Siyotanka Ki, What’s THAT mean?

Prairie Chicken. Siyotanka Ki. Kind of the same thing, but Siyotanka means even more. It means a few different-but-the-same things, actually. Let’s look at the most surface meaning for now, Prairie Chicken. You can see if you look at your Flute that the Prairie Chicken is represented in the design. From Foot to Head, you can see the connection. The Ways Of The Prairie Chicken are not even Remembered anymore. Yet, the “Chicken Dance” is growing in popularity. So is the term/name “Elk” in connection to Pow-Wows, with the Eagle Bone Whistle so involved nowadays also, We can See the Connection of Flute, Rattle and Drum being Renewed.

Use your 7 Parts to Recognize the Way you are the Earth, and your Breath flows into the Foot of this Bird. The Breath goes through the Shadow of Being, into the Way of Power via a semblance of the area some might know as the “Chi”. Or, maybe in western mythology, the “Solar Plexus”. Once Power is Born, Sound is Born. The “Finger Holes” of your Siyotanka then are: Breath Of Life: for This Is The Beginning Of Movement/SoundChange

Spirit is Next. These are played with your Left Hand.Then on your Right Hand, the next 3 are: Body, Heart and Mind. This is innately Represented and Transmitted by the very Design of Siyotanka Ki.

This Siyotanka goes far Deeper than this. This is basic. Fundamental. Root your Flute. Ground your Song, and It Will Fly!

Hecetuwelo.

2013
02/13
CATEGORY
Native American Flutes
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From The East: A Nation Is Coming.

“A powerful East Wind seems to be with you James. Awakening.”—-Harper

This was posted in a flute forum yesterday. It really had me thinking this morning. Not so much as “thinking” as experiencing, feeling…Knowing, this Morning.

Then when I got on a computer this morning, I received this message:

“Then I was standing on a highest mountain of them all and beneath me was the
whole hoop of the world, a hoop of many hoops. And I saw it was holy. Then I
saw two men were coming from the East like arrows and between them rose the
Daybreak Star. They gave an herb to me and said: ‘With this on earth you shall
undertake anything and do it.’ It was the Daybreak Star herb, the herb of
understanding, and they told me to drop it on the earth. When it struck the earth it
rooted and grew and flowered, four blossoms on one stem, a black, a white, a red,
and a yellow; and the rays from these steamed upward to the heavens so that all
creatures saw it and in no place was there darkness.”
– Black Elk’s Daybreak Star Prophecy

Ethan Neerdaels

 

Could it be? lol

So in synch. So perfectly timed. Yes, now IS the Time for the Morning Star. The Eastern Light. Daybreak. Also, according to our Cangleska and Constitution, as Lakotah People, what does East Revolving Back to the Beginning again, and once again becoming pre-eminent, mean?

Much. For as we have, as Lakotah People, faced West First for generations now, before the Invasion, before the Inversion and Perversion, we Face East. By Facing West First, we ‘go to the Masculine/Adult first’. This is good during overt war. A sort of “Martial Law” effect, but during this Time of Transition, we must be cognizant of where we are on the Map.

Just as Men take care of the Wintercounts, Youth, Children Found and Began our Star Knowledge. This Star Knowledge is a Looking Up. A Seeing. A Commonstanding. See, while Men looked toward Defense, (laterally)  Women looked toward Food, (toward the earth) Elders looked toward Refinement, (Elegance, Mastery of Doing) The Youth Looked Up!

Let us Know These Things. For it is not that we defer to or place “Youth” into positions not suited their “Age”, it is that we Begin With Them at All Times. We Think Of Them, Live Toward Them, Live For Them, and Respect and Nurture their Growth and Liveliness.

There are Ways to do this we have forgotten. Alas, They Themselves will Tell US if WE Learn To Hear Again.

Look To The East.

A Nation Is Coming.

A Nation Speaking In Tongues.

Their Native Tongues

Their Relatives Tongues

Their Enemies Tongues

The World’s Tongues.

Let Those With Ears Hear!

Ho! Hecetuwelo!

Wanbli WiWoope.

