Independent Lens

This is our rez car, or it's a Philly rez car.

[Bells jingle] Woman: We come out, and we share our songs and our dances, trying to keep the culture alive, to teach people that we are still here 500 years later.

[Flute playing] One more.

[Drum beating, woman vocalizing] Whoo!

Woman: Thank you very much for coming out and sharing in that round dance and our friendship dance.

Great job, everybody.

[Indistinct chatter] Man: OK?

OK.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Nice job.

Thank you.

My name is Delwin Fiddler Jr. Come from Green Grass.

Pheztho.

The Great Sioux Nation, the Lakhta Nation.

I wanted to learn how to sing.

I wanted to learn how to dance.

I wanted to learn about the world.

I was into that, and I'm still into it.

By leaving, I got more experience and more education and more understanding about how things work, but you're Lakhta, you're Native.

You still got to come back.

You got to go out as a warrior again.

You got to go out your trail and come back again.

I got to know these wonderful people out in the world, the city of Philadelphia, but doing that way of life, you know, you're away from your family.

I have plans to go home and just be, be with the horses, be in the element of the reservation, and be with my family.

You know, I haven't been with them like that for the past 11 years.

Ahh!

Green Grass.

Jeez.

Look at this.

Little Charlene.

Oh, my goodness.

Wow!

Wow!

You're grown up.

Man: Yep.

Ha ha ha!

[Ruff] Well... You look different.

[Laughter] Dad said, "You look different."

I didn't recognize you looking at you.

Delwin Jr.: Dad, where'd you get that from?

My mom's land, the Elk Head land right here.

Goes here and across the river.

[Insects and birds chirping] So the woman brought me this newspaper and she said, "Here's your son.

Aren't you glad?"

And I said, "Where?"

And here, they had him in a front page newspaper.

This is when he first started grass dancing-- Delwin.

He took first place.

Delwin Jr.: That's a old picture there, old.

My beginnings of grass dance.

Ha ha ha!

Hkah, man.

Wachpi.

I'm about ready.

Hold on.

I'm loading up.

Oh, hell to the no!

[Laughter] [Splash] Ha ha ha!

Ohh!

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha ha!

Aah!

Ha ha ha!

Where'd you go?

Where'd you go?

Aah!

Ha ha ha!

[Laughter] Aah!

Aah!

See you later!

My sandals!

You ran my sandals over!

Ha ha ha!

At.

Whew!

Kili eh.

Wastelo water fight.

There you go.

I got a fish.

I got a fish, Francois.

Francois: Hmm?

Delwin Jr.: Careful, careful.

I'll pull him up here.

Yeah, I'll get him.

Delwin Jr.: Ha ha ha!

What do you think of that?

Ha ha ha!

Eh?

That's traditional food.

You get a whole bunch of them and fill up.

All your vitamins, eh?

Ha ha ha!

Got Vitamin A, C, everything in them.

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha!

Shoot, man.

Shirley: It's a blessing that I have sons because one day that I'm not here, it's them to carry on.

This is a 1800 channnpa here.

Belonged to one of our ancestors.

He was a medicine man, and this channnpa was kept also in a museum.

It was brought home to us in the year of 2004.

It comes to me, and now, my son's gonna have to take care of it.

Now each time it's open, we have to put tobacco on there.

I don't have no tobacco.

Pipe tobacco, I mean.

Where's the cigarettes at, Lil Man?

Lil Man: No, actually, you got to smoke 4.

Here.

No, one.

Delwin Jr.: Wanzi.

Shirley: When that leaves from you like that, you say, "Mitkuye oys'in."

Make it really smoky.

There.

OK.

There.

And, um... Can I hit you, Dad?

Yeah.

Just blow it towards them for blessing, and, um... Be strong.

Blow the smoke towards him.

I'm trying, Mom.

I'm trying.

I don't know.

You got to blow it towards him.

Yeah.

Like that.

See?

OK. Don't be laughing.

Ha ha ha!

Shirley: My son has a lot to learn.

He really needs a lot to learn yet.

This is an old picture that my Grandma Hannah Elk Head kept.

This is Elias Elk Head right here.

He was the chosen next Keeper of the ipe during the Little Bighorn Battle.

And they defeated the battle, and we're still here today, and we are still descendants from each Keeper of the channnpa.

Ohh.

And 4.

