Voices and Visions: Tatanka Iyatanka

Recently, an old Native Chief has given his image and proud face with full headdress to me several times. Once, while I washed my face, I saw this closing my eyes, appearing in my inner eye like a negative photo. It was a strong vision, but I did not know what to make of it.  

Another time later, I felt four Native people standing at the foot of my bed; one brave, two women and the Chief, again with full headress. I don’t know if I was dreaming or awake, as I was so ill at the time. But it seems it penetrated my dreams later.

Again, while I was showering, this Chief appeared in my mind again. I heard this word, “tatanka” and said it aloud. “Tatanka, tatanka, tatanka,” and it seemed so familiar to me.  

I know the Lakota word, “tatanka” because I have seen the movie Dances with Wolves a handful of times. I tried to dismiss this connection. But the light on the buffalo continued. There is another word the Chief was telling me, but I could not hear it.  

So finally I watched the bull. The Chief gives away his name by showing a light on the Plains: I see a huge bull buffalo ready to rush and charge, kill if necessary. He stands and is pawing at the Earth, nostrils flaring. I see the steam and the great grass around him.

Buffalo Stands Ground. This is his name. He is a Plains Chief, a great man. I do not know what tribe, but he shares with me all his sadness in the loss of his People. Suddenly, I feel the need to read up on the Battle of Wounded Knee...

Upon doing so, I read that there were several Chiefs involved with Wounded Knee... When I saw all the photos of the Chiefs, during that treacherous time, I saw many who did not seem familiar. But then I saw one Chief’s photo, and tears just welled up in my eyes. It was the figure I have been seeing, headdress and all. Strong face, proud mouth, prominent nose. None of the other photos clicked at all, but his did. 

His name: Sitting Bull. I have heard of him, of course, but never have read about, seen a picture, or connected to that name in this way. After doing some inner work, I feel now that he is one of my Guides.

In Lakota, his name is Tatanka Iyotanka. Tatanka is Buffalo, not Bull. After my visions, I was not sure what Iyotanka meant, but I didn’t think the direct translation was "sitting." I got that it was more "standing ground" which was perhaps misinterpreted as "sitting."

More research told me that according to his fellow tribesmen, the name Sitting Bull suggested “an animal possessed of great endurance, his build much admired by the People, and when brought to bay planted immovably on his haunches to fight on to the death.” (Utley, Robert M. Sitting Bull: The Life and Times of an American Patriot. p. 15)