Definitions Of Heyoka
The information on this page is owned by Julie Spotted Eagle Horse Cooper, please contact her to ask for permission before reproducing or otherwise replication this information. Linking to this page is aso forbidden unless permission is otherwise given. Sharing the URL via word of mouth or email is acceptable, but please ask before you link. The music that you are hearing is October Moon by Elan Micheals. A lot of these pages are HTML intense with graphics, images, text, and music so please be patient if one of them seems slow to load! Thanks! A bit of info on Heyoka, what we were, what we are, and what I am... In the past the Heyoka were known as the Sacred Fools, or Sacred Clowns. They were the ones who would do certain things backwards. A heyoka was often created by a person "dreaming" of the Wakinyan or Thunderbeings while on a vision quest. They could also be Lightning survivors. I am a survivor. A newly created Heyoka had to do whatever the Wanagi Wakan, or Holy Man told them to do. Usually it was wear a dress like a woman, or walk on your hands, or wear your clothes backwards, something contrary like that. Because this was such a hard way to live, very few Heyoka lived this way for all of their lives. The point in being a Heyoka was to keep the people from taking life or a ceremony too seriously. If the people were hungry and there was no food, a Heyoka would sit around and complain about how full they were, and how they could eat no more, and the people would see this fool ,and forget that they were hungry. <>B Another thing that they might do if it was a really bad winter would be to sit around in as little clothing as possible and complain about how hot they were, and again the people would forget. This all changed with the arrival of the Europeans in North America, and more so with the passage of a law that prohibited the Native People from practicing their traditional religions. With the repeal of this law, the Native people were free to practice the old ways again, but they could never be the same again. The role of the Heyoka has changed little from the traditional roles, in that they keep the people from taking things too seriously. This information will be updated continuously, so please check back for any changes, and if you have any info that you would like to share or correct, please e mail me and let me know! My role as a Heyoka is essentially the same as a traditional Heyoka, in that I am a fool and a clown at times. I have maintained the ability to laugh at myself and the world around me, even after all I have been through! I tend to draw on the Wakinyan for power, and identify rather strongly with them! The Greatest of the Modern Heyoka was probably Old Frank Fools Crow, who passed away in the late 80's. He was a Lakota, and lived out his remaining years on Pine Ridge reservation, where he was lovingly known as "Grandpa" or "Grandpa Frank". He was a fixture at the super market in Pine Ridge, and at Big Bat's.While he understood American, he prefered NOT to speak it if at all possible. Aho, Mitakuye Oyasin After making a spiritual journey, (looooooong story) and facing what I feared the most, (lightning), I have come to terms with my "shocking" expiriences, and what has happened to me. I am grateful every day that I can wake up, and see the sun, hear my children laugh, and so on. In short, I am grateful for the small stuff, because it is all small stuff. I got off very easy both times, and while I know that I will never be the same person again, I am ok with that. It is kind of fun to discover some new part of myself, that I did not know existed before in a way.I am still getting my meds adjusted, and still have a lot of rough spots, but that is cool too. I have learned that as a Heyoka, I do not always control the medicine, it controls me more often than not.It has used me to give lessons, and now I need to learn not let the effects of the lessons afect me personaly, and to relax and let the energy flow.The world needs contraries, and fools, some of us are born this way, and some of us are forced on to this path. I have found that it is a lot easier to let the sprit take me where I need to be, and to give the lesson that needs to be given, rather than fight it. My Links My Links Page Email: spottedeaglehorse2@home.com
The music that you are hearing is October Moon by Elan Micheals.
A lot of these pages are HTML intense with graphics, images, text, and music so please be patient if one of them seems slow to load! Thanks!
A bit of info on Heyoka, what we were, what we are, and what I am...
In the past the Heyoka were known as the Sacred Fools, or Sacred Clowns. They were the ones who would do certain things backwards. A heyoka was often created by a person "dreaming" of the Wakinyan or Thunderbeings while on a vision quest.
They could also be Lightning survivors.
I am a survivor.
A newly created Heyoka had to do whatever the Wanagi Wakan, or Holy Man told them to do. Usually it was wear a dress like a woman, or walk on your hands, or wear your clothes backwards, something contrary like that. Because this was such a hard way to live, very few Heyoka lived this way for all of their lives.
The point in being a Heyoka was to keep the people from taking life or a ceremony too seriously. If the people were hungry and there was no food, a Heyoka would sit around and complain about how full they were, and how they could eat no more, and the people would see this fool ,and forget that they were hungry.
<>B Another thing that they might do if it was a really bad winter would be to sit around in as little clothing as possible and complain about how hot they were, and again the people would forget.
This all changed with the arrival of the Europeans in North America, and more so with the passage of a law that prohibited the Native People from practicing their traditional religions.
With the repeal of this law, the Native people were free to practice the old ways again, but they could never be the same again.
The role of the Heyoka has changed little from the traditional roles, in that they keep the people from taking things too seriously.
This information will be updated continuously, so please check back for any changes, and if you have any info that you would like to share or correct, please e mail me and let me know!
My role as a Heyoka is essentially the same as a traditional Heyoka, in that I am a fool and a clown at times. I have maintained the ability to laugh at myself and the world around me, even after all I have been through! I tend to draw on the Wakinyan for power, and identify rather strongly with them!
The Greatest of the Modern Heyoka was probably Old Frank Fools Crow, who passed away in the late 80's. He was a Lakota, and lived out his remaining years on Pine Ridge reservation, where he was lovingly known as "Grandpa" or "Grandpa Frank". He was a fixture at the super market in Pine Ridge, and at Big Bat's.
While he understood American, he prefered NOT to speak it if at all possible.
Aho, Mitakuye Oyasin
After making a spiritual journey, (looooooong story) and facing what I feared the most, (lightning), I have come to terms with my "shocking" expiriences, and what has happened to me. I am grateful every day that I can wake up, and see the sun, hear my children laugh, and so on.
In short, I am grateful for the small stuff, because it is all small stuff. I got off very easy both times, and while I know that I will never be the same person again, I am ok with that. It is kind of fun to discover some new part of myself, that I did not know existed before in a way.
I am still getting my meds adjusted, and still have a lot of rough spots, but that is cool too.
I have learned that as a Heyoka, I do not always control the medicine, it controls me more often than not.
It has used me to give lessons, and now I need to learn not let the effects of the lessons afect me personaly, and to relax and let the energy flow.
The world needs contraries, and fools, some of us are born this way, and some of us are forced on to this path. I have found that it is a lot easier to let the sprit take me where I need to be, and to give the lesson that needs to be given, rather than fight it.
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