We Ride Sport and Trail Magazine June 2019 | Page 13

Tashina Red Hawk, Sicangu Lakota riding Tokala

buffalo, and fight enemies. Horses made the journeys

possible to obtain valued goods and cultural treasures.

Therefore, horses which were good riding horses were

considered symbols of wealth, status and prestige.

Because many dancers, both men and women, hold the

horse nation in high esteem and respect, they incorporate

their personal relationship with the horse in many forms

into their regalia. One of my relatives beaded himself riding

his horse into his fully beaded vest. I personally have used

the Lakota geometric design of the horse into one of my

girls’ northern traditional buckskin dresses.

Ozana: And finally, you have two Paint mares. Why

Paints?

Beverly: Back in 2014, after I retired from my career, I

traveled back home to Standing Rock to attend a program

called “Sung Nagi Kici Okiju: Becoming One with the Spirit

of the Horse”. Becoming One with the Spirit of the Horse

is not a horsemanship model, it’s a way of life. Our

ancestors weren’t just good horseman, they were good

relatives to the horse nation. It was during that time I fell

in love with Midnight Dream. She was only 6 months old

and she was calling out to me in a spiritual sense. I’ve been

told by my elders, that you don’t chose the horse they chose

you. A year and half later her sister Lakota Spirit (Nagi) was

born and my family knew that the sisters needed to be

together. The Stallion is “Walks with Thunder” (a bold

Black/White Overo) has been described as a horse that a

Chief would have rode. The Becoming One with the Spirit

of the Horse was created by Jon Eagle, Sr. to create a path

to healing for our people through the spirit of the horse.

Our family is blessed to have created a relationship with

two very beautiful paint mares.

For more information about Jon’s program please check

out his website at

www.becomingonewiththespiritofthehorse.com.

I hope you enjoyed this exchange as much as I enjoyed my

day at the Gathering of Nations. Hope to see some of you

in 2020.

Visit the author / photographer online:

www.ozanaphotography.com

Ozana on Fine Art America >