You know, someone sat there and told me once, they said, "Derek, you really come from Elk Head?"

It was a--how do you say this-- Caucasian guy?

He's like, uh--he said to me, he said, "[Bleep] bro, I mean, if your guys' society was like the white man's," they said--well, I mean, the English the guy said-- he said, "You'd be like a king, huh?"

And I was like, "Well."

I said, "if it was, if our culture was as so, "I mean, yeah, I think--I think I would be"-- well, Grandfather or my grandfather was, like, head chief, so I was like, "Yeah.

He would have been a king," and he's like, "Well, that would make you a prince."

Heh heh.

I just smiled.

It's not every day someone tells you that [bleep].

Derek: Delwin, it's not a saw.

You have a knife there.

-Yeah?

-Straightedge.

OK. You have to take these off, too, or just leave these on here?

No.

No.

Look.

Just... You have a straightedge.

Have you ever made sweat lodge, brother?

Uh, like I said, last time we did it was over there, Derek.

That's what I said.

That was the first and last time?

The first and last time.

Yes.

Wow.

Gee.

That was years ago.

Uh, yeah, Derek.

Like I said.

Ha ha ha!

That's what you get for living-- going around town and living in the city.

Well, are you loving the fast concrete?

Yeah.

the concrete jungle, you mean?

Yeah.

I love it.

-The jungle, man.

-The jungle, man.

Welcome to the jungle Ha ha ha!

Waiting on the great chief Delwin Fiddler.

Patience.

Hold on.

It's not like we have a whole army of people here.

OK. Jeez.

Calm down.

Laugh once in a while.

Delwin Jr.: Oh.

Hold.

Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it.

Back up.

Shirley: It's good to have him home again.

When Delwin was gone, I told him, "You're never home.

"You're living in a different world "out there in a city.

You don't know what it's like to live on a reservation."

I mean, he grew up here, too, but there's a lot of things that he-- he didn't know this or didn't know that, so I have to tell him, but I never heard him sing yet, you know?

If I need prayers in that way, you can't just come and just say, "Mom, I'll have a minister come."

What am I gonna say?

[Coughs] No, I don't want no minister to come because I know how he's gonna talk to me from the Bible and the chapter.

-Mm-hmm.

-I don't want it like that.

I want a Lakhta way.

What you gonna do?

During that time--when they call and request, I will do that.

Yeah.

See?

I'll put that-- Uh-huh.

So I want it that way in a song in that way, also.

Now you have to learn of the sundances, you have to learn of the prayers, the songs that go with the prayers, and the inipi.

There's a lot of youth that needs prayers.

A lot of these youth are suicidal.

These are the ones that that need help.

Now can you do this now?

You're 30 now.

See, that's the responsibility you have to do it now.

[Rain falling] [Thunder] Ohh!

[Thunder] Whoa!

Delwin Sr.: Whoa!

Whoa!

Look at that.

[Thunder] Shirley, voice-over: The reason why I called the reunion is because of Elias Elk Head.

You have to get your real proof how you're related to these chiefs.

They honor certain ones on radio that took part at Little Bighorn Battle like Crazy Horse, for instance.

You're honored.

That's what the thiyspaye of Elk Head, thiyspaye, that's what it's supposed to be.

But it's not.

I didn't do it.

[Hammer striking stakes] Oh, [bleep]!

Aw, [bleep]!

Aw!

Over here, Derek.

Get on one side.

We'll do one side.

Oh.

One, two... [Coughs] Pull this way.

Dad!

We need somebody who knows how to tie a knot.

Jeez!

Delwin Sr.: About time.

Man: Tie that sucker.

Tie that sucker, Dad.

Come on.

Dad!

Delwin Sr.: Say, "Ahh."

All: Ahh!

Delwin Jr.: Ha ha ha!

Ahh!

That stake's a little far away.

OK.

He's a little far away.

OK. OK, man.

Yeah.

Shirley: Peyton!

Peyton: Yo!

Shirley: Sarah wants to know when you're gonna go home.

Peyton: Later this evening maybe.

Shirley: Like, what time?

Peyton: I don't know.

Delwin Sr.: Midnight.

Tell her midnight.

Peyton: We're going in to sweat again.

We're going to sweat.

Then we're going to-- going to kettle and go another sweat.

Ha ha ha!

We're wankn.

We got ceremonies.

Wankn.

Huh?

