June 7, 1998

TO: All Traditional Elders and Councils, hand-carried with TOBACCO offerings

LAKOTA ELDERS WILL HOLD CEREMONIES TO FREE LEONARD PELTIER

At the secret tomb of Crazy Horse many traditional spiritual elders of the Lakota Ki will hold special ceremonies June 25-26 to ask WAKAN INYAN to free Lakota warrior Leonard Peltier from Leavenworth Prison, where he has been for 22 years, accused of killing 2 FBI Agents on the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation in South Dakota in 1975.

The undersigned fullblood elders have affirmed their commitment to attend this sacred Ceremony, which is part of the ongoing ancient MASSAUM Ceremony instigated by PTE SAN WINYAN (White Buffalo Woman) many centuries ago. The WIWANGYANG WACIPI (to look at the sun dance) is one part of the 2-moons long Ceremony.

"WAKAN INYAN (Crazy Horse) was a central actor in this great Ceremony," Chief Elder Francis He Crow stated in the prepared release, to be sent to all elders of the Rocky Mountains. "It was the purpose of all our Nations gathering on the solstice at the Little Big Horn in 1876.

"The fact that the shootout in 1975 occurred on June 26 has always been significant to us. The Truth about the Leonard Peltier case must now come out, as the prophecies of the Seventh Generation have now been fulfilled," He Crow added.

"The treachery of our own Indian people is central to the stories of Crazy Horse and Leonard Peltier," Elder Good Voice Flute said. "We had a big meeting on May 12 at Mato Paha (Bear Butte) and decided to make public the truth of these stories, and pray to WAKAN INYAN to help us and our brothers."

"Crazy Horse and Leonard Peltier are both being betrayed still, today," Jake Little Thunder said. "They are blowing up our sacred H'e Sapa (Black Hills) in the name of Crazy Horse, selling malt liquor with his name on it, Ted Turner is making movies of him, and they are doing the same to Peltier. Traitors like Dennis Banks are using his name to raise money when we know he was central to the shootout that day in June 26, 1975."

"We as Guardians of this Sacred Land have been targeted for cultural, emotional, and spiritual genocide to this day," Lucy Bull Bear said, "although physical annihilation is no longer in vogue."

"The Lakota Ki are dead," Charles White Elk said, crying on the sacred mountain. "I am sorry to say it. It was the prophecies of our elders, who last had a great vision in 1924."

"At this time the Medicine is returning to all peoples," Joe Swift Bird said. "That is the prophecy of the Seventh Generation.

"The Lakota Wicohan Yuonihan Omniciye is a branch of The Lakota Cultural Preservation Society, and the Crazy Horse Warrior Society is a branch of that. We have learned the so-called 'Leonard Peltier Defense Committee' in Kansas has renounced our Societies, and the traditional Government. They are traitors using Peltier's name to make money for a few individuals. They have failed to free Peltier, when we have always known we could get him out with the help of WAKAN INYAN.

"Now we are going to do it, on the sacred days of the Little Big Horn and the Massaum. We are going to renew our Peoples. We are going to expose by name the bogus medicine men and AIM warriors who have used our spirituality and our Sundance for their own selfish profit."

Signed, Jake Little Thunder, Guy White Thunder, Good Voice Flute, Charles Quiver, Isabel Red Cloud, Alice Fast Horse, Joe Swift Bird, Charles White Elk, Abraham Tobacco, Martin Sky, Anthony Wounded Hand, Francis He Crow, Charles Moose, David Swallow, Matthew White Face, Jasper Spotted Elk, Delbert Tail Sr., Lucille White Face, Caroline Thunder Hawk, Esther White Face, Eugene Bush, Larry Montoya, Chrysan Herman, Marvin Dreaming Bear, Elaine Quiver, Lucy Bull Bear, Leona Bull Bear, Keith Old Horse, Emmett Running Horse, Hamilton Kills Plenty, Wilson Janis, Steven Bull Bear, Joe Wat Jr., Ed Starr, Theresa Lone Hill, Karlene Janis, Karen Hernandez, Karen White Butterfly, Angie Poor Bear, Joe Pawnee Leggins, Harry F. Byrd

Contact: David Seals
Secretary and Ambassador, Bear Butte Council
(44 hereditary chiefs, of the many Confederacies and leagues formed in the Louisiana Purchase lands)

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