ABOUT THUNDERHANDS



About Me: "Wakiya" (Thunder)
I am a Tribal, Musician, Writer, Artist. I try to walk the path and have studied the tradition of the "Wisdom keepers" like Lame Deer, Fools Crow, Black Elk, and Rolling Thunder from the tribes of this region, and Lao Tzu, Buddha, Bodhidharma, Yeshua, and other enlightened ones from the many various tribes of the earth. I understand the worlds religions and belief systems, and realize the division this can cause by the lack of understanding the "real message" from the Masters. My intention, and life's prayer is to try to live in harmony with Grandmother Earth, Grandfather sky, (Nature) and "the spirit that moves in all things," and help in any way I can to build a bridge between all men and tribes so they can walk their path in a manner that will benefit themselves, the Earth and others. I open up, and ask Great Spirit, The creator, The Tao, The Universe, to work and direct healing and positive energy through me by different means, like the Flute, drums, Words, Prayer, and Touch. I try to be loving and accept others from the heart, and practice forgiveness. I honor all people, the winged one's, and four legged ones considering us all equal, not one being above another. I honor the bountiful Harvest from Mother earth in the form of plant life, water, air and herbs which sustain our oneness with her. I pray all tribes should re-unite as one, so we may protect the planet and live in harmony. Within you, without you.

Mitakuye Oyasin
( all my relations)
Wakiya

Saturday

John Trudell

I always have felt a strong connection to this guy, his is a kindred spirit, we have a lot in common, he speaks straight from the heart. I think you will enjoy this post a lot.
-Thunder


In Thunderheart









Personal background

Trudell was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He is the son of a Santee Sioux father and a Mexican mother. He grew up around the Santee reservation near Omaha. He joined the Navy in 1963 and served in the Vietnam war. After getting out of the military he became involved in Indian activism and became the spokesperson for the Indians of All Tribes occupation of Alcatraz Island. He joined the American Indian Movement and, although not officially voted in, was its national Chairman from 1972 until 1979 after Carter Camp went to jail. In 1979, his mother-in-law, pregnant wife (Tina Manning), and three children were killed in a tragic fire, an event that led him to his "hanging on lines", his spoken word. It is famously believed that his family was murdered by the government. A meeting with Jackson Browne in 1979 introduced him to the musical world. His first album, originally made with brilliant (according to Bob Dylan) Kiowa guitarist Jesse Ed Davis and originally available only on cassette tape, was A.K.A Graffiti Man. In 1992 he remade A.K.A Graffiti Man; more recent endeavors include Blue Indians (1999) and Bone Days.

Film career

Trudell has worked in a second career as an actor, with roles in Thunderheart (1992), On Deadly Ground (1995) and Smoke Signals (1998). One of his most significant contributions to film was in the production of Incident at Oglala, directed by Michael Apted and produced by Robert Redford. A companion piece to Thunderheart, the 1992 documentary reveals the events at the heart of the movie through an exploration of the facts surrounding the shootout on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Trudell played a key role in keeping the movie true to both facts and events of the times.

Trudell the Movie

Filmmaker Heather Rae has spent more than a decade making the documentary, entitled Trudell (2005). Her intent was to utilize Trudell's rich political and cultural life to create a relevant piece that reflected contemporary history and educated and inspired world citizens. This documentary premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. documentary competition.

The song at the end of the film is "Johnny Lobo" by Kris Kristofferson from "A Moment of Forever". This song was originally written about John Trudell.

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