 

2013
01/18
CATEGORY
Lakota Way
Native American Flutes
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2012 Birney, Montana Veterans Day Pow-Wow

 
 
Hugh Clubfoot knows struggle. Hugh Clubfoot knows war. Hugh Clubfoot knows joy, and Hugh Clubfoot knows peacemaking.
He served in the Marines during The Vietnam War. He said his children and grandkids ask what he did. He says he tells them: “Oh, not much”, but when they see the array of medals upon his chest at the Birney Village Veterans Day Pow-Wow his family has sponsored for a decade, they say, “You must have done SOMETHING over there.”
 
Turns out, Mr. Clubfoot has done many somethings during his sixty-sum years. He has seen good times and bad, and his memories are interwoven into the very fabric of what it is to be a “Birney Boy.” There in Birney Village, in the Land of the Morning Star People, The “Fighting Cheyenne” of many a history book, there stands yet, the original log cabins made during the beginning of the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. These people know a sovereignty few could imagine. They know an expansiveness of Being few could fathom. From these little log homes, built from sturdy and timeless cottonwood, a Nation is blooming. Moving. I see this movement and growing manifested in the very essence of the annual Pow-wow here. Described endearingly as “another little tin shack pow wow”, by a local, this is a Pow-Wow. A vibrant and living amalgamation of now and then, of past and present. A sharing of cultures, races, ethnicities, Nations and Peoples, this little gathering, amid the first snow of the year, was an affirmation of Life. A Living expanding and blooming from a mere existence. A re-ignition of Fire.  
 
Through the years, Hugh Clubfoot and his family have prepared great feasts, and organized this venue to the delight and high expectations of an adoring culture. Interweaving what many would consider “traditional” with what some would consider “mainstream American”, this event served to bring a real sense of Community to this reservation right when it was needed. The weather has turned and there has been a spate of car accidents reservation wide. Truly, Mr. Clubfoot and his family prepared a gift basket and presented it to a family who just now lost a loved one, begging the family to allow the Pow-wow to commence. Such attention to power, to Power, to peacemaking seems to be the underlying part of this doings. Mr. Clubfoot has also extended his hand to various non-Native entities, including a municipality and its mayor to make amends, in some small way, for a crime that included murder involving Cheyennes and a non-Native victim. He has also involved a church from Sheridan, Wyoming, they want to make amends, in some small way, for the atrocities committed by the notorious Colonel Chivington. This is Powerful Peacemaking. This is Power. This is Beauty.
 
This Nation Honored it’s United States Military Veterans in a very Living and Moving Way.
 
Mr. Clubfoot said to me, as I helped in small ways with a few things in preparation: “I was taught by my Elders to always take my time. To never rush, that way, even if things don’t turn out, you did SOMETHING right.” Mr. Hugh Clubfoot and the Pow-Wow Committee, as well as the Northern Cheyenne Nation and the People of Birney, certainly did MANY things right once again. This was a Real Doings!
 
Hecetuwelo,
 Wanbli WiWoope.
2012
11/14
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
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A Reply to Mr. Mark Nowakowski:

From Mark Nowakowski on Clint Goss and Indigenous Intellectual Property

“Wanbli Wiwoope…help me to understand. Is it bad that whites like me enjoy the flute or become proficient at it? …”

not at all, Mark Nowakowski. I hope all Nations, all People, all Peoples come to know what we Lakota call SiyotankaKi. This issue is simple. It is simply an Identity issue. A Roots Issue. This issue could be called an Intellectual Copyright Issue. Or an Indigenous Sovereignty Issue. Or any number of Issues we as the Original Inhabitants of Turtle Island now face. All Original Inhabitants, be they Two-Legged, or Four-Legged, Winged, or Swimming or Crawling…All Indigenous Nations face this Being we call Iya. Iya is a Consumer of Peoples. We have an Ancient Story, as Lakota People, that tells us of how the Flute, Rattle and Drum save the People from Iya. Truly this Issue is this Deep.

