Steve McCullough aka Iktomi Sha & Salt Creek Sundance

[Creative Native]

I know there was talk of some people confronting McCullough a few years ago at Sundance.  Anyone know if it happened?  Or might happen again?

He and another character, who calls himself "Chief Evans," pretty well represent themselves as "the" native voice in the Monroe/Brown County area.  As a native student organizer who in Bloomington I am always running into their followers and admirers.  When as native students groups we ask white people for support for our efforts on campus, a lot of the time we hear fawning over these two guys.  It makes it really harder to draw attention to our work in trying to get native students the same support services as other underrepresented groups...we do not seem "Indian enough" in comparison because we don't treat the stereotypes like a freaking to-do list and don't do Plains nations ceremonies that white people expect because whites learn about them from people like McCullough and Evans.  And, as MatoSiWan said, there is definitely an element of recruiting young women, particularly young women of distant Indian descent, into situations like mixed-gender sweats that have exploitative overtones. Even within the student organizations, some of these women want to be involved with us, but it's hard to help them because they are so in thrall of these self-proclaimed "Sundance chiefs" that they are defensive.   :-(   

Albert Running Wolf was the head of that. He brought Bernard Red Cherries here to stop it. They confronted the DNR but got no back up so it was allowed to continue.

There are people from South Dakota that come and dance and some that come to support.

As far as you talking about and I quote "Chief Evans" he is not self proclaimed. He was presented a bonnet along with a medal honoring him from the federal government and he was also presented to his tribe in a ceremony as tradition requires.

I have known this man for over 12 years and do not know what you are basing your opinions on about him being involved with the new age but you could not be further from the truth. He is one man I see struggle to try to keep the ceremonies traditional.

[earthw7]

I know there was talk of some people confronting McCullough a few years ago at Sundance.  Anyone know if it happened?  Or might happen again?

He and another character, who calls himself "Chief Evans," pretty well represent themselves as "the" native voice in the Monroe/Brown County area.  As a native student organizer who in Bloomington I am always running into their followers and admirers.  When as native students groups we ask white people for support for our efforts on campus, a lot of the time we hear fawning over these two guys.  It makes it really harder to draw attention to our work in trying to get native students the same support services as other underrepresented groups...we do not seem "Indian enough" in comparison because we don't treat the stereotypes like a freaking to-do list and don't do Plains nations ceremonies that white people expect because whites learn about them from people like McCullough and Evans.  And, as MatoSiWan said, there is definitely an element of recruiting young women, particularly young women of distant Indian descent, into situations like mixed-gender sweats that have exploitative overtones. Even within the student organizations, some of these women want to be involved with us, but it's hard to help them because they are so in thrall of these self-proclaimed "Sundance chiefs" that they are defensive.   :-(   

Albert Running Wolf was the head of that. He brought Bernard Red Cherries here to stop it. They confronted the DNR but got no back up so it was allowed to continue.

There are people from South Dakota that come and dance and some that come to support.

As far as you talking about and I quote "Chief Evans" he is not self proclaimed. He was presented a bonnet along with a medal honoring him from the federal government and he was also presented to his tribe in a ceremony as tradition requires.

I have known this man for over 12 years and do not know what you are basing your opinions on about him being involved with the new age but you could not be further from the truth. He is one man I see struggle to try to keep the ceremonies traditional.

so who are you? what rez are you enrolled in?

[Creative Native]

I'm a member of the NHCN in Manitoba. I'm from the Apetagon family.

[earthw7]

Thank you
gets confusing as who a person is talking too.

I guess my question is still why would native people dance under a white man?

If he has lied about how he became a sun dance leader would he lie
about other things too

[Creative Native]

Good question and one worthy of asking of anyone white or red.

What I am thinking here is (and I could be way off) people are not thinking of who they are dancing "under" but who they are dancing for and why they are dancing.

[Cetan]

"As far as you talking about and I quote "Chief Evans" he is not self proclaimed. He was presented a bonnet along with a medal honoring him from the federal government and he was also presented to his tribe in a ceremony as tradition requires."

Who is this Chieg Evans, what is his full name, what family and rez is he from?  And since when does a medal from the federal govt mean someone is a LDN leader?

[Creative Native]

I mentioned the thing about the medal to show that not only is he recognized in his community and all but is also recognized by the government as to who he is. That was it.

Evans White Face is a OST member from the Wounded Knee district. That's all you need to know... contact the tribal office in Pine Ridge if you need to know more.

Now. Who are you and where do you come from? Who is your family? Do people on the board know you personally? People can say something online and how would we really know?  I'm being funny here but you see what I'm saying. I'm just stating what I personally know and know to be true.

Edited to add: I just re-read what I wrote and I mean no disrespect. I am just making the point that we do not know anything to be true unless we know the people personally or have seen things in person.

[AskMeFirst]

I mentioned the thing about the medal to show that not only is he recognized in his community and all but is also recognized by the government as to who he is. That was it.

Evans White Face is a OST member from the Wounded Knee district. That's all you need to know... contact the tribal office in Pine Ridge if you need to know more.

Now. Who are you and where do you come from? Who is your family? Do people on the board know you personally? People can say something online and how would we really know?  I'm being funny here but you see what I'm saying. I'm just stating what I personally know and know to be true.

Edited to add: I just re-read what I wrote and I mean no disrespect. I am just making the point that we do not know anything to be true unless we know the people personally or have seen things in person.

Thank you for stepping in Creative Native.....I was afraid of taking all this on by myself but knew someone needed to speak up about these things that are being said.

I agree with all you are saying here. I too, know Chief Evans personally and he IS who he says he is. I might also add that when he received his medal and bonnet, Steve McCullough was there and also received that same medal. It was pointed out during that ceremony, that that medal is only given to Chiefs that are recognized by the gov as being from the Sioux nation, and it was also pointed out that Steve should not be persecuted as he has been. This is what I saw and heard with my own eyes and ears. 

I also agree with what you said about people dancing "under" someone, that its who they dance "to"- The sundancer I support is a full blood and I know that this dancer feels that way.

[Cetan]

My mom is from Ft Berthold - Hidatsa, Mandan and Lakota was also adopted by Frank Fools crow as his sister and Darlene Cross is an old friend of mine; I am also close friends with several other families from Allen and Pine Ridge Village.  My significant other is from St Francis.  I met Evans White Face many years ago in Indiana and again at Vernal's funeral. I am curious as to who gave him the Chief's bonnet; I have been present when several people were given bonnets including when Oliver Red Cloud gave a bonnet to Steve Dubray; ususally this is done for someone who is giving themselves to help the people in their community and is a recognized leader.  To the best of my knowlege there is no real Lakota community in Indiana.  And Steve McCullough is not Lakota, he may claim to be now but I remember years ago when he said he was not but he did live on Rosebud when he was younger because his father was a preacher there.

[Creative Native]

I don't know what you mean by a "real Lakota community" but there are quite a few Lakota's living in Indiana. I know a lot of them gather together at different occasions and at different ceremonies and ban together if local support is needed.

You're right... Steve is NOT Lakota. That's been acknowledged over and over. He never was or will be, that's a given. As for myself, I've never heard Steve claim to be Lakota. I've never heard him to claim to be anything to be honest with you.

[Cetan]

I agree with all you are saying here. I too, know Chief Evans personally and he IS who he says he is. I might also add that when he received his medal and bonnet, Steve McCullough was there and also received that same medal. It was pointed out during that ceremony, that that medal is only given to Chiefs that are recognized by the gov as being from the Sioux nation, and it was also pointed out that Steve should not be persecuted as he has been. This is what I saw and heard with my own eyes and ears. 

You are saying this medal is only given to chiefs that are recoginized by the govt as being from the Sioux nation and that Steve received the same medal yet is not not LDN so there seems to be a contradiction in what you are saying.

[AskMeFirst]

I agree with all you are saying here. I too, know Chief Evans personally and he IS who he says he is. I might also add that when he received his medal and bonnet, Steve McCullough was there and also received that same medal. It was pointed out during that ceremony, that that medal is only given to Chiefs that are recognized by the gov as being from the Sioux nation, and it was also pointed out that Steve should not be persecuted as he has been. This is what I saw and heard with my own eyes and ears. 

You are saying this medal is only given to chiefs that are recoginized by the govt as being from the Sioux nation and that Steve received the same medal yet is not not LDN so there seems to be a contradiction in what you are saying.

Sorry, that reply did seem a bit confusing......what I'm trying to say is that what I heard in the ceremony was that the medal is only given out by the gov to honor Chiefs of the 500 nations.  The man who gave it to him and recognized him is from Rosebud. Not sure I should say his name here. Does this mean Steve is federally recognized? I don't know, but by him being acknowledged with that medal, it seems so. 

Also, the newspaper does get facts wrong and though they might have said there is a "Lakota tribe" or whatever in Indiana, that doesn't necessarily mean that they were quoting Steve. I can say that he has never told me he is Lakota, either.  I just know that he told me he was raised on White River and learned things from a young age there.
 

[Creative Native]

I don't know if Steve has a medal or not. He wasn't given one the same time that Evans received his bonnet and medal. Steve was asked to read the proclamation that came with Evan's medal, that's all I know about that.

[Cetan]

Thank you for clarifying that, Ask Me First made it sound like Steve was given a medal.  I am wondering who it was from Rosebud who gave Evans the bonnet since usually making a chief is done within the tiospaye.

[earthw7]

I was wondering why the rest of Lakota perple were not informed of this?
It would be nice to find out who did this and if they received any money for this
ceremony.
Anyone representing us should have been acknowledge by us.