[Laughter] Peyton: Stay up there for a week.

[Laughter] Man: 1, 2, 3.

[Men grunting] 1, 2, 3.

[Grunting] Delwin, do something!

[Laughter] Peyton: Come this way a little bit.

Well, this was all your idea.

It's up, Mr. Tent Guy.

Ehh!

I guess.

Jeez.

[Rain falling] [Indistinct chatter] [Drumming, singing in Lakhta] [Thunder] [Thunder] Heh heh.

Blessing the grounds.

The rain's coming.

Derek: Gee, that Wind's blowing at 50 miles per hour.

Delwin Sr.: There went the tent.

Delwin Jr.: Did it go down?

It went down.

Shirley: No.

Peyton: All that hard work.

[Man singing in Lakhta and drumming] Ha ha ha!

[Drumming intensifying] Ho ho ho!

[Laughter] He went up like this.

Kenny: I didn't even know you could move that fast.

[Birds chirping] Shirley: Look at the camera.

Woman: OK. [Camera shutter clicking] Delwin Jr.: Whew.

It's hard work, modeling, taking pictures like that.

Derek: Welcome to Green Grass.

I'm really glad that everybody is here.

All our intentions were was just to bring the family together and to share amongst one another of our own culture of what we have learned growing up, and with that, I'd like to say a prayer for the food.

I say, wopela tanka Thunksila.

Anptu icuhela wyawaste Thunksila.

Today is a good day with all these people, and thank you for these blessings that you have given us and tearing down the tent, Thunksila--heh heh-- because I didn't want to tear it down.

[Don Ray Makes Room singing in Lakhta and drumming] [Girls laughing] [Dog barking] Shirley: You know nighttime, my grandma always says they come back and they hold their dance.

She always tells me not to be afraid because that's my grandpa and them singing and dancing.

Sometimes, people think they don't get help.

They struggle in life, but yet at the end, everything comes out good for them.

I seen this my own self.

I--I was healing from my son's death, and I almost gave up, but my mom and my grandmom, "Don't give up," you know, "Go on."

So this night, I seen Elk Head Red Hair, and he come to me and told me not to cry.

He said, "Thakza ichyA sni yo," "I'm with you at all times."

He was a Keeper of the channnpa.

Maybe sometimes, he wanted me to go on working with things of him, so I snapped out of it, and I said, "Well, I better get strong here," and this is his camp, so we all come from that thiyspaye here.

Yes.

Derek, voice-over: There's 4 of us.

I was the third brother.

Delwin was the, um-- we called him Daddy's baby because you couldn't hurt him.

You couldn't do anything to Delwin.

If you did anything to Delwin, he would turn around and tell on you.

Heh heh.

Kenny--uh, Kenny was the no-good one.

Um, even at a young age, he was no good.

Just...blunt and direct, and my little brother Frankie, well, he was the one that was like Kenny, but a little minor, a little, um-- a notch down from Kenny.

He was a little bit calmer, sensitive.

We used to go to a lot of powwows.

Kenny used to dance traditional, and, um, Delwin and Frankie used to dance grass, and they used to take first all over the place.

When my little brother shot himself, and, uh-- changed a lot and changed-- changed our family a whole bunch.

Um...my little brother died in my arms.

To sit there and to watch your little brother bleed and die in your arms and you can't even do a damn thing about it, it's, um-- it's not every day a 14-year-old would see.

I remember going to the hospital in a cop car with him.

We sang the song that we was learning from Black Lodge.

It went, uh... [Singing in Lakhta] [Singing fades] [Birds squawking] Delwin Jr.: After that, I just stopped dancing.

I just kind of like whatever.

I never thought I would make it past 30.

I was like that for a couple of years... till some of my uncles came by and said a prayer with me and told me "You got to do something positive."

[Drumming] So I got a bus ticket east somewhere, came to Philadelphia, and that's where it started.

Bring me that one.

Derek: Dad, hurry up!

I got a big one!

A big one.

Delwin Jr.: Ha ha ha!

Delwin Sr.: That one's good.

That one's better than these.

Chenoa: Ugh!

Lil Man: Don't move.

Delwin Sr.: It will be OK. Lil Man: You'll be OK. Derek: Dad, look at your city boy Junior over there.

He's ooey-gooing his face over you cutting up that fish.

He used to do this himself, and he's getting over there like a little wichncala over there.

