Tabana Yuane

[educatedindian]

Group in north Texas claiming to be Comanche plus others, doing a ceremony for over a decade that looks straight out of boy scouts from 50 years ago. Dallas paper published an editorial against them.

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http://lubbockonline.com/stories/032303/reg_032303081.shtml#.VRwJ2ulFBjo
'Chief' Runkles honored at Taba'na Yuan'e
 
Published: Sunday, March 23, 2003
JOHN REYNOLDS
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
 
POST — The celebrants of Saturday morning's Taba'na Yuan'e (Sunrise Wind) ceremony took a few extra moments to honor the memory of Frank "Chief" Runkles, the organizing spirit behind the unique tradition.

Runkles died just days before the celebration of the Taba'na Yuan'e in 2001. He was buried on the same day as last year's ceremony, said the ceremony's new chief, Ken LeBlanc.

Runkles was 92 years old.

Zoe Kirkpatrick, a dancer in the Four Winds section of the ceremony, said Saturday's observation was possibly more emotional than when the shock of losing Runkles was fresh.

"We were in a fog last year," she said.

Using a hand-built fire to determine the prevailing winds at sunrise were from the northwest, LeBlanc portended an average to above average year.

John Tall Chief, of Pecos, Texas, dances in the Taba'na Yuan'e, or sunrise wind, ceremony at the city park in Post on Saturday morning. This ancient Plains Indians ceremony is performed on the day after the sun reaches the halfway point in its joury from south to north. The wind's direction at the exact moment of the sunrise was believed to determine success during the coming year. This year the wind's direction is northwest which means that it will be an average year.

The Indian New Year ceremony, which is culled mostly from Comanche culture, traditionally predicted the general fortune for the community in the coming year.

"It's not just for farmers," he said.

LeBlanc then gathered in a circle with his fellow participants to throw bunches of sage on the fire. Tears flowed freely as they huddled together in the early dawn under a low, steely gray sky.

Native Americans be lieved sage smoke to be purifying, according to Kirk patrick.

The skies seemed to respond to the offering as an intermittent drizzle picked up in intensity.

Referring to the Native American belief in a guiding spirit called the Grandfather, LeBlanc said, "Nothing is by chance. Grandfather is watching after us all right."

"The spirits were really good to us," added Christy Morris, another dancer in the Four Winds dance.

Runkles, who was active in Scouting and cultivated an interest in Indian lore, took over the Taba'na Yuan'e in 1973 and transformed it from an informal observation into a choreographed spectacle.

The founders of Post were aware of the old tradition and practiced it since 1906, Kirkpatrick said. In those days, the practice consisted only of climbing onto the Caprock and lighting a fire.

After Runkles took over the ceremony, he embellished it and made it more ecumenical, drawing on traditions from the major Plains tribes, LeBlanc said.

Saturday's celebrants represented a core group of 14 people chosen by Chief Runkles to carry on the Taba'na Yuan'e, LeBlanc said.

The group, whose members hail from Lubbock to Waco and carry the blood of Comanche, Sioux, Cherokee and Cree Indians, meets twice a year to practice and prepare for the ceremony, he said.

The group also dances in the 11th annual Intertribal Contest Powwow in Lubbock this weekend, he said.

Despite the sadness Saturday, "Chief Runkles insisted we carry on," Kirkpatrick said.

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http://letterstotheeditorblog.dallasnews.com/2015/03/outrageous-misrepresentation-of-native-americans.html/
Re: “Tribe forecasts fair year,” March 23 photo and caption.

The photo shows the Taba’na Yuan’e sunrise ceremony in West Texas. According to the caption, Rosebud Sioux tribe members say that based on the wind on March 22, they predict a fair year for crops, farmers and the economic outlook.

I, along with others in the community, are outraged by this event and how it was covered. There are many things wrong with what this group has done, but most importantly, this is a misrepresentation of who Native Americans are.

It is known by any tribe, tribal member or someone who truly respects our cultures that ceremonies are not open to the news media for any reason. To us, ceremonies are sacred and should never be done for publicity. Our spirituality is not a sideshow nor should it ever be used for self-recognition. Also, mixing tribes together (Sioux and Comanche) to conduct a ceremony is just outlandish.

But again, we have a group of individuals who do not respect our spirituality and attempt to morph it into something that it is not. Due to groups like these, Native Americans are depicted inaccurately. This group has caused an outrage by people in the Native American community and has saddened many.

Yolonda Blue Horse, Carrollton

[Defend the Sacred]

Wrong medicines, and talking about Natives only in the past tense. Frauds.

[Epiphany]

Kenneth LeBlanc is still leader of this.

TABA'NA YUANE
 
Sunday, March 22, 2015 - 6:30am to 7:30am
Annual Taba'na Yuan'e Sunrise Wind Ceremony.
Taba'na Yuan'e is an annual sunrise wind ceremony that has been going on in this area since before the town was founded in 1907. Area farmers have continued this traditional ceremony to predict the crops for the coming year. This will be the 29th year Kenneth LeBlanc has been involved in this ceremony. "Chief" Runkles performed the ceremony beginning in 1973 until his death in 2002.

http://texasplainstrail.com/events/tabana-yuane

His Facebook says he has been active with Boy Scouts, also that he worked for Texas Family & Protective Services.

