There was once a lost Koskala, this lost Koskala was born during a time of great upheaval among the Oyate. So much upheaval, that nobody knew to save this Koskala umbilical cord when he was born. Nobody made the quillworked lizard pouch for him to carry his umbilical cord, and so, true to the Lakota Story of those without their umbilical cord, this Koskala wandered the Homelands, searching for that tie to his Mother.
Alas, for 40 years this Koskala, this "Young-Man-Not-Yet-A-Man" searched, and it was true that although he lived 40 years, he hadn't done those things which make one a Wicasa, a Full-Grown-Man. This Koskala had lost most of his Brothers, of which he had many, due to various early deaths caused in the era of upheaval. This Koskala vowed to Hanbleciya, to Cry For a Dream, and to WiWayanWacipi, to Sundance. He made these vows while sitting in the bowels of a prison. He had just sat for a summer in prison, his freedom taken away unjustly, a turning point in his life, a reminder that once, this Koskala had even taken a life; a life not unlike his, from another Lakota Koskala. He had sat for 8 years in that prison, for killing that fellow Lakota Koskala. He had been out of that prison for 7 years, until he was forced back in, yet made free again once it was found that his imprisonment was unjust.
While sitting in the bowels of that prison, this Koskala had even written a book, and once released from prison, this Koskala even made a movie, yet, nothing assuaged his longing for that Maternal Connection...for his umbilical cord he still searched. He had even Sundanced for 2 years by then, but the longing was still there.
Then, one day this Koskala met an old friend, the old friend invited him to visit a Sundance, a Sundance led by a Famous and Brave Lakota Wicahca, an Elder of the Oyate. It was during this visit to the Sundance in He Sapa, our Sacred Black Mountains, that The Koskala saw 2 Eagles fly over a ridge, high above the Sundance. Seemingly before he knew it, The Koskala was up on that ridge the next Summer, fulfilling his vow to Hanbleciya. In keeping with the Vision he saw a year before of the 2 Eagles, The Elder of the Oyate's Son was also fulfilling his vow of his 4 day Hanbleciya a few ridges away.
For 4 days this Koskala changed. For 4 days many Relatives visited this Koskala, but especially the Spipipi, the Chickadee, who sang every moment of every day, a song that sounded like the Koskala's Mother's name: Phoebe. Every morning and every evening, the Sunkmanitou also visited the Koskala, singing as they ran by, a Family, a friendly Relatives Voices in the dark.
On the second Day, the Koskala heard something in the East. A strange sound, a sound the Koskala did not recognize. Then he heard it again...it was...AN ELK! A Bull Elk was calling out, just over the ridge in the valley below, the Elk called out 3 times, in a song very much like a Meadowlark, the bird Nation the Oyate calls "They Speak Lakota". The Elk then called out a fourth time, but this time, it seemed, the Elk sounded like "an Elk".
Koskala felt his journey was complete and decided to come down from the Mountain, he picked up his blanket and walked to the edge of the ridge, the Elder was there Singing with a Drum, in hopes of encouraging the two during their Hanbleciya. The KoskalaKoskala told the Elder he had done enough, he had had enough, he was ready to come down. The Elder looked at him and said "You are the last person I would think would quit, since you have no relatives in camp, I must complete your Hanbleciya". Koskala thought for a few minutes and decided to complete his vow, decided then and there to die if he must, to become a real Lakota Wicasa.
And so Koskala sat, in the Sun, trying to make sense of the struggle and pain, the joy and happiness, encountered during Hanbleciayapi. On the third Day, Koskala was having a hard time, he cried to the Clouds for Water, the Wakiyan would not listen. In desperation, Koskala cried to his Mother, he said "look at your boy, he is dying, the Wakiyan won't help me, please make them give me water." Suddenly, a black Cloud appeared in the South, it was shaped like a Deer's head, and intersected the Thunderclouds coming from the West. When the Clouds met, there was a loud BOOM! of Thunder, and it began to Rain, then it began to Hail, and Koskala began eating the Hail that fell into the place marked for him to sit. This was LIFE! This was an answer to his Crying. Koskala was changed inside by the Medicine of the Wasu, the Hail.
When the Elder came to get him after the fourth Day, and after they had sat in the Inipi, Koskala told those in camp what had happened, and also his Misun, his younger Brother, the Son of the Elder, told his story of his Hanbleciya. So the People were able to hear the Stories of what the Koskala went through to become Wicasa, Lakota Wicasa, Lakota Men.
The Koskala who heard the Elk has spent his time since, seeking that sound of his Realtives through the Power of the Elk, the Siyotanka, the Lakota Flute, and so the Siyotanka yet Lives.
Hecetuwelo (I say this is the Way It Is).
Wanbli WiWohpe
Lakota Wicasa.