Delwin Sr.: Here, here.

Chenoa: No!

Derek: Come on.

It's not high-class like in the city.

-Here, here.

-No.

Here.

Chenoa: Aah!

Eww!

Rummy.

What?

You're kidding.

Son.

Your turn.

I wasn't paying attention.

Ha ha ha!

What can I tell you?

OK. Count from 30.

Yeah.

30.

Yeah.

Because I paid that 75 over there.

Lil Man: No, wait.

45?

No, just leave that there.

That's good.

How much are the twos worth?

20.

Deuces.

You say deuces, not twos.

Deuces.

[Dogs barking] Delwin Sr.: I was taking 5-minute catnaps coming down the road.

Delwin Jr.: Ha ha ha!

I used to drive a truck, gravel truck like that.

Don't sleep all night.

One of them trucks would pass me up.

I'd hear them trucks hitting the-- you know how it makes on that blacktop where them grooves are?

Dmm!

Umm, umm, umm.

I could hear that.

Wake up.

Still be on my side of the road going down the road.

I worked for that guy when I was about 17 years old all the way up till I was about 29, and then I'd quit and then go work someplace else and go back to work for him.

Getting too old to be doing that.

Even getting too old to be fooling around with these horses.

Got to teach these guys something.

Here.

Put this over his head and then put this here and catch his one foot if he lets you get close to him.

Just pass over that lead rope, put this around his neck.

Pass this through an catch his hind hoof, then pull it up.

Ho.

Ho.

Ho.

Ain't going nowhere.

Tsst, tsst, tsst!

Ho.

Shirley: What do want him to do?

You're just having him sit there or what?

Delwin Jr.: Oh.

Well, Dad, I want you tell the history of your past.

I wanted to ask you the history of the Fiddlers.

-I don't know.

-And... Shirley: He can't tell it because he don't know.

I do.

Delwin Sr.: I grew up in Whitehorse.

Shirley: Get that toothpick out of your mouth.

-It really looks bad.

-It don't look bad.

It don't look.

It looks traditional.

Look like I got done eating a steak.

Heh heh heh.

Shirley: Gee, this is--ohh.

Ha ha ha!

You're not gonna get nothing out of him.

All right.

Ha.

Ta-da!

Oh!

Ho ho ho!

Chenoa: Aah!

Oh!

Oh!

[Neighing] Kenny: Oh.

He tied the-- tied the head up too--too tight.

Tied him up here and too short of a whatever.

He turned his head.

Turned his head.

Cranked that rope, cranked that rope.

Got him to right here, choked him out, killed him.

Delwin Sr.: You can't tie him in that middle hitch.

You got to watch him.

That thing will slip around.

You got to tie it so it will slide around.

Tie it hard and fast, it wraps around, and it gets tight.

Kenny: Dad, you're telling the wrong one.

You need to tell that kid.

I know, I'm just saying.

So this video.

I'm just saying to anybody so you know what the hell is going on.

Next time you tie a horse up, you know what the hell to do.

Wouldn't have killed that horse off if he was smart.

should have left a loop.

Lil Man: I'm just gonna stay away for a little while, probably about a month or two.

I don't know yet.

I haven't planned it out yet.

I might just explore the world, just walk everywhere and kind of be like my mom.

My mom does the same thing.

She walks around town to town, city to city, explores the world and tries to stay somewhere or whatever.

Try to get a job or something.

I would rather go to school, but, like, I'm way behind.

I still got, like, 20--22 credits to make up.

When I came to the age of 16, I went to school for, like, maybe a year or so, and then I dropped out, and ever since then, I...been selling weed and drinking, and that's about it, smoking cigarettes.

Deep down, I think I am a really good guy, though.

Well, kind of generous and happy and... [Coughs] good sense of humor.

[People singing and drumming on stereo] Whoo!

Hey!

Ha ha ha!

Heh heh.

[Gurgles] [Bicycle bell ringing] Uh-oh!

Delwin Jr.: Uh-oh.

Down!

That's a slide.

Slide.

Come on.

See?

There you go.

Go.

Daddy?

Oh.

Heh heh.

You can fly.

I believe we can fly.

Delwin Jr., voice-over: I have a daughter now.

I have my own child.

I decided to name her Kassi Phoenix Fiddler.

Later down the road, hopefully when she starts singing and stuff, I want her stage name to be Kassi Phoenix.

