* As first Blogged on Yahoo 360 *

Message From Michael * Blogs from Beyond

L.T.I. - Sitting Bull
On The Pow Wow Highway
~ The Y.O.U. Story - Part III ~

 

The Leadership Training Institute & Mobile Training Laboratory

Leadership Training Institute

Washington, D.C.

In 1972 or there about, the government decided that such a choice piece of property should be developed into a modern planned model community, and so it ended our lease and it was time to pack up Y.O.U.’s Leadership Training Institute for the move to another home.

I was there, onsite, to help close the building, pack up all of the Office and Classroom equipment, clean the place up and bid a sad farewell to a Building that had somehow become much more than that.

On one of my last trips there, as I walked through the now empty and quiet halls and classrooms, I happened to stop at a pile of papers on the floor. As I looked down, there at my feet was a rolled paper tube. Curiosity led me to pick it up, and as I unrolled it, there in my hands looking me in the eyes was the face of the noble and legendary Sitting Bull. Chief of the famous Sioux Indians and most recognized for their colorful victory in defeating Gen. George Armstrong Custer and the US Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Big Horn (also known as "Custer's Last Stand").

There, looking into the eyes that were seemingly looking back at me from the Poster, I felt touched by all of the Wisdom I saw so evident in his face. It felt personal to hold the image of One who had achieved so much in a lifetime and one who was not only credited with Uniting the great Nations and Tribes of the Sioux (Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Teton and Hunkpapa) but the Cheyenne as well and leading some of history's greatest Warriors to a resounding Victory.

Here before me was One who had written Pages in America's History and set the definitive example that Generations to come would attempt to emulate and echo his name in Legend, Historical Account and Quest for Wisdom, Bravery, Strength and Spirituality. I thought to myself that One of such noble standing did not deserve to come to rest in a pile of papers on the floor.

On that day, He accompanied me home, and has been a welcomed and
honored guest at my Teepee (House) ever since.

The following years in America saw Cities in turmoil. People from all walks of life touched by the ravages that drugs brought, increasing violence in communities, high rates of unemployment, dwindling social programs and the ever pervasive sense of "hopelessness" across America.

Often over those years, in quiet moments of reflection, I found myself looking at the noble face of Wisdom, that quietly looked back at me. There I found a reassurance and reinforcement that gave me strength and fortitude. I had looked for copies of this Poster, so that I could purchase them and share them with friends, but unfortunately the company that produced them was nowhere to be found. Posters seemed to be an Icon of the 60s and 70s, and as the times changed, so did the icons.

I made a silent promise to Sitting Bull, that at some time in the future I would do my best to have His Poster reproduced, so that it could continue to Reach, Teach, Inspire and tell His Story.

It would be almost twenty years before the advent of Computer Desktop Publishing would give me the Tools I needed to make this Promise A Reality.

To continue Sitting Bull’s Saga, I have to “Fast Forward In Time” and take You to the 1990’s. Fasten Your Seat Belt, Climb into the Doloraen with me, and Let’s Go ….

“Back to the Future” Oops, I almost forgot …
that’s Michael J. Fox in the Doloraen car …

Mine is the Toyota MR2 sportscar! Hope You don’t mind ….

Arriving here in the 90’s, let me Recap what has transpired over the Years ~

I’m the Computer Systems Operator at US News & World Report Magazine, where I have manage the Mainframe Computer Systems, IBM PCs and the new Apple Macintosh Computers.

I’ve traveled overseas to Hong Kong, Japan and Korea, and I have been Corresponding with People all over Asia who find my life here in the USA fascinating, and Wish they too had the Opportunities to Learn Computers one day.

I’ve Trained Jessica on all of my Computer Systems, even though she had no prior Experience or Education with Computers. She’s a been a diligent Computer Student, and it convinces me that Anyone Can Learn Computers, given the Opportunity and Desire … and of course … “Patience In Training.” Although I have been Training my Co-workers in Computers, Jessica becomes the “Role Model”, I point to for Everyone, as A Dynamic Example of what Anyone can Achieve! She becomes my Protégé, and We co-found I.C.U.G. – The International Computer Users Group to spread Free Computer Training and Education Around The World.

I’ve Contracted to Build My Dream House, at my Family’s Waterfront Property at the Beach, in Annapolis, Maryland. As the Property has been in the Family for Generations, I have always had the Dream, since I was a young boy of 5 years old, to One Day Build A House for All the Family, and Make My Contribution to the Family Legacy. I also want to have Guest Rooms for any ICUG Visitors who want to come and stay and train with ICUG!

