Our hands are often tied because no one will take responsibility. Does this seem to be overstating my social, business skills, one might ask? I was a good listener, I didn’t talk very much, when I was in grade school, I would rather be reading in the Library then to go out at recess to play. That way we will secure a just future for the Crow people. Everything good is here. I am here today because of my ancestors; my grandfather-Flat Mouth, my great grandmother-Takes Two Lances; my great, great grandmother-Strikes and Kills; my great, great, great grandmother-Dragon Woman; and my great, great, great, great grandfather chief Long Hair (1730-1835) Chief Long Hair, a Mountain Crow lived among his wealthy family. Every Crow I knew when I was growing up spoke the Crow language. At that time about 90% of the students were Crow speakers.

Then there is Crow Fair which is like a huge family reunion. I am a person that doesn’t quit. I ask the creator to give me strength to work with, and overcome the existing problem approaching me. If your afraid of public speaking, speak publicly at every opportunity. But, when you hear the camp crier’s songs and messages of honor and the new day to come, a Crow Indian knows they were born in just the right place.

A Crow Indian must respect all peoples, regardless of the race or religion. One of my biggest sacrifices was to give up my love for rodeo and roping, but I knew that I could not support my family on that type of daily lifestyle. Being Crow means knowing the subtle rules of clan member interaction. The mission of WHC is to collect, preserve and tell the stories of the people and places of the Yellowstone River Valley and the northern High Plains region. I believe more Crow people will become educated and better informed about their issues and natural resources on the Crow Indian Reservation. My parents, who are deceased now, would have been happy for me. We also have ceremonies that are done during social events such as the Hot Dance Day Dance, Dog Head eating ceremony, the Tail Feather Getting ceremony and other ceremonies too numerous to mention. Being Crow is to know and cherish the language and make efforts to preserve it for future generations. Be realistic, but don’t discard your dreams based upon a wrong opinion. Why study Chinese at Lake Forest College? I also have a daughter Named Olivia Plain Bull, she is a student at Little Big Horn College, and resides at Crow Agency, MT as well. Being a Crow Indian today means to me that I have a responsibility to pass on what I have been taught about the beliefs, values, and culture of my grandmothers and grandfathers. I recently passed the right to run the Shoshoni dance to my Nephew, Ben Cloud.

As a Crow, I try to be a great example of my environment; I believe that even if I, myself, may not be as culturally connected to some of the customs such as the Tobacco Society, some of the dancing ceremonies, etc., it is and always will be a responsibility to maintain the opportunities for the other members of my tribe.

Medicine Crow in a vision saw a horse with iron hoofs and smoke emerging from its top-probably a locomotive steam engine train. I really appreciate my children, it was quite a chore to raise them alone, but today they have made me so proud of them! As a result of this counseling I became more determined to get a college education. To be a Crow Indian today means to utilize and take the good things from the Crow Culture and implement those aspects in my everyday life. From a time when I was young and not allowed to eat my ice cream I had bought in a store in Hardin to today where you hear non-Indian people say, “There’s our Sheriff and he’s an Indian”. There are many customs and traditions of the Apsaalooke; however, I will mention one, and that is as a young boy, I was taught by my father not to kill animals needlessly. That was a project that was done at one of the summer schools! Keep it clean and do not pollute it less you get hurt. Our choice of leaders says more about us than it does about them. Being Crow is to understand the sacredness of the sundance and to cherish the sound of the sundance whistle. I believe the Crow people have the resources to attain self-sufficiency utilizing vast human and natural resources. Plenty Coups in a vision saw the submergence of the buffalo into the ground or earth and the reemergence of spotted animals different from the buffalo. We also work to educate the general public about Crow language loss and preservation, and assist our Crow communities in finding financial support necessary to maintain healthy and stable language programs. It is good and useful in many ways. Being Crow is to consider Crow Fair as the culmination of a good year and the commencement of a new one.

When I had left Crow Country to either attend school, work or rodeo, I always knew that there was a place and a people that I belonged to. I begin with myself believing with an open mind good spirit and health. I had to put aside my education for 10 years when I had to care for my mother who was confined to a wheel chair. My knowledge in being a Crow is at times threatened by the dysfunction of contemporary society. When I write or speak American English, I base the depth of the meaning on the significance of what my mind thinks. We are usually stereotyped and clouded with alcoholism, drug addiction, and high percentages of non employment. My challenge has been to keep my balance with having one foot in the middle of all aspects of traditional Crow life and one foot in the professional legal world. Read on to learn more about the language of birds. There should be color, encouragement, cleanliness, efficiency, learning and love.