Dances with Wolves.

[Jimm GoodTracks]

I will have to concur with Jonathan's observation and remarks which coincide with my own experience.  One old Arapaho, Custer Lumpmouth, consistently and simultaneously signed while he conversed.
Since the passing of all these elders by 1990, this form of expression is all but lost, except for some intermittent minimal signing without conversation during Native American Church tipi prayer services.
I might note that it has become popular at powwows and exhibitions, shows, etc. to have an attractive young girl, usually in a buckskin dress to sign the Lord's Prayer to a background pre-recorded tape.  Once in the 80's, I asked and elderly Ioway uncle if he could follow along with the young girl as she signed the prayer.  He curtly replied "No!".   Apparently, something is lost in the process, when the signing becomes simply an entertaining act, rather than an actual form of communication.  I say this, as the young ladies would be virtually unable to sign nor understand a more typical interactive format.  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jonathan Holmes 
  To: siouan at lists.colorado.edu 
  Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 2:08 PM
  Subject: Re: Dances with Wolves.


  Whenever I have had the occassion, over the last 30 years, to sit with elders amongst the Osage, Ponca, Pawnee, Comanche, Oglala Lakota, Sicangu Lakota, Southern Cheyenne, Picuni Blackfoot, Sauk & Fox, and Kiowa, there is frequently a tendency for some elders to speak and sign with their hands at the same time whether they are speaking in english or their native tongue. It seems to be a natural extention of their expressive nature when telling a story, but not a lot of younger generations are picking up the habit.
  Jonathan

  Justin McBride <jmcbride at kawnation.com> wrote:
    > This prompts me to ask: I had always heard that tribes used sign language when communicating with other tribes who spoke different languages. 
    > But does this Lakhota example of using sign language in "Dances With Wolves" even among themselves mean that they also routinely used
    > sign language amongst themselves to supplement their common spoken language?  Just curious.

    I'v always heard that back in the day, some of the older Osage men in my hometown of Pawhuska, OK, used to sit around on parkbenches signing all day long with each other.  Supposedly it was hours of silence punctuated by occasional laughter.  I heard the same stories about the Grayhorse elders.  Whenever they came into Fairfax, they'd sign back and forth instead of talking.  I don't know how true this is, of course, but that's just what I've heard.

    -Justin


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