pryor, MT
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Saturday, April 28
St. Dennis Parish Catholic Church
Crow Agency, MT
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Questions?
Please call 800.541.2388 and ask for Dan or Michael!

Here in the Black Hills, the beginning of Spring is marked by American Indian Awareness Week and Lakota Omniciye Wacipi at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD.

This event is open to the public and a great opportunity to enjoy traditional food, see beautiful regalia, watch amazing dancers, listen to the haunting sounds of Native song, and experience the powerful, heart throbbing beat of the legendary drum!
.

Lakota Omnicye Wacipi
The theme for this year’s pow wow is “Mending the Sacred Hoop: A Circle of Unity”.

Where: Donald E. Young Sports & Fitness Center Field House
When: April 13 – 15 | April 14: Free Buffalo Feed

American Indian Awareness Week
The annual pow wow is part of BHSUs American Indian Awareness Week, an event “dedicated to educating the community about Indian culture”.

Where: Jonas building on the campus of BHSU
When: April 10 – 15

Throughout the week, daily speakers will include:

• Phillip White Man Jr: Respect for Diversity and Cultural Humility (more than Integrity)
• Heather Dawn Thompson: Turning Issues into Action: Inside Secrets to Advocacy”
• Donald Montileaux
• J.R. LaPlante: Current Legal Issues Facing South Dakota Tribes
• Candy Hamilton: Access Possibilities – Building Friendly Diversity in our Communities
• Tim Giago: The Role of Media in Creating Unity or Division
• Rosalie Little Thunder: Legalistic Approach to Eagle Feathers Not the Lakota Spirituality of Her Ancestors
• Harvey DuMarce: Being Dakota in the Modern World
• Gerald Yellow Hawk
• Walt Swan: Unity in Education – Experiences From a Tribal Perspective
• Whitney Rencountre: Wacipi – A Way of Life
• Lila Mehlhaff: Unity Through Healing

Bead & Bookmobile: Come out and see us!
During the Pow Wow, we will also be showcasing our unique craft supplies, botanicals and beads; as well as our collection of Native American books, music and movies. If you have a special request and would like us to bring something in particular with us, please let us know!

Where: Donald E. Young Sports & Fitness Center Field House
When: Friday, April 13 – 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Saturday, April 14 – 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm

The other day we chatted with artist Donald Montileaux and got an inside look at his studio – we looked at some amazing work, had the chance to see some of his drawings in progress, and also learned some of the meaning behind his artwork, what inspires him, and his greatest mentors.

In this first episode, Donald tells us about one of his greatest mentors, how he became a ledger artist, and also gives us a quick lesson about the history of this art form.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Rose Kern] How did you get involved with Ledger Art…what drew you to that?

[Donald Montileaux] My ego (Don says smiling). My mentor was Herman Red Elk. He was an outstanding hide painter and he was from Fort Peck Reservation in Montana. He took me under his wing and showed me how to do hides – from the kill, all the way up to the processing and tanning – which was a very long, tedious process.

[Rose] So he’s a purist teacher…

[Donald] Oh, yeah…he made me learn everything from wrap to glue and the whole bit.

(But back to the original question of how Don got into Ledger Art…) I have an ego and Herman would always win the prizes [for his artwork]…and I hated that, because I have to win the prizes.

So, I studied…historically after all the buffalo were pretty much slaughtered from the Plains, Native Americans turned to using the paper from ledger books – they would acquire them through bartering with the shop keepers for them (the books really had no value for the shop keepers once they were filled, other than as something to barter to the Native Americans). This was mostly the Lakota…which is my heritage.

Since it [drawing on ledger paper] is a historical form of artwork…I thought, “Well, that’s cool. Herman can be the hide painter and I won’t have to worry about him winning all the prizes anymore, because I’ll be the ledger artist (one of the few back then doing this type of art – at least over 20 years ago).

So it really was a thing out of my ego that drew me to become a Ledger Artist.

[Rose] Do you attribute your start to Herman, too?

[Donald] Oh, yeah. Herman taught me all the symbolism, all the designs, and basically how to compose things and have the storyline behind all the things that I put on my ledger drawings – from the moccasin designs all the way to the shields, and even the horse themselves, they carry designs that I can interpret.

[Rose] Was Herman a family friend or did you meet him at school?

[Donald] Herman was about 30 years my senior. I was working at the Sioux Indian Art Museum for a summer program, and that’s when I met Herman for the first time. We got into 2 workshops with Oscar Howe…a very well known artist at the University of South Dakota.

Herman had 4 boys, but they never wanted to learn his craft…and I was always pestering Herman because I wanted to do this. So, he took me under his wing and said, “Okay then, we’ll learn it the right way and that’s the way we’ll do it.”