A Lakota Love Story: How to Win the Girl on the Great Plains

This video was inspired by Chapted 6 of Black Elk Speaks in which the author of the book relates a story from Black Elk, a Lakota medicine man, about a young man named High Horse. High Horse is in love and the chapter tells the story of what a Lakota man may have to go through in order to win the woman of his dreams. Its a fun story.

There is some controversy in regard to the book, Black Elk Speaks. It was written in 1931 and the author, John G. Neihardt based the book off of his interviews with Black Elk, a Lakota medicine man. But some of the book raises questions because some of the topics addressed by Neihardt don’t align perfectly with Lakota culture. It’s possible that in the translation of the interviews he made mistakes or that he changed some items to better appeal to his audience. It’s unclear. But this story is an interesting one and a fun window into the life of the Lakota.

I hope you enjoy. If you have any thoughts or comments, please leave them below.

Resources

Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt (Book)

Courting on the Plains: 19th Century Lakota Style by Kathryn M. Duda https://carnegiemuseums.org/magazine-...

On the Warpath https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/o...

Waterspirits https://hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.Wat...