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 When seeking a name one offers tobacco and then waits until the elder who they are in contact with finds that name and gives it to them. In these times it is harder to do this as we are all living so distant from each other.

In Indian culture you have no name until your about two years old. The elders who have been watching you and can see what your personality is or character will be, will find your name. Until that time you're simply known as child or Wah kon eh zah. You would be called this until you had a name. I may say that is the child of the Running family in pointing a child out to another. Mostly we knew each others children as we lived in a very close society.

"What's in a name?" our people say, "look deep and listen." The heart beat of our Ancestors the pulse of our Nation's past, the land, language, and culture, are all in that name.

When you look into our names do you see only letters look deeper into the name and see the people who lived that name they were once alive as you and me flesh and blood.

With our name comes the history of our people, in the passing of the name so is the passing of the culture. We share dreams we see the same Earth and Sun, we love, we cry we feel the same emotions only time separates us.

Years, and days pass but all remains the same, all is still here that was here for my ancestors. You who lived in the past with my name do you see me?

Ancestors, do you still live on in my name? Through me do you once again enjoy the precious breath of air and taste of water? Do my eyes see for you once again, does my body walk for you and touch the sweet Earth Mother?

You have not left this Earth you live on in me and through me. I give you life as you have given me life, into the beyond, the beyond, the beyond. My memories are filled with your lives that were lived in harmony with the Earth Mother. The time when the Earth was shaken by the Buffalo as they ran through her valleys and plains lives on in my name.

My eyes may see different land, my ears may hear different sounds; but we still pray to one Great Spirit.

My ancestors you have given me my culture you have given me life. The eyes of Creator in the spirit world watch over me as they watched over you.

Centuries fold into time as culture unites; the thinning of our numbers has only proven to make us stronger.

I can never leave you my ancestors, for you're my life, my pride, my heritage. The red earth runs in my blood it lives on in my heart. The language flows in my mind and is the music my heart dances too, it enters my dreams and fills them with visions.

I look into my name and I see my grandmothers face, I see my grand daughters face looking back at me from the future. As long as there is life you will live on in my grand children and on into the seven generations.

The past and the future will live forever in our name and in our hearts.