Just call her Phoenix... and, um, it was a long battle.

For almost two years, I went through the court system.

She was given to the mother for a temporary thing, and anyway, one day, I get a call from the DSS and the police department telling me to go pick up my child at the shelter home, so ever since that day came, I picked her up, and now I got her, and I'm gonna give her everything that I know of, you know, everything.

I'm gonna show her everything I possibly can.

Give me some money?

Money.

Some mzaska.

Take that.

"Mzaska."

Say that.

Yep.

Mzaska -Ahow!

-Ahow!

Ha ha ha!

You got to stay where I can see you, OK?

-All right?

-No!

Yes, yes.

[Bells rattle] [Kassi babbling] [Bells jingling] [Drums beating] [People whooping] [Singing in Lakhta] Man, on P.A.

: All you moms, come on up.

Bring your children.

All you moms.

[Speaks Lakhta] Bring your children.

Come to the center and dance with your thakza.

Even if they don't have an outfit on, bring your children to the center.

Whoo!

Whoo!

[Time clock thumps] Pest technician, pest control unit.

Housing Authority.

For the longest time, you know, trying to get a job and just never-- always apply but never get a call, request, or nothing, so, you know, I keep trying, keep, keep trying, and then when that opportunity came, I took it.

Part of me I wanted to stay in Philadelphia and continue on what I've been doing, but the other side, I wanted to go to South Dakota and know the history and stuff and bring that medicine back to the people.

I mean, I'm happy I went.

I made my decision, but the sacrifice you make, it was either traditional culture or more money and stay away, and I chose to be with my culture and my nation.

[Live drumming and singing playing] [Music stops, bells jingling] Kassi: Daddy!

I want to go play.

I want to go play some more.

Shirley: Say Waniyetu.

That's your name.

Oh.

You have to learn how to talk.

Shirley: Bite.

Waniyetu: Bite.

Yeah.

Like that.

See?

Say Mom.

Mom.

Yeah.

Grandma.

Mama?

Yep.

See?

Grandpa.

Shirley: Papa!

Waniyetu: Mm-hmm.

Papa!

Heh heh heh.

My hat!

Ha ha!

Let me get my cap.

Yeah.

Yeah.

OK.

Mine hat.

OK. Ha ha ha!

You're crazy, baby.

Bee bee bee bee bee bee bee -Up?

-Up.

[Wind blowing] [Whispering] Ugh.

That's tough.

All right.

Whoo!

Ahh.

Get myself some gloves.

Heh.

Heh heh heh.

Whoo!

Whoo!

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

Ha ha ha!

Hoo hoo hoo!

Hang on, Kassi!

Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

Ha ha ha ha!

Whoo-hoo!

[Giggling] Shirley: Hey!

Quit it now.

Quit running!

Aah!

[Giggling] Jeez.

It's really shining that light right at my face.

[Kids giggling] Delwin Jr.: Mom, I got a buffalo hide.

I'm gonna come pick it up Saturday.

What did you get for?

Lil Man: He wants to learn how to make stuff.

What did you get it for?

To do what?

To make stuff, Mom.

Who's little girl?

Where?

That other one.

What do you mean, the other one?

That's my daughter right there, Mom.

That's your granddaughter Kassi right there.

That's little Shirley right there.

Oh.

Don't you recognize yourself there?

Uh-uh.

That's Shirley Jr. right there.

Keep your puppy from going fast.

-Mom.

-What?

-Love you.

-Yeah Keep your puppy from going fast.

[Oxygen hissing] Woman: Just relax at the sports bar tonight... Man: ...forecast.

A few snow showers at times today, highs near... -Oh!

Papi here!

-Papi here?

-Papi here!

-All right.

Papi here.

That sucker was huge, Dad.

This bull is big, man.

I cleared my trunk out.

I think that that buffalo bull will fit in there, the head and stuff.

Delwin Sr.: Wow.

Delwin Jr.: Get in there.

There we go.

[Game chiming] Voice: Do you like to play with squeaky songs in general, or am I boring you?

Yeah.

Delwin Jr.: Oh, [bleep].

Kassi, open the door.

Hurry up!

Open the door!

[Game chiming] Oh!

Open the door, Kassi, by the handle.

The handle.

The handle.

The handle.

Oh, my God.

[Huffing] Oh, damn it!

