BIO: DAVID LITTLE ELK
David Little Elk is a Lakota Sioux Indian from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. He is a Spiritual Advisor and Consultant. He gives seminars on Lakota Spirituality, and has written a Lakota Spirituality & Culture book titled "WICOH'AN OTEHIKE - the difficult way". This book contains an account of Lakota Creation and also includes Lakota Star Knowledge stories, as well as other information that provides the foundation for Lakota Spirituality, Wisdom, Thought & Philosophy. He is a certified Lakota Language & Culture Teacher and has written a book titled “CANTE ETANHAN OWOGLAKE”, which means, “speaking from the heart”. He uses both of these books to teach his Lakota Language and Culture students.
In August 2002, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council proclaimed his Lakota Language book and CD’s, as well as the Little Elk Orthography, to be the OFFICIAL Lakota Language materials of the tribe. Since then, all tribal and B.I.A. schools within the tribe's borders are required to be use this book and its accompanying CD's.
In 2003, David taught university level Lakota Language Courses at Si Tanka University, now known as Cheyenne River Community College, located in Eagle Butte, SD. His university level classes also used the “CANTE ETANHAN OWOGLAKE” Lakota language book and its accompanying CD's, as well. In September 2003, David taught Lakota Language over a long distance education system, which made it possible for students from other schools to participate in his classes.
David also composes contemporary music and incorporates the Lakota language in many of his compositions. He has been playing guitar since he was eight years old. At nine years of age, he began his classical training on other instruments such as various brass, wind, stringed instruments, piano, among others. He has been writing songs since then, and he records them in his recording studio. His music CD releases are titled, “WANA WAHI”, “ELKDREAMER”, “ELKDREAMER II”, and “REFLECTIONS”. All of David’s music is produced, arranged, recorded, and mixed by himself. He performs all the instruments on all of his recordings, as well.
David has also recorded two spoken word CDs in which he tells various Lakota Stories. One spoken word CD is titled “Pte Hincala San Cannumpa”, which is the complete story of how the White Buffalo Calf Pipe came to the Itazipco Lakota people. The other spoken word CD is titled “Wamakaskan: The Black Hills Race & The Turtle Who Wanted To Fly”. This CD has two stories. The first story is about a race in which all the animals ran a race around the Black Hills of South Dakota. The second story is told entirely in Lakota followed by the English translation, and is about identity. His music CD titled “ELKDREAMER II” was nominated for the 2002 Native American Music Awards. His two spoken word CDs “Pte Hincala San Cannumpa” & “Wamakaskan” were finalists in the 2003 Native American Music Awards.
David believes that Communication is the transfer of medicine through our thoughts, feelings, actions, and words. The Lakota Natural Law of Generosity states that the medicine we use to communicate with others will return to us fourfold. Thus, when a person tries to hurt someone else, that person is only hurting him/her-self more because the energy he/she sent will return to him/her fourfold. And when a person does something healthy to others, that healthy medicine returns to help and heal himself/herself fourfold, too. This is the foundation of the belief that, “The Honor of One is the Honor of All.” Therefore, it is Lakota tradition to communicate in a most clear and effective manner with each other. David composes music and teaches the Lakota language, culture and spirituality based on the Lakota Natural Law of Generosity.
A crisis has now begun to unfold among the Lakota nations, as many of the fluent Lakota Elder speakers are now few in number, and many of the younger Lakota are losing interest to learn the Lakota language and culture. Thus, the Lakota language and culture are fast becoming extinct. David embraces his Lakota culture and language, and has vowed to do his part in preserving them with the creation of his books and CD’s, and also with his music CD’s, which incorporate the use of the Lakota language. He is also using modern technology to help preserve the Lakota language and culture through his Little Elk Lakota School.
Dreams and visions are very important to the Lakota Sioux people, and David has received much instruction from his dreams to help others. These dreams paved the way for him to become a Lakota language and culture teacher on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. After teaching there for six years, David received a new vision to share his knowledge with the rest of world. Thus, today he lives in Berlin, Germany, and teaches Lakota Language and Spirituality throughout the world by traveling to other countries and by teaching over the Internet.
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(c) 2008 David Little Elk
david@malakota.com
