Many readers may remember an award-winning television commercial that aired in the 1970s as part of the “Keep America Beautiful” campaign, in which a Native American Indian was seen crying as he saw people littering along the highway and dumping trash in streams. Although the commercial was ultimately criticized for a variety of issues, including stereotyping American Indians, it was praised for portraying their plight in response to the destruction of their land and environment.
Now, 50 years later and light years away from commercial success, Prosper Walkon, a prominent Native American leader and community representative, has similarly dedicated his life to perpetuating tribal traditions and customs, including a long-held respect for all living things around us that make up our “community.”
Prosper, the great-great-grandson of Chief Waucon Decorah, visited the Turkey River community of St. Lucas during a recent visit to the city for Decorah’s 175th anniversary celebrations. Accompanied by his wife, daughter, three grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Prosper addressed a small group of local history buffs who were eager to hear more from him.
As the group gathered in the world’s smallest church in Festina, Prosper slowly but confidently and powerfully described his family history and shared anecdotes from his childhood. He took the opportunity to ask the audience, “What do you think is the difference between white people and Indians?” The crowd quieted as Prosper continued, “There’s a lot more commonality that people want to admit, but the spiritual life of Native Americans is so much greater. It’s in our way of thinking. How many white people do the sun dance?”
Prosper then asked for a definition of community. One person answered, “A feeling of togetherness.” He then asked who the community is. Several people chimed in, saying, “Community…family, friends, neighbors, church, town…”
“So you’re talking about the human community,” Prosper summarized, looking to the crowd as he recited slowly. “Do you know where our community is?” he answered, pointing to the ground. “It has to do with our plant and insect communities,” he declared, stretching out his long, tanned arms and pointing to the sky. “There you have our animal community. There you have our flying creatures.”
Prosper waved his arms slowly as he declared to the crowd, “They are all part of our community. Our community is much bigger than just humans. That’s the way we think about it. Everything we do affects everything else. It touches and involves a much wider community.” Looking up at the trees above, he continued slowly, “We have a lot of elders all around us. These trees are older than us, so we go to them.” Waving his arms slowly again, Prosper preached, “Those animals up there have much more knowledge than we do, so we go and observe them, and we observe how they treat each other.”
Prosper’s granddaughter, Ciara Reine Walkon LaTrail, quietly spoke: “When my daughter Luna was two years old, we had a big palm tree in our front yard. Every day, without fail, she placed both hands on the tree and became one with it.”
Prosper adds: “Many people believe that what happens on our physical earth is separate from our spiritual world. Do you believe that? Many have been taught that, but in the Indian world, the spiritual and material worlds interact. Through various rituals, you can see and visit those realms and realize that there is only one world.”
symbol
Ciara, who has numerous tattoos on her arms and hands, said many of her tattoos are symbolic and represent her family’s culture. Of the tattoo that wraps around her arm and ends with a snake symbol, Ciara said, “It’s our traditional applique style. At powwows, we dance a traditional dance style that is specific to the Ho-Chunk tribe. Our last name is Snakeskin and snakes mean a lot to our family.”
The tattoo on her hand is a replica of one her fiancé had, which she got after he passed away last summer.
“Some of his ashes are in the tattoo ink,” Ciara explained. “My grandmother’s ashes are in the tattoo as well, but the tattoo itself doesn’t symbolize anything,” she said, pointing to her plague mask tattoo.
Ciara has a tattoo of the Thunderbird symbol on the back of her arm, representing her Thunderbird clan. “There are 12 clans, and that helps define the role that we play in our society and our tribe,” Ciara explained.
The colors and ribbons on her earrings and skirt represent the Indian medicine wheel, which represents health and healing. The four colors represent different things, from different races and the four seasons to the four types of breathing creatures and traditional medicinal herbs. Ciara explained, “They represent the four elements and the four directions.”
She summed it up nicely when she said, “As my grandfather said, it’s important that we are connected to everything around us.”
Many more photos appear in the June 25th issue of Driftless Journal.
