Buffalo their Single Source of life. Families moved with incredible ease to new villages and running grounds using the horse and sraf travois to take them. These warriors and families came in peace bearing symbol of peace and so were they received even as brothers among brothers and children to the chief. The warrior hunted to feed his family and fought to defend them. Anything less the man selected the site of his tepee and accomplished the ritual and left the details to the women. Meanwhile, the men of each family new to the village paid their respects to the chief. They brought symbols of wisdom and authority and smoked the ceremonial pipe of tobacco was the fountainhead of fellow ship and sacred substance making neighbors of men and brothers of neighbors. With this pipe they created a climate of trust and spoke eloquently of peace asking that heaven and earth be witness to the bond thus far. In the summer of 1875 the western villages of the tribe were at peace. War bonnet and blanket slept and time drifted by. The squaws dried the meat of yesterdays hunt and the men were back on the buffalo trail and the women were busy with other things, too. Things deeply rooted in the life of the people that soothed the eye and warmed the heart so that beauty too, might reside in the austere family. Above all it frswas in bead work they excelled with the instinct for design and sensitivity to color peculiar to their race the squaw took pains to strength exquitex exquisite quality the most common of household objects. The old people and children also remained in camp. And within one old man kept the winter count. This was a history of the people used for the instruction of the young. On a buffalo hide were recorded significant events that kept the sioux in touch with their past and shaped their decisions for the future. But for the sioux all decisions past and present were bound up with the buffalo. As they could kill it so could they leave. Its meat sustained them and hide sheltered them and source of fuel. It was life and the cause of the advance of the white man the herds were diminishing. The hunters worked their way behind ridges until the wind was in their favor. Now they had single out cows and a lower than bull as the quarry. Together in a vital place with great power behind each arrow. The great spirit have guided one arrow to the soft throat of the bull and dropped him. Without the strength from this heavenly source the tribe could not endure. It was during the cool Summer Nights that the great spirit claim closest to his people. His presence hovered on the fringe of the campfire drawn by the drum of the medicine man that the stricken might be cured. Even the bravest of warriors tremble trembled at the sound of that set the troubled forces of night to brooding and endowed on dead objects with irresistible power. Thus did the medicine man purge the sickness in men stifling it through fear and grinding it beneath the weight of the knife that im he could wield. The great spirit cast other kinds of spells lesters terrifying but still disturbing. Most common is the uncommon sensation called love. The sioux whose maidens were by reputation among the loveliest had a traditional form of courtship courtship, most often at the Watering Place where the sounds of water can be counted on to lull the loveds resistance and the man can rely on a phormore expressive instrument to speak for his heart. Traditionally the sioux maiden gave no sign of hearing anything but the water and sighing of the wind in weeds and a stray bird but traditionally, for she was a woman she had heard quite enough. That sad solo was the prelude to her victory. The warrior received permission to propose only after he presented her father with horses stolen from an enemy tribe and her answer, yes. The day of the wedding the bridetobe bathed in a fewer spring like where so many had come before her to be cleansed. On the morning of her wedding day they dressed her putting lovely moccasins on her feet her mother had made and part her hair with a combing stick and speaking to her as bridesmaids have spoken since dawn of life on earth. At the wedding feast relatives and friends war their finest eagle feathers and mcock ka since. It frswas splendid for all but the bride and groom who suffered. Food was prepared in a buffalo paunch that held water and contributed flavor. Hot stones were dropped in to bring it quickly to a boil. Then chunks of meat were added and cooked in a matter of minutes. The finest utensils were used for serving carved long ago and handed down. And afterwards they expressed their happiness in the way they knew best. Such joy kwrusous occasions called for the rabbit dance simple and subtle in its rhythms. It was the custom that the bride and groom did not participate and the kindly custom indeed for both were too shy at that moment to move on their eyes. Then there was the execution of the marriage contract. No document was written, no words spoken. But the father of bride and farther of the groom father of the bride and groom in the presence of their children smoked on wpbone pipe and sealed the union of their houses. They lay before them their most treasure ed treasured heirlooms their spheupbl tobacco patches then the maids concerted the bride to her husbands tepee. It was marking the victory of order over chaos in the warrior society. Here was the promise of enduring life for the eagle culture. In the spring of 1876 the ward of war traveled like the north wind among villages of the sioux hardening the resolve of chiefs. There was no road left to hpb honor but the war path. Messages weaved them together brings news of sitting bull and criticize horse and plans that the cheyenne beside their brothers and white cavalry under custer was under march set them to stirring and sharpening their eyes arrows and hearts for the battle yet unborn. The bright days that followed were stained by onliness Smoke Signals ominous Smoke Signals and approachingen my and women trpl trembled. It spoke of a great war Party Gathering it defend the land at the little horn. On june 25, 1876, a combined forces met the United States cavalry under George Custer at the Little Big Horn River and destroyed them. The sioux won the great battle but lost their war with the progressivelization. Progress of civilization. It symbol ice rized the young nation spreading its wings. The eagle withstood cuss for fell before the meshing of gears and flow of machinery and dakota earth and not before the carbine but the combine. Not war but wheat was the un doing doing. Today the sioux live in an area bounded by the black hills fringed by the sun blasted badlands and along the missouri river. They live in the shadow of Mount Rushmore democracy as shrine permanently engraved on the dakota hills. The eagle has fallen out of the light and into the shadows. Now the deep shadows of poverty and reservation lands are break and unyielding and these descendants have never taken it the plow. They are a restless unhappy people constantly seeking a place in the sun. The sioux can be found drawn by the holiday spirit, the color that goes to the heart of past and condition contrast with the blandness of their presence. Pathetic the plight of the fallen eagle adding color to the local carve value observing carnival observing that quality which is its own legacy. The United States government made effort to encourage them to maintain their arts and craft. Sioux bead work is prized by the connoisseur although masculine in spirit it is delicately beautiful and word worth owning. It goes with good things. At reservations like rosebud the government endeavors to minister to the health of those who have not fared well from a hunting to a ing aagricultural way of life and chronic problems has steadily been reduced. As in many instances no people could be more at home on horseback or trained for the open range but the obstacles to success among them insufficient grazing areas, soil erosion and complex problems in land other than ownership. Yet sioux today finds hop hop the missouri. It was along this river the white machine first found him and named him and now the missouri has become his promise of a place in the sun for the nation which conquered him is today engaged in conquering the river directing huge dams like fort randall. Fourth pick and one day they will lace land with power and generate enormous forces capable of lighting homes and controlling floods and irrigating earth. Yes, and raising a fallen people to their feet. The Missouri Valley will become an industrial other and undergirding of strength for america and new source of opportunity for americans red as well as white, progress which destroyed the sioux now gives promise of restitution. Thus a People Living with ideals have found blessing can rise from the rubble and that goes beyond the harnessing of the river. It is something that must come to all men whose government is dedicated to the preservation of the dignity of man. Sioux indian winter count is history on a hide or other material. In this film founded by the u. S. Information agency lydia fire thunder blue bird uses her great uncles winter count to explain the tradition. In the Great Central plains of north america there was at one time an open prairie. It was the domain of many great indian tribes. The sioux were one of these tribes