I chose a New Concept in having a Modular House build. That means that You Design it, they Build the house in inside a Factory, and then bring the House out in 2 Sections, and lift it onto the Foundation with a crane. They finish the House by connecting the 2 Sections, and the completed Home appears no different then one that was built in the traditional manner. When building traditional Houses, bad weather ~ rain, cold temperatures, etc. can cause delays, but building a house inside a factory, insures that each day offers perfect if not “ideal” building conditions – “bright, warm and dry!”

Lately, the Builder has run into a lot of Red Tape and Delays, in getting the House Built and has just informed me that it will cost an additional $15,000 to continue …. The County also wants me to upgrade the Gravel Road to my Home, another additional unforeseen expense. I had designed a 10 foot deck, going all around the second floor, so that each bedroom has floor to ceiling sliding glass doors that open and lead out onto the deck, to offer a view of the Chesapeake Bay, the Beach and a View of Paradise! I envisioned that it would also be great to rise each morning and go out on the deck to do morning Tai Chi Chuan and Wing Chun Kung Fu Forms! Skylight in each bedroom would allow one to drift off to sleep, looking up in the night sky at the Stars and fall asleep to the sounds of the waves and tide coming in on the rocks! Romantic, eh?

In the mean time, my co-worker at US News, has a Condo that he wants to sell, in the center of Town in Annapolis. I decide to purchase it, and set up an ICUG Office there in Annapolis, while my Beach house is being built.

Here We are, now … it’s a bright November Sunday Morning. We’re planning on riding down to Annapolis, to the new Condo. Before we leave, I just happen to run across a Special on the Television. It’s called, “The Wisdom Keepers”. It chronicles the Oral Traditions of Native American Indians, and how Their History, Traditions, Knowledge and Wisdoms, are Kept by the Elders and Passed On to Generations. It is a very well done show! My Poster of Sitting Bull is there in a frame hanging on the wall, next to the Television, along with an age old majestic picture of a Chief in full feathered Bonnet and Buckskin … and Great-Great-Great Grandfather … They look out at me, along with the Wisdom Keepers … how Poetic!

I’ve telephone some the other ICUG Members, to see if they want to Ride with us down to the Beach House, but they are all either busy or have other commitments, so it looks like it’s just Us!

The Condo overlooks the center of Town Square. The Marina comes right up to the Street, where all the Boats are Docked, and most people are either busily Shopping or eating at one of the many famous Seafood Restaurants here. Most have outside seating, or views overlooking the Marina. The Condo has a Rooftop Pool with a even greater view, and from there one can also see The US Naval Academy, which is here in Annapolis, only a few streets over from Town Square, so the crowds of people are dotted with the dress White Uniforms of the Navy Sailors. The streets are old Cobblestone, and they have kept the Historic feel of Early American period intact. Boats are as important as Cars here in Annapolis, and so the Town Square is a bustling hub today, as there is a big Boat Show!

Having spent a good part of the afternoon leisurely walking around the Town Square, we happen over to the Water’s edge and have a seat next to the Marina. Here, I have the chance to show You the Historic Commemorative Plaque, set into the cement, that chronicles another Era. Right here, on this spot in Town Square, in Annapolis, Maryland was the site of The Slave Market. African Slaves were brought by Ships that Docked here, and Sold at Auction on this very spot! Can You imaging Kunta Kinte from the film “Roots” experiencing the Terror, Pain and Suffering of the Slave Trade, right here on this very spot!?? Surprised? Shocked? “Hey, don’t fall into the water!” It’s True that America has a quite A Bittersweet History! May We Learn from the Lessons of the Past, and Never Repeat Them ….

On a different note, We’ve noticed and crossed paths with a couple of guys that just seem to have a different Energy about them. Jessica and I both noticed, and we’ve nodded politely to speak, each time we pass one another. People often say they notice the same thing about us, so I can understand, because that is how we end up meeting and making new friends with some of the most interesting people. Jessica takes the initiative and politely goes over to introduce us. Both of the guys are very warm and happy to meet us. Jessica guesses that they are Native American Indians from another part of the USA. She’s right, and they both laugh.

Roger Ironside, is Oglala Sioux and Sunny Hill is from the Navajo Nation! They’re in town from The Dakotas for the Boat Show. Jessica tells them all about ICUG and the Computer Training that we are doing … also about our Beachfront Property that has been in the family for Generations. They are impressed with the Spiritual Reverence we have for the Land, and ICUG’s Program Scope.

Coincidentally, I Live on South Dakota Avenue, in Washington, DC! Cosmic, huh??

Roger and Sunny, are excited and want to introduce us to someone they know who they feel we may have a lot in common with … they give us the contact information for a Lady who is living in South Dakota, Teaching Computer skills and Telecommunications, using Native American Indian Art, to Youth on the Pine Ridge, Rosebud and other Reservations in the area!

“Hello, Anne Fallis!!”

