With a Lump in my Throat....
Hi everyone! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Mine was spent with family and continuing the healing journey that my personal life is taking. It's just magic!
The lump in my throat doesn't come from my personal life however, but through my professional one and my book series in particular.
When I was on my way out of town this morning, my cell phone beeped alerting me to a new message on my Facebook wall. A dear friend posted a link to a New York Times article regarding the hangings of the Dakota 38. As you all know by now, this is the subject of my book, Scattered Leaves: The Legend of Ghostkiller.
I wasn't driving the car, so was able to click the link and go to the page. As my eyes scanned the small screen of my phone, which is difficult enough to read at my age, I found it even more difficult to see with the tears that welled up in my eyes. It was an article that talked about the 38th Indian who was hanged by mistake. His name was Chaska- the character Ghostkiller in my book is based on this man. Chaska kidnapped a woman and her children during the uprising in order to save them from certain death, which he did. In my book, Ghostkiller came to Moccasin Flats (a fictitious name for Mankato) from South Dakota Territory after he heard the news of his mothers' starving people. Consequently, he was caught at the wrong place at the wrong time during the round up and hanged.
As I read the article, my eyes widened when I got to the part where they were talking about a public pardon. It is important not only for the government to acknowledge what happened to Chaska, but also to educate the public about what happened during that time to cause the Uprising in the first place. This was my mission when I wrote the book. I knew I needed to write it in a format that could be easily understood, but also be widely accepted by the masses. What better way to do that than through the love of reading? Now it has gone to the next step and into the Hollywood realm of movie making and I am thrilled with the aspects of reaching millions of people with this important story! If people understood the catalyst behind the uprising, perhaps a better understanding all these years later could heal some old wounds.
I have always said, "I am just the vehicle by which their story traveled to the paper," so while reading this article, I allowed the lump in my throat to grow and didn't try to swallow it; I released the tears and let them flow down my cheeks, and as I did I heard the pain and sorrow of 148 years worth of past atrocities cry out through the veil of time and space in which our past survives today. I pray that these things will come to light in every possible medium and that one day these spirits will indeed rest in peace.
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Lynny Prince
The lump in my throat doesn't come from my personal life however, but through my professional one and my book series in particular.
When I was on my way out of town this morning, my cell phone beeped alerting me to a new message on my Facebook wall. A dear friend posted a link to a New York Times article regarding the hangings of the Dakota 38. As you all know by now, this is the subject of my book, Scattered Leaves: The Legend of Ghostkiller.
I wasn't driving the car, so was able to click the link and go to the page. As my eyes scanned the small screen of my phone, which is difficult enough to read at my age, I found it even more difficult to see with the tears that welled up in my eyes. It was an article that talked about the 38th Indian who was hanged by mistake. His name was Chaska- the character Ghostkiller in my book is based on this man. Chaska kidnapped a woman and her children during the uprising in order to save them from certain death, which he did. In my book, Ghostkiller came to Moccasin Flats (a fictitious name for Mankato) from South Dakota Territory after he heard the news of his mothers' starving people. Consequently, he was caught at the wrong place at the wrong time during the round up and hanged.
As I read the article, my eyes widened when I got to the part where they were talking about a public pardon. It is important not only for the government to acknowledge what happened to Chaska, but also to educate the public about what happened during that time to cause the Uprising in the first place. This was my mission when I wrote the book. I knew I needed to write it in a format that could be easily understood, but also be widely accepted by the masses. What better way to do that than through the love of reading? Now it has gone to the next step and into the Hollywood realm of movie making and I am thrilled with the aspects of reaching millions of people with this important story! If people understood the catalyst behind the uprising, perhaps a better understanding all these years later could heal some old wounds.
I have always said, "I am just the vehicle by which their story traveled to the paper," so while reading this article, I allowed the lump in my throat to grow and didn't try to swallow it; I released the tears and let them flow down my cheeks, and as I did I heard the pain and sorrow of 148 years worth of past atrocities cry out through the veil of time and space in which our past survives today. I pray that these things will come to light in every possible medium and that one day these spirits will indeed rest in peace.
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Lynny Prince
Oh my god, you almost had me in tears Lynny!
ReplyDeleteYears, and years back, I use to say to people:
"Of all the horrible things that had happened and is happening around our world,- if I started to cry as I really felt like, the planet would drown" (Today, I still take the right to voice it)!
And of cause, most people would just brush my words away, saying: Oh, you are just too emotional! That might be the case too, but I am very much realistic as well.
And when I first came to the US in 68, and travel around the east coast, it was totally overwhelming, seeing all the things I saw.
And as I was back many time later, as well as I did live in NYC, I know that what I saw around me, was just a minimal part of what's happening.
And why should I bury my strong feeling of connection with the native, and all the injustice in the past.
Therefore, for me,
I think you have created
An Outstanding Amazing Book
by your research and by your story,
and the effects that are still carried!
And having said that,
I must add, that 'one' can only tell
a story as you do,
because it is close to your heart.
And because you are in touch
with your inner self, your emotion,
your intuition, your higher self,
and your native history.
And we are not supposed to entomb the issues!
Thank you indeed again.