When I was adopted into my white family at 3 yrs.old I came with this doll clutched in my hands. I called her Sally. I can remember going along with my new Dad when he went to the barbershop and being sat in the chair and my hair cut short as clearly as the day it happened. I remember also afterwards upon going home I took a green pair of plastic scissors and I cut the dolls hair also. (Something I have regretted many years.) The hair that the barber cut off me was kept and braided. It had been saved all those years and my Native Auntie Helmina Makes Him First suggested it would help heal my heart to share this braid with my doll. So the long braid you see is my hair. The other hair you see that is not braided is a real human scalp lock and coal black. It was probably from an enemy from another tribe that they were at war with. I would also like to add here that as a child my adoptive parents kept taking her away from me. I woul find her in an old trunk or even found her in the trash a time or two. She gave them the creeps as she had a human scalp as the hair on her head...lol. The doll is estimated to be from the early to mid 1800s. It was probably from an enemy from another tribe that they were at war with.. The doll is estimated to be from the early to mid 1800s. Auntie Helmina had spoken with our sundance chief about Sally that same day and he came over to ask if he could see her. Of course I brought her out and introduced them to eachother right away. He held her gently and you could see his eyes mist up. He then asked if I would consider her joining in the Sundance and that she would again be with her people also. The red you see on the front is from the earth paint Ochre from a few years ago when the doll was honored at our Sundance ceremony and tied with Wallace Black Elks and Martin High Bears medicine bundles on the Sundance tree. As the warriors rush in to touch an pray at the tree many painted hands were layed upon her. As I became a Grandmother age as many do I started thinking who these things will be passed on to one day. As Sally has been such a part of my life all these years I had at one time thought about having her layed to rest with me when that time came. But after her Sundance spirit has guided me on this that she belongs not to me but to all my red brothers and sisters and still has many stories to tell. When I pass she will go to the Akta Lakota Museum in Chamberlain South Dakota to remain among her people for all time. She will be with me in spirit always.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 18:17:41 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015