Yet, the defacto issue we now address is the issue of “non-Natives” misappropriating the term “Native” in the crafting and playing of the “Block Flute”, or “Courting Flute”, or “Love Flute” (the terms most widely used in referencing the “Native American Flute”. The term “Native American Flute” has only begun to be coined by a “collector set” of hobbyists and pseudo-experts).
Why hold on so dearly and belligerently to the term “Native” for commercial and gatekeeping purposes when it is fundamentally injurious and down right wrong? Why not change the nomenclature to its most Original non-Native terminologies: “Block Flute”, “Courting Flute”, or “Love Flute” and leave the “Native” insinuations out? Some may argue: “We are HONORING You!” To them, I say, “Honor US by using the term “North American” or “Northern Plains” or the like!”
So, Mr. Mark Nowakowski, let us begin a dialog. For I cannot continue to be ignored. I leave too large a footprint even now in the “Native American Flute” world. History is recording us, even now. Let us remember History Watches. Some well meaning folks trying to leave a “good” legacy are only going to be remembered as villains in regards to this Flute we both love. Why not work with me, with Us?
Hecetuwelo.
Wanbli WiWoope,
Lakota Wicasa.

2012
11/02
CATEGORY
Native American Flutes
1 comment

Clint Goss and Indigenous Intellectual Property

I ran into another exploiter last week. This guy uses the term “Native Flute School” in regards to a thing he and his wife do. Both are extremely non-Native, and seem to have no idea about “us” as People or Peoples. It is the norm for these guys to ignore me, or talk down to me, or talk angrily to me. Why? They are not used to a Native standing up and speaking. In their world, all it takes is some hard looks, sharp words, or simply ignoring the likes of me to make the problem go away. Well, they just re-ignited the fire within me. I come to this point and begin to feel sorry for these rootless grave robbers. Yet, I know this time I cannot. This must be the final, epic battle. The lines are drawn and I will not rest until the exploitation stops, or someone ends up in Federal Court. We need this resolved. Is the term “native”, ours? Is our Identity ours? I should seek an expert, an expert in Intellectual Property Rights…oh wait, it seems the latest exploiter, Mr. Clint Goss, IS an expert! And a Ph.D. no less! Why is it the ones exploiting the name “Native” for gatekeeping/commerce purposes are always so well educated…and well off? We have nothing, no money, no nothing, but they want more. I will write more and this issue and seek others’ help in resolving this ongoing situation. Why don’t they adapt/adopt any other name other than Native? Why not use the TRADITIONAL NAMES THEY CAME UP WITH FOR DESCRIBING THE SIYOTANKA? BLOCK FLUTE,COURTING FLUTE, LOVE FLUTE,OR EVEN NORTH AMERICAN FLUTE, and leave our Native Identity and Cultural Rights intact?  Take a look at his resume: http://www.goss.com/ClintGossResume.pdf   

6 Fieldcrest Road, Westport, CT 06880
phone: 203-454-1479 fax: 203-222-0895 email: clint@goss.com web: http://www.goss.com
Summary: Consultant with 30+ years experience in software design and implementation, international
technology consulting, and technology intellectual property litigation. Extensive experience with GUI design,
Internet technologies, Perl, X/Motif, C++, Unix, and compiler design.
Expert Witness / Intellectual Property and Patent Litigation
Served as a testifying expert witness and research expert in these intellectual property cases:
Advanced Monitoring Systems, Stamford, CT – October–November 2010
AMS vs. NYSRWB, involving the evaluation of independent monitoring systems. Research expert witness
for the prosecution.
ASCAP (Am. Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), NY – Aug 2008 – Jan 2009
ASCAP vs. AOL, RealNetworks, and Yahoo!, involving the determination of licensing fees for
downloads of digital music.
Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd., Tel Aviv – July 2008 – June 2009
Yeda vs. NDC (News Data Corporation) and NDS (News Data Service), involving the licensing of
patents in the area of digital cryptography. Research expert witness for the prosecution.
Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ – August 2006 – August 2007
Prism vs. Johnson & Johnson, involving US Patent No. 6,516,416, in the area of network security.
Testifying expert witness for the defendant.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher, New York – March 2004 – February 2006
Reuters vs. Bloomberg, involving Reuters’ US Patent Nos. 5,924,082, 5,924,083, and 6,260,025, in the
area of automated trading systems. Testifying expert witness for the defendant. Performed research and
authored expert reports and opinion documents.
International Consulting / Technical Assistance
Provided technical assistance on a pro-bono basis, primarily for businesses and NGOs in developing
countries. Projects have included:
 CNFA / Alva LLC, Sachkhere, Republic of Georgia – January-February 2012 – Developed a Web
strategy for use by farm service centers throughout Georgia, including an initial web site for one FSC
(www.alvafsc.com) that serves 4,000 rural farmers.
 Hebron University, West Bank – January-February 2011 – Taught undergraduate classes in Operating
Systems, Software Engineering, Systems Programming, Object Oriented Programming, Education, and
Music. Also provided technical assistance to the University.
 Wat Nong Sikhunmeuang, Luang Prabang, Laos – March 2009 – English as a second language taught
for monks of the Buddhist Monastery.

