Native American Daily Wisdom

02/11/2026

On This Day, November 29, 1864.
Title - "Collecting survivors stories of the Sand Creek massacre", 1908. GRAPHIC TESTIMONY. ~ Author, naturalist and historian George Bird Grinnell, 3rd from right, collecting old stories from Cheyenne Indians on the Sand Creek Massacre, Photo taken in 1908.
~ "The massacre lasted six or eight hours, and a good many Indians escaped. I tell you Ned it was hard to see little children on their knees have their brains beat out by men professing to be civilized. One squaw was wounded and a fellow took a hatchet to finish her, she held her arms up to defend her, and he cut one arm off, and held the other with one hand and dashed the hatchet through her brain. One squaw with her two children, were on their knees begging for their lives of a dozen soldiers, within ten feet of them all, firing – Some tried to escape on the Prairie, but most of them were run down by horsemen. I saw two Indians hold one of another’s hands, chased until they were exhausted, when they kneeled down, and clasped each other around the neck and were both shot together. They were all scalped, and as high as half a dozen taken from one head. They were all horribly mutilated. One woman was cut open and a child taken out of her, and scalped." - Yours, SS (signed) Captain Silas S. Soule of the 1st Colorado (U.S.) Volunteer Cavalry. Fort Lyon, C.T. December 14, 1864.
~ "...There was one little child, probably three years old, just big enough to walk through the sand. The Indians had gone ahead, and this little child was behind, following after them. The little fellow was perfectly naked, travelling in the sand. I saw one man get off his horse at a distance of about seventy-five yards and draw up his rifle and fire. He missed the child. Another man came up and said, 'let me try the son of a bitch. I can hit him.' He got down off his horse, kneeled down, and fired at the little child, but he missed him. A third man came up, and made a similar remark, and fired, and the little fellow dropped." ~ Major Anthony, New York Tribune, 1879.

02/10/2026

02/10/2026

‘Smoking Catlinite Pipe’, 1940.
Siksika (Blackfoot), Gleichen, Alberta.
Gramma sits the way the mountains sit, time itself slowing to listen. Smoke curls upward, in quiet prayer, carrying names, loss, laughter, everything, into the smoke. Grandson rests safe in her arms, learning warmth before words, learning heartbeat before history. Gramma’s hands, creased maps of life and love, she doesn’t rush. She never had to. The world already came to her fast and cruel. So, she stayed steady instead. This is how love survived & survives, here, in laps, in smoke, in silence, in the ordinary miracle of being held by someone who had endured and, chose tenderness anyways. Long after the pipe was placed away and the photograph yellows in the archives, this, her love keeps going, through time, through blood, through memory, through you.❤️

02/09/2026

The Apache are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño and Janero), Salinero, Plains (Kataka or Semat or "Kiowa-Apache") and Western Apache (Aravaipa, Pinaleño, Coyotero, Tonto). Distant cousins of the Apache are the Navajo, with whom they share the Southern Athabaskan languages. There are Apache communities in Oklahoma and Texas, and reservations in Arizona and New Mexico. Apache people have moved throughout the United States and elsewhere, including urban centers. The Apache Nations are politically autonomous, speak several different languages, and have distinct cultures.
Historically, the Apache homelands have consisted of high mountains, sheltered and watered valleys, deep canyons, deserts, and the southern Great Plains, including areas in what is now Eastern Arizona, Northern Mexico (Sonora and Chihuahua) and New Mexico, West Texas, and Southern Colorado. These areas are collectively known as Apacheria.
The Apache tribes fought the invading Spanish and Mexican peoples for centuries. The first Apache raids on Sonora appear to have taken place during the late 17th century. In 19th-century confrontations during the American-Indian wars, the U.S. Army found the Apache to be fierce warriors and skillful strategists.

02/08/2026

His face tells the story of a thousand generations—etched with the lines of sun and wind, carrying the quiet strength of ancestors who walked these lands long before history was written. In his gaze lies the memory of battles fought, songs sung, and traditions passed from elder to child. Every feature speaks of resilience, of a people shaped by the earth and sky, bound to a heritage that endures through him.

02/07/2026

We need a big A'ho
Proud to be Native American

02/06/2026

Beautiful. And, a powerful reminder of missing First Nations women!✊🏽✊🏽

02/06/2026

"Floyd Red Crow Westerman was a Native American musician, actor, and activist. Born on August 17, 1936, on the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation in South Dakota, he was a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Dakota Sioux tribe.
Westerman was known for his powerful voice and his ability to blend traditional Native American music with contemporary genres like folk and rock. He often incorporated themes of Indigenous rights, environmentalism, and spirituality into his music, advocating for social justice and cultural preservation.
In addition to his music career, Westerman was also a talented actor, appearing in numerous films and television shows. Some of his notable acting credits include roles in ""Dances with Wolves,"" ""The Doors,"" and ""Walker, Texas Ranger.""
Throughout his life, Floyd Red Crow Westerman was deeply involved in activism, particularly focusing on issues affecting Indigenous peoples. He was a vocal advocate for Native American rights, environmental protection, and the preservation of Indigenous cultures.
Westerman's contributions to music, film, and activism made him a beloved figure within both the Native American community and the broader entertainment industry. He passed away on December 13, 2007, leaving behind a legacy of artistic brilliance and social advocacy"

02/05/2026

Finding your true self takes time, patience, and courage. It means letting go of expectations placed on you and learning to hear your own voice clearly.
Every step toward authenticity is a step toward freedom — even when the path feels uncertain. Growth asks us to be brave enough to honor who we have always been beneath the noise of the world.
Standing in your truth becomes its own form of strength, shaping a life that reflects your spirit. 🪶

02/04/2026

Wishing my wife Shawna Bounds Yazzie a happy anniversary!!!! I love you very much ❤️

02/04/2026

Love it!!!

02/03/2026

Back American Farmers!