Performed by Val Cole

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POEM:

The death winter came and was deep
With white on the purple mountain
The Tiwahe’ 'Standing Rock People'
Begged for warm fires from Iktinie the Sun Spirit
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

Iya’ the Snow Monster had taken us farther to the south
To follow Capa the Beaver Spirit
A long journey into early winter’s night
For there was much labor to keep warm in our Thipi’
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

When Iwoblu the Winter Storm whispered his cold story
To the Aicita the Ghost Messenger
She tricked Mathohota the Grizzly Spirit with her wailing
To haunt the sky with growling winds
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

The Wahupakoza escaped on icy feathers
Stirring the winds with their flight of fears
And within the SunOthi’ earth dens, the wolves
Sungmanitu’ howled with their starvation
Our mouths were hungry and our bodies were weak

While the stone figured buffalo Wankan Tanka’
Blood was cursed with ice
Their coats were bitten with Heyumka
Mothers were caged in the hard frost while their calves fell and died
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

Gleska Wowayazan the spotted sickness harvested our souls
We were prisoners of Wichat A’ the sickness that takes all
Zuya Whichsa' our boldest warriors were taken from us
To follow the Wanagi’ the spirit of departed human beings
Far to the Milky Way to stand before Hihankara’ the judge of souls
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

We mourned and chanted for the loss of our children Wasigla’!
And the People of Standing Rock wept AcheyA’ in dreams
Of earth warmth and filled bellies of mothers and children
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

It was the last winter of the ghost road
I am White Buffalo Calf Woman,
I am the keeper of words
I tell you now so that you will know