I want to let it go!

Damn it!

Hold on.

Well, if we put the hide in there, Lil Man-- if we put the hide in there and put the tarp over it.

[Grunting] Delwin Sr.: Got blood all over the fender.

Another one.

What the hell is that from?

Things are looking up, Dad.

-Thank you.

Philmayapo.

-Get it clean.

You sure you don't want to some of that-- OK, I'm just gonna head out.

One more, one more, one more, one more.

One more time?

One more.

All right.

Love you, Dad.

Thank you.

I'll give you a call when we get to Sturgis, Dad.

All right.

That's good.

This is my first time ever doing a buffalo.

I wanted to start buffalo dancing, you know, and just take that to the world.

For the past 5 years, I don't know, most of my life, I've been looking for a hide or have been requesting but never seemed to, like, whatever, you know, like, get it or seem to-- things just didn't work out, but today--yesterday and today, it all worked out.

It just--it's amazing.

It just--it--I was like, "Wow!"

Thunksila, the creator above saying thank you.

It's like, "OK, hey, you're on the right path."

You know, "Basically, you're not alone.

We're still with you."

We sang 3 songs, 3 hymn songs, after that, we-- then he passed.

And then trying to do what we can to go forward with our lives, you know, without our dad, but I know in spirit he'd be there with us, you know.

[Sniffles, sighs] Toothpick in his mouth.

Ha ha ha!

Heh.

[Bleep].

Ahh.

Delwin Jr.: Dad, I want you to tell the history of your past.

I wanted to ask you the history of the Fiddlers.

Delwin Sr.: When I was born, there were no doctors.

My grandmother the one delivered me.

She was about 80 years old, but... she was nice.

She used to teach us everything in Indian, but I never did pay attention to her.

She'll name all these pots and kettles and everything in Indian, but I never knew what she was saying.

I was the other way around.

Never paid attention to them.

Still, don't pay attention to them.

Just do my own.

Shirley: His parents is Lizzie Fights the Bear Rollingham, and his father's name is Joseph Fiddler.

There was a lot of kids in that thiyspaye.

14 kids was a lot of kids.

Delwin had 10 brothers, and he's the youngest one.

now all his brothers passed away.

He's the only one left now.

Like up there in Belcourt, I go up there, meet my relatives.

No.

He's crying because-- [Clears throat] um, he's crying because the last Fiddler died up there, and it's-- it's his dad-- It's his dad that he's crying on.

I was telling him "Don't be crying."

[Singing in Lakhta] [Singing in Lakhta] [Wind blowing] Man: One.

Two.

Check.

Delwin Jr., voice-over: Ever since my dad passed away, it's not the same.

I said, "Well, let me go back to the East Coast.

"There's a lot more work out there, opportunities than in South Dakota."

[Recording of drumming and singing playing] [Music stops] Whew!

How do you like that?

[Cheering and applause] Whew!

Man: Are there any reservations around?

The closest right now we have is Shinnecock.

Other than that, there ain't no other-- there's nothing like that because due to that, they sold the land, but also the Removal Act.

You had to get all the Natives out of here, so that's what William Penn and, you know, history, but it's all good, but I'm here as just trying to bring that bridge to gap as brothers and sisters, that one big happy family.

Woman: Wonderful.

Here we go.

Thank you.

Oh.

You're welcome.

Yes.

-All right.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

Have a joyous day.

-I have something for you.

-Oh, philmayapo.

Oh.

Thank you.

Oh.

Wpila thnka.

-Great.

-Oh!

Wast.

[Singing in Lakhta] Whoo!

Hkah!

Happy birthday, Kassi Phoenix.

Woman: Happy birthday, Kass.

That's for you, my baby girl.

-Whoo!

Yay!

-All right, all right.

Delwin Jr., voice-over: I've flown full circle.

It's not how I expected it, but it's how it came down.

You can do dry erase chalkboard.

We're at this location now with another friend of mine.

Her family just took us in, and we put her in school.

Now we're still here, and we're all doing our part to take care of Kassi and make a life.

Go with your easel.

That's a smock and paints, baby girl.

Baby, got a you little thing here, Kassi.

Look.

Can you put it on me?

I can put it on you.

Yeah.

See, then you can put your brushes in there, too.

Here she goes.

The artist at work.

Save some room for the night.

Humble beginnings, Kassi.

Sleep now.

