The Turtle Who Wanted To Fly by David Little Elk

He is a certified Lakota Language & Culture Teacher and has written a book titled "WICOH'AN OTEHIKE", which means "the difficult way". This book is about the Lakota culture and contains many stories, including Lakota Star Knowledge stories, as well as commentary based on ancient Lakota beliefs regarding current issues facing the Lakota people.

David has also written a Lakota language book titled "CANTE ETANHAN OWAGLAKE", which means, "speaking from the heart". This book features an orthography he has developed called the Wakinyan Kiza Orthography in honor of his great-great-grandfather, who was a Lakota Holy Man. He uses both of these books to teach his Lakota Language and Culture students.

The "CANTE ETANHAN OWAGLAKE" Lakota language book also has twenty (20) accompanying CD's to help the Lakota language student to pronounce the language correctly. These CD's have been recorded by David in his own recording studio. The CD's feature dialogs for two people. First, every word and sentence with the correct pronunciations in each dialog is presented to the student. Then the student learns the parts of one speaker and David is the other speaker on the CD.

On the CD's, David begins the conversation and space is given on the CD for the student to respond to David's questions; thus, creating a dialog between David and the student. Next, the student learns David's parts of the dialog, after which space is given on the CD for the student to ask the questions and then David responds on the CD, creating another conversation between the student and David. Thus, these CD's are interactive. Student participation is vital in his classes.

As of August 2002, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council proclaimed his Lakota Language book and CD's, as well as the Wakinyan Kiza Orthography, to be the OFFICIAL Lakota Language materials of the tribe. Since then, all tribal and B.I.A. schools within the tribe's borders will now be using this book and its accompanying CD's, with the Tiospaye Topa School in LaPlante, SD, to be the first tribal school to fully utilize these materials.

In 2003, David taught university level Lakota Language Courses at Si Tanka University, located in Eagle Butte, SD. His university level classes also used the "CANTE ETANHAN OWAGLAKE" Lakota language book and its accompanying CD's, as well.

In September 2003, David taught Lakota Language over the VTEL DDN long distance education system. This made it possible for students who attended other public schools that did not offer Lakota language to participate in his classes. Most of his students in this long distance VTEL class were not Native Americans.

The Cheyenne-Eagle Butte High School on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation is the largest tribal school on this reservation. Beginning in September 2004, this school will be using David's Lakota language book, as well as his Lakota culture book, too.

David also composes music that promotes the Lakota ways, which develop complete health: physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. David has been playing guitar since he was eight years old. At nine years of age, he began his classical training on other instruments such as various brass, wind, stringed instruments, piano, among others. David has been writing songs since then, and he records them in his own recording studio.

David's music CD releases are titled, "David Little Elk: WANA WAHI", "ELKDREAMER: David Little Elk" and "ELKDREAMER II: David Little Elk & Samia". His current music release is titled "REFLECTIONS: David Little Elk & Samia".

David has also recorded two spoken word CDs in which he tells various Lakota Stories. One spoken word CD is titled "Pte Hincala San Cannumpa", which is the complete story of how the White Buffalo Calf Pipe came to the Itazipco Lakota people. The other spoken word CD is titled "Wamakaskan: The Black Hills Race & The Turtle Who Wanted To Fly". This CD has two stories. The first story is about a race in which all the animals ran a race around the Black Hills of South Dakota. The second story is told entirely in Lakota followed by the English translation, and is about identity.

David's music CD titles "ELKDREAMER II: David Little Elk & Samia" was nominated for the 2002 Native American Music Awards. His two spoken word CDs "Pte Hincala San Cannumpa" & "Wamaskan" were finalists in the 2003 Native American Music Awards.

David's music incorporates the Lakota language by singing the lyrics first in Lakota and then by singing the English translations to these verses afterwards. The reason for singing these songs in this way is to influence others, who cannot speak the Lakota language, to learn it. David chose to sing about the topic of Love, as this is what many people can identify with. In this way, David is showing the people how to use to express their feelings in Lakota to their partners. As when a person is speaking Lakota, he/she is truly speaking from the heart. All of David's music is produced, arranged, recorded, and mixed by himself. He performs all the instruments on all of his recordings, as well.

David has done many interviews with radio stations in many parts of the USA and in Canada. Some of his radio interviews are available on CD and are FREE to the public. Some of these free interview CDs also include several of his songs, as well. He was also a Native American Music Awards Finalist in 2002. His music receives airplay over many Native American radio stations within the United States, as well as on the internationally known Native American Radio On Satellite, which can also be listened to over the Internet at www.airos.org

David believes that Communication is the transfer of medicine through our thoughts, feelings, actions, and words. The Lakota Natural Law of Generosity states that the medicine we use to communicate with others will return to us fourfold. Thus, when a person tries to hurt someone else, that person is only hurting him/her-self more because the energy he/she sent will return to him/her fourfold. And when a person does something healthy to others, that healthy medicine returns to him/her fourfold, too. This is the foundation of the belief that, "The Honor of One is the Honor of All." Therefore, it is Lakota tradition to communicate in a most clear and effective manner with each other. In this spirit, David composes his music and teaches his Lakota language and culture.

A crisis has now begun to unfold among the Lakota nations, as many of the fluent Lakota Elder speakers are now few in number, and many of the younger Lakota are losing interest to learn the Lakota language. David embraces his Lakota culture and language, and has vowed to do his part in preserving it with the creation of his books and CD's, and also with his music CD's, which incorporate the use of the Lakota language. And he will do also be using modern technology to help preserve the Lakota language, as well.

Dreams are very important to the Lakota Sioux people, and David has received much instruction from his dreams to help others. These dreams paved the way for him to become a Lakota language and culture teacher.

During the early part of the 20th century, the american government set up boarding schools to "civilize" Native children so that they would be able to function within american society. They realized that the earlier they took the Native children away from home, the easier it was to transform them. They also realized that the further away from home they took these Native children, the easier it was to break them down emotionally. Many of these boarding schools were created by churches, as well.

These schools offered low paying salaries and not much benefits. Thus, a lot of teachers of questionable character were hired to "civilize" these Native children. As a result, many Native children were beaten and made to feel ashamed to be Native. The goal of these school administrators and church priests, as well as the american government, was to have these children grow up not wanting to have anything to do with being Native. These schools which havens of constant abuse against the Native children.

After David received these dreams, there was a Lakota language teacher job opening at the Dupree School in Dupree, South Dakota, USA. He decided to apply for it and he received it. As he taught his students the Lakota language and culture, he began to realize that he was being influenced with further teachings, as well. Many times, the information he gave to them was something they had never heard before. It was beautiful to see them absorb what rightfully belonged to them. In the previous dream, David was able to help Lakota children from the past and he was able to help children of today.

After teaching at the Dupree School for six years, David received a new dream to share his knowledge of the Lakota concept of the SEVENTH DIRECTION with the rest of world.

David is currently living in Berlin, Germany. European customers, please click on the "email" link on the left side of this screen to contact David directly, as it will be less expensive to order directly from David in Berlin.

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