Beneficio Río Frío and Café Marcala, Santa Bárbara, Honduras – February-March 2008 – Graphics
and web site development for these two coffee producers.
 Land O’ Lakes, Lusaka, Zambia – February-April 2007 – Designed and implemented six web sites for
organizations in the livestock and agriculture sectors in Zambia.
 Cooperative College of Kenya, Nairobi – February-March 2005 – Taught a course in Internet
technologies and networking for professors and lecturers of the College.
 School of Higher Economics, Moscow, Russia – February-March 2004 – Taught an undergraduate-level
course in Internet Technologies.
 Sanita Pharmaceuticals and Office Express, Varna, Bulgaria – February-March 2003 – Assisted
Sanita, the largest retail and importer of pharmaceuticals, with the re-design of their web site. Also
worked with Office Express, a major distributor of office supplies, with a data-mining project.
 Bulbrew, Varna, Bulgaria – February-March 2002 – Assisted Bulbrew, a producer of domestic
Bulgarian beer, with market analysis and computer systems development. Also assisted Bulgarian
businesses dealing with hotel management software, web site development, and e-commerce
development.
 Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Windhoek, Namibia – March-April 2001 – Developed
a web site and web-based application for the Chamber of Commerce –
http://www.ClintGoss.com/ncci/indexp.htm.
 TCG Software, Calcutta, India – January-February 2000 – Designed and led a seminar on Web-based
application development. The seminar trained TCG technical staff in developing web-based front ends for
existing legacy systems as well as quickly prototyping and developing new Web-based applications.
 Florimash, Harare, Zimbabwe – July-August 1998 – Designed and implemented a small industrial
forecasting model and operations management system in Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic.
 Developed the web site http://www.Interopp.org in 2001-2002 to provide information and promote technical
assistance projects in developing countries.
Technology Consulting and Teaching
Consulting projects and teaching assignments in areas of computer technology, done primarily through my
own consulting company Clint Goss Consultants, Ltd established in 1986:
New York University / SCPS, New York – May – July 2000
Taught Perl Programming, X52.9543, http://www.Goss.com/perl.
Pfizer Inc., Groton, CT and Tokyo, Japan – January 1997 – December 1999
Designed an application framework for recasting existing client-server and character-oriented applications
on the Web and other Internet protocols. Implemented Web-based applications in this framework for
collecting and disseminating laboratory test results, collecting raw data on clinical trials from physicians’
offices, and selectively unblinding patients in a clinical trial. Implementation in Perl under Solaris using
Oracle datastores and Apache.

