The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas (SSILA) is honored to report that the SSILA Ken Hale Prize in 2022 has been awarded posthumously to Hiŋháŋ Sná Wíŋ (Rattling Owl Woman), or Delores Taken Alive.
Delores was a treasured keeper of traditional Lakota knowledge, who spoke her language fluently. She was renowned not only across Standing Rock but throughout the Dakota and Lakota reservations as one of the most eloquent Lakota speakers of her time. Even other fluent speakers, when they had questions about the intricacies of their language, would say, “Delores will know.”
She dedicated her life to teaching the youth about who they are and where they come from. Her service began at Standing Rock Head Start in Little Eagle, South Dakota, just a few miles from Kȟaŋǧí Ská Oyáŋke (White Crow Settlement) where she had grown up. Her childhood was a traditional one, without electricity or running water, and the stories she heard from her father Wallace, as they went to sleep each night in their one-room log cabin, made her into the wonderful storyteller that the community knew her as.
After more than thirty years at Head Start, she went into retirement for a few short years until being asked to teach her language at McLaughlin School. The bond she had with her students was one between an uŋčí (grandmother) and tȟakóža (grandchildren). Her philosophy and style of teaching instilled into the young ones the essential understanding that we are all related, and those relationships thrive on respect.
Delores used to joke that she wasn’t allowed to retire. Behind her good humor was a deep sense of responsibility. Oyáte wačhíŋyaŋpi – the nation depended on her. Even after another fourteen years at McLaughlin, she was called upon regularly to speak at public gatherings, to lecture at Sitting Bull College, or to make recordings for the tribal language program. Besides her work on local projects, she was one of the primary Native speaker-consultants for various publications by the Lakota Language Consortium, including the New Lakota Dictionary, and the Lakota Grammar Handbook, which are well known in the field of Native American linguistics as gold standards for works of their type.
Just three years ago, at the age of 84, Delores became a weekly host on KLND Radio 89.5 FM. Her show, It’s Good to Speak Lakota, was the only 100%-Lakota language show on the station, and possibly on any airwaves. She produced 48 episodes. In doing so, she breathed the sound of Lakota back into homes across Standing Rock and beyond. Every week, she encouraged other fluent speakers to phone into the show, rebuilding their confidence about using their language in public, and tackling the loneliness felt by Elders who live remotely or have no one left to visit with.
Delores recording her weekly show on KLND Radio 89.5, “It’s Good To Speak Lakota.” Photo by John Brave Bull.
Delores always kept her focus on seven generations ahead. Through her decision to record both her radio shows, and the weekly classes she gave at Sitting Bull College between 2017 and 2018, she documented hundreds of hours of fluent Lakota speech, much of which is transcribed. These collections of recordings are the biggest of their kind in Standing Rock’s corpus of Lakota language resources and will continue to be an abundant gift for future generations.
In one of these recording, Delores spoke of her belief in the power of education:
Leháŋn oúŋ uŋkítȟawapi kiŋháŋ: wípȟe núŋpalala uŋyúhapi. Íŋyaŋ Woslál Hé thimáhe úŋpi kaškáp iyéčhel uŋk’úŋp. Čha wíipȟe núŋm úŋhapi kiŋ hé lé wóuŋspe waŋkátuya luhápi kiŋ lé waŋží; na ičínuŋpa kiŋ hé íŋš wóčhekiye kiŋ. Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka yéksuyapi aŋpétu iyóhi … háŋtaŋ líla waš’ágya yaúŋpi kte. Thiwáhe nitȟáwapi kiŋháŋ líla taŋyáŋ úŋpi kte.
In our modern way of life, we have two weapons. Living at Standing Rock is like we’re living as prisoners of war. So the two weapons we have are these: the first is education, and the second is prayer. Every day you remember the Great Spirit. If you do that, you’ll be really strong, and your families will live healthy lives.
We presented the Ken Hale Award to members of the Standing Rock Language and Culture Institute during the business meeting of our virtual 2023 Annual Meeting on January 21, 2023. It is our honor to recognize the legacy of elder Delores Taken Alive. Her work truly exemplifies the spirit of Ken Hale.
— Nacole Walker, former director of Standing Rock LCI, provided the body of this text in her nomination letter. No further use of the photo is allowed without permission of the Taken Alive thiyoshpaye.