Bringing SPIRIT SERIES online has opened wonderful possibilities, among them the chance to actively partner with leaders from the cultural traditions we celebrate. This summer, two elders of the Lakota nation lent their talents and perspective to the online presentation of “Ballad of Sitting Bull.”

Our On Screen Launch performance of the play now features Darrell Red Cloud, direct descendent of renowned Oglala Lakota Chief, Red Cloud, whose leadership spanned 40 crucial years as the tribes resisted and then transitioned to life on the reservation. Darrell has tutored us with his command of the Lakota language and traditions, while his portrayal embodies the dignity and strength of Chief Sitting Bull.

The image of Sitting Bull — “The Way of the Spirit” — seen above, is used at the culmination of our On Screen Launch performance, and one of two masterful works by Lakota fine artist, Lyle Miller, Sr., that we have incorporated into the online “Ballad of Sitting Bull” curriculum. Introduced to the SERIES by the Crazy Horse Memorial, Lyle has shared with us both his artwork and his personal vision, informed by the Lakota understanding Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ: “We are all related.” Our deepest appreciation goes to Darrell and Lyle for their invaluable collaborations with our organization.