Sitting Bull's White Horse

In 1830, Senator Theodore Frelinghuysen of New Jersey delivered a lengthy speech in opposition (and prophetic prelude) to United States "Indian Policy"...an excerpt:

"...if we abandon these aboriginal proprietors (Native Americans) of our soil, these early allies and adopted children of our forefathers, how shall we justify it to our country...How shall we justify this trespass to ourselves...Let us beware how, by oppressive encroachments upon the sacred privileges of our Indian neighbors, we minister to the agonies of future remorse."

Native American elders have often said that "the civilized way of life" ended at the execution of 38 Dakota leaders in Mankato, Minnesota during December of 1862...while most in the government saw this as the beginning of the assault on the "uncivilized Dakota savages" that would end with the murder of Sitting Bull and the Massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890. 

Is this how we justified genocide to ourselves...by "scientifically" categorizing people as uncivilized?

Maybe we could learn something from the "story and symbolism of Sitting Bull's White Horse"?

 

As told by George Eagle Elk in 1969:

 

"When the white horse heard the shooting (the "police" killing Sitting Bull) it began dancing and prancing, sitting on its haunches and raising up its front legs, jumping around, bowing, curtsying, doing all the tricks it had been taught. In this way it honored its dead master in the only way it knew. All who saw it said that the horse was possessed because it was unhurt even though it danced through a hail of bullets. The white horse kept dancing for awhile after the fight was over and the bloody scene was silent..."

 

Maybe we could be The White Horse and honor Native American culture through a redemption of past "lessons of history", reconciliation, seeking the truth, dancing, and understanding the symbolism of the white horse!

 

White Horse as a Message Carrier- "no abuse of power will ever lead to true wisdom, power is only awarded to those willing to carry balanced responsibility."

 

White Horse as Power and Freedom- "power and freedom can only be useful (to the horse and the rider) to accomplish great things when mutual respect and responsibility is shown to each other."