Facebook:

Kenneth LeBlanc
March 22 at 3:27pm ·
This morning's Tabana Yuane Ceremony went well. The prediction is for a fair year. We had great coverage this year. Greg Boon with Greg Texas came and photographed the event. A reporter and photographer came from Texas Monthly to do an expose. The local Post Dispatch was there as was the Avalanche Journal from Lubbock. I understand there was also an artical in the Slaton Newspaper. Thank to all the Tabana Yuane Clan for your dedication to this Ceremony. It is you that make the difference in this event. Special thank to Will Blackhorse Lithicum for playing the flute and the Lakota song.

Kenneth LeBlanc Actually sweat grass brings all the spirits, sage sends the negative ones away.

Kenneth LeBlanc
March 22, 2014 ·
The Tabana Yuane (Comanche for Sunrise Wind) Ceremony was held this morning at sunrise in the City Park at Post, Texas. The prediction this year is for a good year. I would like to thank all the people that make this ceremony happen. Special thanks to the Garza County Sheriffs Office and the men that helped put up the Tipis. This is my 28th year to be in that ceremony. Frank Runkles and I have done this ceremony annually since 1972. In that time span we have had an accuracy rate of 96%. Those Comanches must have been on to something.

[Epiphany]

More info from LeBlanc's Facebook:

Kenneth LeBlanc Sonya if you like this we spend several weeks living like this in August in South Dakota. We attend the Holy Circle Sun Dance on the Rose Bud Reservation of the Sicangu (Burnt Thigh) Sioux. We are guest of Keith Horselooking and his family. This is the same Reservation that Chief Runkles came from.

Photo that this caption goes with is uploaded, sign in to view.

[Epiphany]

About Frank Runkles:

Kirkpatrick learned about Native American heritage from the late "Chief" Frank Runkles, who was a Ranger for a Boy Scout camp near Post. Runkles died in 2001 at age 92. He was not Native American, but as a child he lived with a woman he called his "Indian grandmother," Kirkpatrick said.

http://www.reporternews.com/lifestyle/speaker-to-tell-of-american-indian-life

[Epiphany]

Order of the Arrow

The Nakona Lodge as it is today (1970) owes it existence primarily to the efforts of one man, Chief Frank Runkles.  When Chief Runkles assumed his job as Ranger at Camp Post in late 1930's he saw a desperate need for some permanent organization recognizing those Scouts who had excelled in the camping skills and offering them an opportunity to use those skills in service to the council and the general Scouting program.  Chief Runkles had previously worked in other councils to meet these needs. He had served as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 22, Dublin, TX, in 1936 and 1937, at the age of 26 and 27.  He had attended summer camp at Camp Billy Gibbons with his troop during that time. It was there that he saw the Kunieh Tribe at work, which was Indian oriented, using many Indian Legends and Indian Poetry in their ceremonies. The most effective of these programs, it seemed were those that used a format of the Plains Indian culture as exemplary of the high ideals and fortitude to be express in the organization.  He had had much experience and training with the Indian culture and felt this would form a sound basis for an honorary camping society.
Among the programs which had been established in other Texas Councils were "The Council of the Black Arrow" and the "Kuni-eh Indians."  Combining these two with other forms, during the summer and fall of 1938 he organized the SPAC (South Plains Area Council) Indians.  The SPAC Indians served basically the same purpose that the Order of the Arrow serves today, and used only slightly varied ceremonies.  The Order of the Arrow was advantages of operating on a national scale, in the fall of 1939 Chief Runkles recommended to the Council Camping Committee that the Order of the Arrow become the official council honor campers association.  His suggestion was approved and through a National Charter the Nakona Lodge #150 was formed.

Chief Frank Runkles was given the distinction of being the first member of the lodge and also the only one never to undergo an Ordeal.  He gave the lodge its name and totem and was responsible for inducting its first members who were elected on an all-council basis rather than by individual troops.  He also held the position of Lodge Lay Adviser during the 1940's (although it was inactive during World War II) and had remained a respected guide and supporter of the Lodge since that time up until his death on March 19, 2002.

http://www.westtexasscoutinghistory.net/oa_nakonahistory.html

[Epiphany]

Name:   Frank A Runkles
Event Type:   Census
Event Date:   1940
Event Place:   Lubbock, Justice Precinct 1, Lubbock, Texas, United States
Gender:   Male
Age:   30
Marital Status:   Married
Race (Original):   White
Race:   White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original):   Head
Relationship to Head of Household:   Head
Birthplace:   Kansas
Birth Year (Estimated):   1910
Last Place of Residence:   Dublin, Erath, Texas

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K49B-BSM

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=RUN&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=46&GScntry=4&GSsr=361&GRid=9287241&

[educatedindian]

The county museum claims it to be "authentic Indian." At least they admit Runkles was just someone claiming to know Indian lore, unlike some other sites claiming he was NDN.
http://www.garzacountymuseum.org/history_nativeamerican.html

A supposed Comanche ceremony with knockoffs of Lakota prayers. That the local white farmers have been doing it for about a century doesn't make it any less dubious. Unlike the other fraud groups we usually discuss, there's no sign of profit, physical abuse, etc. Just locals dressing up offensively in a boy scout type ceremony. But still moved to Frauds.

[earthw7]

thank you these so called boy scouts have been abusing my culture for years