Expanded the Web-based application framework developed at Pfizer / Groton for internationalization and
localization in Japanese and English. Worked with Tokyo technical people to build a new Japanese Webbased
application.
New York Stock Exchange / Securities Industry Automation Corp, New York – April 1993 -
Dec 1996
Designed and implemented the system for managing the users, X-terminals, and market data services
available on the trading floor of the NYSE. The system manages the configuration of the secure TCP
network serving the specialists, brokers, and administrators on the floor. Implementation in C++ for
Motif, using a SYBASE/Allbase hybrid datastore.
Shark Information Services, New York, NY – December 1992 – February 1993
Ported the TAL-to-C translator implemented under Tandem Guardian to SunOS.
Purvis Systems, New London, CT – June – October 1992
Overhauled a large shipboard transaction-based digital switching application. Converted from single-user
to multi-user. Added fault tolerance to meet stringent requirements. Implementation in C under VMS.
Strategic Information Systems, Hartford, CT – April – May 1992
Converted a real-time graphics application from OS/2 to SunOS on a Sun IPX. Major components
included digital video, satellite communications, and a distributed database.
Singer Link, Binghampton, NY – July 1991 – March 1992
Consulted on a very large, secure, military flight simulator. Dealt with Ada compilation issues, including
the efficiency of generated code, compilation tools, project organization, and real-time performance.
Developed tools in Ada for managing software on a very large project.
Transvik Systems AB, Madison, CT – August 1989 – March 1991
Designed and implemented a stock and bond trading system. Implementation in C under DecWindows
and VMS. Port to 386 under SystemV/OpenLook. Developed tools for aiding in the production of XWindows
based applications. Converted the on-line trading engines from a DEC proprietary messaging
system (PAMS, now DecNet Task-to-Task) to AT&T Tuxedo. Designed workstation applications for
handling remote feeds, market control, and system control.
Concurrent Computer Corporation (Perkin Elmer), Red Bank, NJ – March 1988 – June 1989
Improved Concurrent’s Ada compiler for the 3280 architecture. Optimized the generated code using loop
induction variable elimination and loop-based global register allocation. Redesigned critical areas of the
parser and optimizer. Implementation work done in Ada and C under OS/32.
New York Stock Exchange / Securities Industry Automation Corp, New York – Aug 1987 -
July 1988
Designed and implemented a translator to convert software written in TAL into C. The translator ran
under Tandem Guardian, translating TAL code developed for the Tandem environment.
AT&T, Summit, NJ – September 1987 – April 1988
Evaluated and expanded the AT&T methodology for C compiler optimization. Evaluated AT&T C on the
80386 as compared with three competing compilers. Developed

Quadtree Software Corp, Somerville, NJ – August 1986 – October 1988
Designed and implemented a set of source-to-source translators. Translated hardware simulation code
written in Helix HHDL (a Pascal superset) into a wide range of simulation languages. Implemented
translators to output VHDL (an Ada-like language), Mentor Graphic’s BLM (a Pascal superset), HHB
System’s Cadat (a C-based language), Gateway’s Verilog (a C superset), and LSI Logic’s BSL (a custom
simulation language). Also implemented a translator for converting generic C code into Pascal.
Datapoint Corporation, Richardson, TX – April – July 1986
Designed and implemented a Unix interface for the Datapoint RMS environment. This allowed a series of
Unix-based compilers to be ported to RMS. Initiated the port of a Cobol 74 compiler.
Philon, Inc., New York, NY – August 1981 – February 1986
Designed and implemented a multi-language, multi-target compiler system under Unix. Responsibilities
ranged across all areas of strategic planning, design, and implementation, included global technical design
of the system, design and implementation of specific areas, and organizing a technical group of 43 people.
Employed with Philon from its inception as a startup company employing 4 people to its position as a
business with 94 employees.
Designed a compiling scheme that included multiple languages and targets as well as interpreters,
debuggers, aggressive optimization, and database interfaces. Oversaw the design of interfaces for
compiling C, COBOL, FORTRAN, Pascal, and BASIC. Developed a technology for producing code
generators for 68000, VAX, 8086, National 32032, and WE32000 architectures.
Designed and coded the symbol table and intermediate code interfaces. Implemented the code generator
generator as well as the core of the code generator. Designed and implemented the ISAM file structure.
Designed and implemented a workshop for Philon products on the Macintosh. Designed the general
optimization strategy; implemented the assembly level optimizer; researched and implemented a
retargettable Machine Code Optimizer.
Courant Institute, New York University, New York, NY – August 1979 – August 1981
Participated in the design and implementation of the first validated Ada compiler.
Taught undergraduate courses for Computer Science majors in Machine Language and Programming
Languages while working on my doctorate. Designed and taught a course in Systems Programming. Gave
numerous lectures at the graduate level on incremental LR parsing, software testing, and the NYU/Ada
project.
Bankwire, New York, NY – May 1979 – August 1980
Designed and implemented an on-line transaction archival system for recording financial transactions on
the Bankwire communications network. Handled real-time acquisition of transactions, with facilities for
redundant backup and extensive statistics gathering.
Incoterm, Inc., Wellsley Hills, MA – May 1977 – June 1979
Designed and implemented software for the first automated teller machine and several other on-line
communications systems. Interfaced Incoterm terminals to mainframes using IBM 3270 and Honeywell
VIP 7700 protocols.

