David Swallow Jr.
March 10 at 6 PM – 8 PM
246 S Church St, Grass Valley, CA 95945-6704, United States
Details
We are very fortunate to have David Swallow Jr. in Nevada County this week to give a talk about the Dakota Access Pipeline Resistance camps on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in 2016/2017. David Swallow Jr. has been an Intercessor for the Medicine Wheel Sundance for 40 years. He is a traditional Lakota Spiritual Leader, and Headman of the Porcupine District on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota where he lives with his family. His Lakota name is (Wowitan Uha Mani) which translates as (Walks With Pride). David’s first language spoken was Lakota, and his grandparents raised him in the traditional way. In August of 2016, he and his half side (wife) Nyla Helper traveled to Standing Rock where he participated in the lighting of the sacred fire of the Oceti Sakowin water protector encampment. Throughout the rest of the year and early 2017 he travelled from his home in Porcupine several times to the Oceti Sakowin camp to conduct ceremony, speak about treaty rights, and offer support to water protectors.
David comes to offer his unique perspective on DAPL, the water protector camps, Lakota treaty rights, and current conditions on Lakota reservations. He is well educated about the Fort Laramie treaties of 1851 and 1868 and plans to speak about First Nations land sovereignty, historical treaty violations, and how this continues to affect Lakota communities today.
David Swallow Jr. is a Teton Lakota member of the Broken Bow Society. His ancestors were members of Crazy Horse’s band and through his father’s lineage he descends from Chief Standing Buffalo. His maternal side comes from Margaret Red Shirt, He Dog community, on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota.
David’s halfside (wife) is Nyla Helper (Mato Wi), which translates as Bear Woman. She comes from the Redshirt Table community on Pine Ridge Reservation, and her father is Noah Helper who is son of Jacob Helper. Jacob was one of the sons of Samuel Helper, who was Nyla’s great grandfather, who was a survivor of the Wounded Knee Massacre on December 29 1890. They say he was 9 years old.
See you this Saturday March 10th from 6-8pm at the
Universalist Unitarian Community of the Mountains
246 S. Church St. Grass Valley, CA.
$20.00 suggested donation to help cover David’s travel expenses. Kids are free. Nobody turned away for lack of funds
Sponsored by the Peace and Justice center of Nevada County and the Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains.