Dawson the elder had a great amount of respect for the Lakota people. He knew their songs of war and peace.
Most nights, Dawson wrapped his water drum. He filled a metal cauldron with about a cup of water, and using the specially-formed metal cauldron, the deer skin, large marbles, and some rope, he fashioned a beautiful-sounding drum. The tone was adjusted by tipping the cauldron so the water would soak a portion of the deer skin. I remember the texture of the skin. It had been stripped of hair, but hair would rise as it was struck by the drum stick. Dawson sang chanting music; Dawson sang songs celebrating this wonderful and beautiful life. He sang songs celebrating pain and loss; he sang songs that celebrate beauty.
The Lakota and the many tribes that lived in America, lived the early human history of this continent. They lived out our legends. The experienced our formation.Thankfully, this life will not be lost; it has been recorded and will be passed along. However, I fear that a large number of the people here today do not understand the situations their elders experienced, and therefore do not fully appreciate this situation.
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