Music
 Authored three books of transcribed music for the first three albums of Grammy-winner Mary
Youngblood from May 2002 to April 2004 for Silverwave Records. Work done using Finale.
 Music Facilitation – currently offer workshops for players of the Native Flute – http://www.ClintGoss.com.
 Established the project studio Manifest Spirit Records (www.ManifestSpirit.com) and released a series of
production CDs. See Publications below.
 Designed various music-related web sites:
http://www.Flutopedia.com – Native American Flute resources.
http://www.NativeFluteSchool.com – Native American Flute workshops.
http://www.MusicForPeople.org – redesigned and reorganized this web site in 2006.
http://www.ShrutiBox.com – web site for this East Indian drone instrument.
http://www.ReturnToChild.com – for the book Return to Child.
Education and Training
 New York University – B.A., M.S., and Ph.D., all in Computer Science (completed in 1986).
 Commercial Pilot with Instrument and Flight Instructor ratings.
 Certified Music Facilitator, Music for People (www.MusicForPeople.org), October 2007.
Publications
 From War to Peace – Transforming Generational Trauma into Healing (by Dr. Ani Kalayjian,
produced by Clint Goss), Manifest Spirit Records, August 2010, http://www.Alba-CD.com.
 Alba (by Eugene Carr, with Peter Dubner and David Rudge, produced by Clint Goss), Manifest Spirit
Records, July 2010, http://www.Alba-CD.com.
 The Listening Book and The Musical Life (by W. A. Mathieu, produced by Clint Goss), Manifest Spirit
Records, November 2008, http://www.ListeningBookAudio.com.
 JazzGrass (by Eric Miller), co-published by Manifest Spirit Records, February 2008, http://www.JazzGrass.net.
 The Darling Conversations – Volume 1 (by David Darling and Julie Weber, produced by Clint Goss),
Manifest Spirit Records, December 2007, http://www.DarlingConversations.com.
 Mystic Song (by Lynn Miller, produced by Clint Goss), Manifest Spirit Records, September 2007,
http://www.ManifestSpirit.com.
 NAFTracks – a series of four CDs for Native Flute players February 2008, December 2008, August
2009, and December 2009 – http://www.NAFTracks.com.
 SpiritGrass (audio CD with Eric Miller, David Darling, and Lynn Miller), Manifest Spirit Records,
September 2006, http://www.SpiritGrass.com.

 Three books of transcribed music for the first three albums of Grammy-winner Mary Youngblood.
Silverwave Records:
 The Offering, 136 pages, 2003.
 Heart of the World, 56 pages, 2004.
 Beneath the Raven Moon, 122 pages, 2005.
 The Road Rally Handbook, 368 pages, Rally America, 1993.
 Compilers Using a Universal Intermediate Language (with Peter Whyte and Richard Rosenberg), U.S.
Patent #4,667,290, 1987.
 Optimizing Compilers (with Mark S. Meretzky and Benny Pollak), Proceedings of the 1986 UniForum
Conference.
 Machine Code Optimization – Improving Executable Object Code – Ph. D. Dissertation, New York
University, Courant Institute Technical Report No. 246, June 1986. Published January 18, 2010, General
Books LLC, ISBN 1-15350558-4 (978-1-15350558-1).
Now available on the web at http://www.ClintGoss.com/mco/.
 Optimizing Compilers Satisfy Heavy Processing Needs (with M. S. Meretzky), Computer Design,
August 1985.
 Optimizing Compilers Decrease Native Code and Speed Execution, Computer Technology Review,
Summer 1985, pages 25-30.
 Macro Substitutions in MICRO SPITBOL – a Combinatorial Analysis, (with Martin Charles
Golumbic and Robert B. K. Dewar), Proc. 11th Southeastern Conference on Combinatorics, Graph
Theory and Computing, Congressus Numerantium 29, Utilitas Math., Winnipeg, Canada, 1980, pages
485-495.
 The NYU Ada Translator and Interpreter (with Robert B. K. Dewar, et al), Proceedings of the ACMSIGPLAN
Symposium on Ada programming language, pages 194-201, 1980, ISBN:0-89791-030-3, doi:
10.1145/948632.948659. Also published in ACM SIGPLAN Notices, Volume 15, Number 11, November
1980.
 Micro Spitbol (with R. B. K. Dewar and M. C. Golumbic), New York University, Courant Institute
Technical Report No. 11, October 1979.
 Perfect Elimination and Chordal Bipartite Graphs (with M. C. Golumbic), Journal of Graph Theory,
Volume 2, pages 155-163 (1978).
February 2012