Sam's, Walmart, same thing.

Delwin Jr., voice-over: I signed up for--it's a janitorial job.

Got to do projects in there, build stuff, unload stuff, clean up the bathrooms, clean up the floor.

People should have more, um, you know-- not say a better life, but we all got our versions of life, but, um, um, the Native People component, we don't have--we just don't have access to certain things that most people have, and I feel that it should be-- it should not be that hard... to--to--to live, you know.

South Dakota is not the same for me at all.

I will go back just for visiting.

That's about it, though.

[Dice clattering] [Cards fluttering] Ahem.

Oh, jeez, Delwin.

How could you let these go?

What happened?

The 3s?

-Yes.

3s.

-What the?

OK, I'm not paying attention now, see?

I'm trying to win here, Mom.

Oh, my goodness.

See, that's not right.

Ha ha ha!

I don't know what to say, Mom.

Ah.

[Bleep].

All right, I guess I'll put this down.

And I'm out.

-Again?

-Yeah.

I'm out.

What kind of games are you playing?

OK.

I don't know, but I'm out.

You're playing--OK. Ha ha!

So you just have to count.

[Bleep].

See?

I make it snowing.

I'll make it snow if you want me to.

Bring the rain.

Ha ha ha!

Not that sacred, though.

Every time, I just chill out.

[Bleep].

So, I mean, I'm not trying to get angry and mad or not.

There's no need to for that.

Well, I mean, it does to me because they all think I'm still that same person or some [bleep].

Can't even believe me that I'm sober.

Like, [bleep] everybody else that I asked to [bleep] call me while I was locked up, I was like, [bleep].

Now they're all asking me for help.

[Bleep], I ain't trying to help nobody no more.

I know it's not easy.

Uh-uh.

Never is.

You got to find that spot, you know.

Find your peeps.

You know, it takes a while to get there.

It took me 6 months to get myself a car.

-Yeah.

-And it took me-- you know, because I worked hard and saved up.

Then I got adopted into the thiyspaye.

They kind of help out, you know.

I got a spot for Kassi, a spot for me.

Girl, I want to be More than just a friend to you [Singing in Lakhta] Just tell me what I have to do For you to be mine [Singing in Lakhta] Eeh!

Delwin Jr.: We don't do things like most people do.

We're medicine people.

We're nacs.

We have everything that we've been shown by our elders beforehand, so now it's our turn.

We can start right now to create our world how we want, whatever that may be, but you have to be in that mind frame to let go of all the negativities, whatever out.

I know that you're capable enough to turn your talent into profit or something.

Sing, dance, whatever.

So why don't we just start a drum group?

I mean, it's just my mindset.

-Yeah.

-Um... Don't matter to me, man, as long as I make some money.

-Ha ha ha!

-Yeah.

Uh... Let me see here.

I think I got my-- so this is me right there.

See?

Oh, [bleep] So I guess think about it.

Let me know.

You can tell a story with the flute, with the drum.

You can tell your story, path of healing.

The healing path, what we call the Red Road.

We can share it with the people.

Yeah, you're playing pretty good.

Hee hee hee!

OK.

Hang on.

Yeah!

Whee!

Go, go, go, go, go!

All right.

Ha ha ha!

All right, Kassi.

Oh!

Make that thing come back.

Go!

Hkah.

Ahh.

Ha ha ha!

Never surrender.

Hee hee hee!

Even if you have a...

Even if you have a flat tire.

Not even if you have a flat, right?

Heh heh heh!

Whoa!

No, no.

You go do it.

Ha ha ha!

No!

[Both laughing] Oh, my gosh!

this is high.

This is high!

All right, let's go.

Ready, set-- ready, set, go.

Hold on.

Ha ha ha!

Ready, set... Aah!

Ha ha ha!

Oh!

Kassi, don't do it!

Ohh!

Dad, look out!

I'm coming.

That's it, Kassi!

Don't do it, Kassi!

Don't do it!

Oh, my gosh!

Ow!

[Indistinct chatter] Hey.

Good morning.

Good morning.

How you doing?

How you doing?

Good morning, good morning.

Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome.

Thank you.

Hi.

Welcome, welcome.

Delwin Jr.: You take the string, take the tobacco, and pray on whatever that intention that you want to pray for.

You want to put it together like this, tie it on.

I struggle at times because sometimes I can't do nothing about certain things.

