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My name is Ethel Rachel Red Bear. I am sharing
my personal story with you. Canupa Sape (Black Pipe) is my birthplace,
also known as Norris, South Dakota. I was born on Feb. 21, 1943 in Norris
to Jessie Little Dog-Plenty Bull and Wilson Plenty Bull, full-blood Lakotas
on the Rosebud reservation. I am the third generation from Chief American
Horse, and my grandmother, Mary Bullman was the oldest daughter of the
chief. She was the first of the family members to use peyote and be babtized
in the Holy Peyote way of life of the Native American Church. The whole
family followed suit in this sacred way of life. They, in turn, were babtized
in this ceremonial way of life. My mother died when I was nine years old,
and so my father raised us up in this holy way of life. I recognized that
the peyote medicine was powerful, and had the power to heal. My experience
during my early years with my own health problems led me to the use and
depend on peyote. I had diabetes and heart trouble at an early age. It
has fortified my strength and I based my long life on using this medicine
way. All of my fatheršs brothers and sisters died of heart trouble. There
were eight of them and only one lived beyond seventy years old, through
the use of peyote. I knew that the holy medicine helped him live that
long. I remember my first peyote meeting when I was seven years old. Although
I was born and raised in the holy ways, the first time I sang with the
holy instruments (gourd, fan and staff ) was in 1974 at a Thanksgiving
service in Potato Creek church house, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Ever
since then, Išve sung to the Creator at every meeting I have attended.
My husband, Solomon Red Bear Jr. has been a reverend in the Native American
Church for twenty years, and has been a lifelong member of the church.
His father, Solomon Red Bear Sr. was also a reverend in the Native American
Church. Through prayers and this holy way, my husband and I were able
to be blessed with our children and a good life. My oldest child, Iona
,Woyatan Win, 27 years old, and her husband, Ben Witcher, are the parents
of my two grandchildren, Tashina and Shiloh, who are half African-American.
My only son, Solomon III, and his wife Melissa, a Dineh of the Navajo
Nation, have a son, Solomon IV, who is Lakota and Dineh. My youngest daughter,
Salome Echo, is 17 years old. I am proud of all my family. My husband
and I have been lifelong companions for 32 years.
Wankal Kiye Win (Flying High Woman) Rachel Red
Bear
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