2012
10/29
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
2 comments

Living

We have lived in the Tipi here on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation now for over a year. We have seen all weather, all conditions. We have been without water, food, and even friends. We went the first 2 months without a radio or clock, even. We went a year without a vehicle, and all the while, we have made Relations with our Rocket Stove. The Rocket Stove we use is simply a couple cans, a tomato juice can inside a coffee can, insulated between with mud. This little Being gives us Life. It allows us to Live and not just survive. It allows us to find Wholeness and not just struggle. Living in a Tipi every day, laying upon the Earth every night, hearing the Coyotes and Owls Sing, gives me Health.

We use no electricity out in the Tipi, other than our battery powered flashlight and radio and clock. We come into town to use the computers at the library, get supplies and go Home again. I could never settle for “life” in a “house” again. I have become too Free, Too Whole. I am now like the Coyote and Owl, it is now Freedom or Death. I insist.

Who else lives thusly? Who else can say they spent even a Summer in a Tipi, much less a Montana Winter? My coffee this morning was made on our Rocket Stove. I praise my Relatives every hour, for their Gifts of Life.

Hecetuwelo.

Wanbli WiWoope

2012
09/13
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
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Northern Cheyenne Language Immersion Campers Learn Native Flutemaking, Bread and Fire.

Fire. The Northern Cheyenne Nation has experienced much fire this Summer. Not only the scorching record high temperatures, but the Ash Creek Fire, the largest in Montana history, has burned hundreds of thousands of acres of forest, high plains and homes of all sorts. Amid this intensity, the Northern Cheyenne People held a Language Immersion Camp at Crazy Head Springs. Denise Giago shared with the Young Women of the Camp, her recipe for what is known in these parts as “Boogeyman Bread”. We call it Gabooboo Bread, and Denise first built a fire in one of the Tipis to show how she makes bread in her own Tipi nearly every day. The foundation for this project is a home-made “rocket stove”, a simple but new fangled way to control fire. Using a very small fire, a contained, focused flame, Denise made simple bread and shared her knowing she has gathered by walking simply. Simply enough to have lived the past 2 years in her Tipi.

For 3 Days, Wanbli WiWoope shared what he has learned about the Siyotanka, or Native Flute. Using nothing but the simplest hand tools, 7 Young Cheyenne Men crafted their own flutes. They learned the functions of the flute, the basic physical dynamics, but they also shared more. They helped continue and establish the entire aesthetics of the Native Flute, by simply sitting, talking and doing. They were part of a process, a think tank, a real “doings” concerning what it is to be an Indigenous Man. A simple part of an ecosystem. Amid the beautiful canopy of Ponderosa Pine, it is easy to feel the strength of Indigenous Roots and the binding tie we have to the land…The Land.

Through simply carved flutes, these young men journeyed into being, an ethos, a cosmology, a Way of Life, for they shared something very integral and almost completely forgotten among Natives of North America. This is a very important thing, not to be overlooked or underestimated. This is the rebirth of a Way, A recollecting of a Knowing. A remembering of a Doing…and the Making of Fire.

2012
07/30
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
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