Ohítiya Ókiye / Joseph Marshall III

[Jac and Nakoma 1]

Mitákuyepi,
In 2010 Ohítiya Ókiye /Joseph Marshall III opened his book -
"To You We Shall Return" lessons about our planet from the Lakota with this traditional Lakota prayer to Grandmother Earth -
Grandmother,
You who listen and hear all,
You from whom all good things come ...
It is your embrace we feel
When we return to you...
Recently I heard he has made his Spirit Journey.He was Sičháŋǧu, raised by his maternal grandparents and Lakota was his first language.He was a well known author, historian, skilled Lakota craftsman, storyteller and much more . I have many of his books and re-read them often.
It is a sad time for his relatives and friends but he lives on through his very powerful books.
Tókša

[Daniel]

Dear Jacqueline,

Thank you so much for bringing us this sad news. And it's all the sadder because that elder was a first language speaker, a quality that is unfortunately being lost at breakneck speed. Soon native speakers, not only of Dakota-Lakota, but of any other “minority” language in the world, will be able to count themselves on the fingers of one hand. And so it goes, in a world where the politics of the pot of clay against the pot of iron reigns everywhere.
May Joseph Marshall's writings be a powerful inspiration to the younger generations of Dakotas and Lakotas, so that their language and identity will endure in a hostile world.

Daniel

[Jac and Nakoma 1]

Mitákuyepi,
I found the name, Ohitiya Okiye,in the English alphabet,from the internet but as I had heard Joe say his name I didn't think it was correct. I got , again in the English alphabet, Ohitiya Otanin, from the funeral home.At the same time I asked our go to guy, Daniel,for some help,and he kindly did some research.He came up with -
Ohítiya Otȟáŋiŋ His courage is known
And he also said this might be a possibility -
Ohítiya Ótȟaŋiŋ He is visibly courageous
I know a little of his parental side. His Great great grandfather was a Frenchman.His Great grandfather got married in the 1880s and his name was Mareschault but the Anglican priest wrote Marshall on the marriage certificate.
This shows you how easy it is for names/words in any language to get misspelt or misheard.
Tókša Lekší J. You will be missed .

[GnaskaGleska1]

Thank you Jac for letting us know about the passing of Joseph Marshall. Like Daniel say, it's unfortunate to lose one of the last authentic Lakota speaker. May the Great Spirit acompany him on his last journey.