Only thing I can do is pray, put prayer ties together, ask for help, ask for guidance, ask for assistance.

It's the best way I can do.

We're supposed to be that bridge for each other ceremonially.

Every time we have that ceremony, We're bringing that bridge a little stronger, a little stronger.

Now we become that tree.

Now we're standing strong.

It's got to be like that.

Oh, gosh.

OK. Well, this is, uh, a giveaway for Sisseton and Red Lake and--ugh--for the people there that we do annually.

We started--this will be our second year now-- our third year that we did this, so hopefully I get to see my mother this time.

I'm gonna try.

[Singing in Lakhta] Delwin Jr., voice-over: My mother was talking about life and stuff, and then she came up about paz.

It's an old Lakhta word meaning tree.

One of her wishes or dreams to create something to help the people... [Indistinct chatter] so I put some paperwork together, and we registered it.

It's a nonprofit called PAZA, Tree of Life.

Man: Anyway.

Here you go.

Shirley: Oh, this is a nice one.

It's your book now, Mom.

See?

The things you work for.

That's us.

Yeah.

It's the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Yeah.

There next page.

Elias Elk Head.

That's a nice one.

Gee.

Me and Mom.

Gee!

Yeah.

You and Mom when you got to see Kennedy, remember?

Oh, yeah.

Ha ha ha!

Ha ha ha!

He didn't even have to be in there, but he put himself in there.

He really pissed me off.

I know, I know.

Ha ha ha!

So this is the list of the Keepers that we have in the directory, so I put that in there.

Then there's Kassi.

Ha ha ha!

Oh, yeah.

How big is she now?

Oh my, gosh!

She's about tall as me now.

That's what I was gonna say.

She's just growing, Mom.

She's growing up there.

"This book dedicated to Elias and William and Elk Head from whom our bloodline extends."

Yeah.

Gee.

That's nice.

-So... -Yeah.

-See?

-Yeah.

No.

That's yours, Mom.

Oh, OK. Gee That's nice.

I want to let you know that it's real.

Yeah, OK. Ha ha ha!

First time when you court your girl.

That's a good song.

Please, baby, don't go Ha ha ha!

Please, baby, don't go Please, baby, don't go Sweet home Green Grass [Singing in Lakhta] Here I'll be one for you, my love Please, baby, don't go Please, baby, don't go There's one love, that's you I love you, my baby Please don't go Hey, oh, hey Hoka, see?

Ha ha ha!

That's a good one, that one.

Please don't go Ha ha ha!

[Birds chirping] Delwin Jr.: I shared a brief conversation with my mother before this took place last week.

She said, "I'm ready to go now."

She said, "I can't go out physically," she said, so what's the use?"

she said.

She goes, "I'm ready to go up there now.

Up there.

I'm ready."

She wanted to come here.

She wanted to come to Green Grass, come back to this place here.

[Recording of drumming and singing in Lakhta playing] [Delwin Jr. singing along] [Recording fades] [Inhales and exhales] [Indistinct chatter] Woman: People in the back, there's colored pencils, as well.

Kassi: 1, 2, 3.

1, 2, 3, 4.

Ha ha ha!

What the heck's happening?

1, 2-- Ha ha ha!

Delwin Jr.: This is where it starts.

It's a hoop, hoop of life.

The hoop represents your family, represents your father, your mother, your sister, all your family members.

As you take your steps, you're learning, you're taking a step.

You take another step.

Your success, you take another step.

Take another step, taking a step.

All right.

Here we go.

Show me your skills.

[Recording of drumming and singing playing] Dance, baby!

Dance!

Hoop dance!

Wanzi!

Mickey Mouse!

Give me Mickey Mouse!

Minnie Mouse!

There you go.

Connect, connect, connect, connect, connect.

You got to get your wings on.

You got to keep your wings on.

So now I fly like a eagle.

Hkah, break off and go.

-3, 2, 1!

-Fly!

Delwin Jr.: Let go, let go, let go!

Break off, break off!

Fly, fly!

There you go.

Fly!

There you go!

Be free.

You can go like this.

Back to life.

Come back at you.

Come again.

Kids: Eagle on 3.

Delwin Jr.: Hoka.

1, 2, 3!

Eagle whoo!

[Indistinct chatter] Aw.

Aah!

Ha ha ha!

[Drumming and singing in Lakhta]