Anne is the “SysOp” or Systems Operator at The Dakota BBS. The night I called on the telephone to introduce myself, Jessica and ICUG, Anne was very Welcoming and happy to meet us. From that day, I would call out to South Dakota almost each night, and spend hours connected to Anne’s Computer and all of the information and files that she had available to read and download. We exchanged messages almost daily, and comparing Our Ideas and Visions for the Future of how we both felt Computers and Telecommunications could influence and help the lives and opportunities of people.

Anne Fallis, had grown up Eighty miles from the Cheyenne River Reservation in rural South Dakota. She was currently living in the Black Hills of South Dakota in a home built by hand, with her husband, Don.

Anne is an Entrepreneur, who owns her own consulting firm, serves as Systems Operator for the Dakota BBS, one of few American Indian-owned FidoNet systems in the United States. By 1992, Anne had developed programs and obtained funding in the amount of $25 million or more, over the past five years to assist American Indian and rural people in the region. Services created include Economic Development, Education, Substance Abuse Prevention, Wholistic Health, Promotion of Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts, Youth Leadership, Entrepreneurship Assistance, Promotion of Family Self-sufficiency, and other areas. Anne had also created thirty jobs for American Indian people in the community in that year.

We would develop a strong bond with Anne, but would not get to meet her in person, until years later when she came to Washington, DC and ended up at my Office. I rounded up a number of the ICUG Members and Jessica, Susie, Bianca, Elisabeth, Xi, and Eli, were all there as a Group to give Anne a Warm Welcome to Washington, DC and many Big Hugs and Love!! Best blame me … sorry, but it was one of the few times that I forgot the camera, for what would have been a fantastic group photo!

 
Anne's was a guiding force and invited ICUG to join as a member of FidoNet's “Indian Affairs” Online Forum. After becoming an involved participant there, a group of individuals wanted to start a new Network, and ICUG was invited to join "NativeNet" the Worldwide Computer Echo Conference. ICUG went on to sponsor an online Native American Indian Historical Literature Series and then the re-creation and production of the full color Sitting Bull Poster.

I, by no means, would dare ever think that my hand was guided as I attempted to recreate the Sitting Bull Poster, but the end result was a masterpiece to my eye. I felt I understood how MichaelAngelo must have felt, after finishing the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and standing back to admire his completed work! As the Poster was an attempted recreation, my sole purpose in undertaking it, was to make it available to all who might want a copy. It is for this reason that all full color copies of his Poster, and all that followed, were Given Away Free, and no profit was ever made from them.

These are a few variations that I created. The original Sitting Bull Poster that I have is 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide. The large size makes it easier to Read the Text on the Poster. The initial recreation of the Poster I did was very much identical to the Original, but the Color Printer that I had would only print 11” x 17” Tabloid size paper. The reduced size made it somewhat difficult to read all of the printed text, and so I also tried a few variations of the original version.

The Sitting Bull Poster was so well received by all who saw it or were given a copy, that it inspired me to develop a Series and continue with other Historic Native American Indian figures. At the time there was a growing interest in Native American Indian Culture developing here in the USA as well as around the world. The film "Dances with Wolves" had just been released and generated a greater focus on what was to become a "Renaissance for Native American Indian Culture".

~ ICUG sponsors "The Native American Indian Heritage Poster Series" ~

ICUG members and associates had grown to over 300 people Worldwide. Free 11' x 17" color copies of the Sitting Bull Poster were sent out to people all around the world and to all who requested them on the Native Net computer Network. From these humble efforts, Sitting Bull reached all Cultures as well as reaching members of the Native American Nations of the Sioux, Cheyenne, Navajo, Cree, Cherokee, Blackfoot, Mohawk and Apache to name a few.



The Sitting Bull Poster was used by Teachers in their Public School Classrooms, given away at Native American Organizations Meetings and Pow Wows, featured on Cable Television Programs, added to Fundraising efforts as Gifts for Native American Radio Show Marathons and sent to Native American Inmates who were incarcerated.

Other NAIH Series Posters were to follow ~ Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, Dan George, Bill Pickett, Geronimo, Cochise, Sacheen Littlefeather, Sequoyah, Wounded Knee Memorial, AIM with Russell Means and Dennis Banks, Two Moons, The Prayer Vigil on the Mall, The Walk for Justice, Cherokee Trail Of Tears, Native Visions and Miracle - the White Buffalo Calf of Native Prophecy.



Members of the Native Network championed our humble efforts, sending ideas, photos, text and money to help in production and mailing costs of the Series Posters. Joining their energies with ours were Maga WiseCarver (Cherokee) in Michigan who collectively worked toward the Bill Pickett, Chief Dan George and Sequoyah Posters; Vern Jordan (Cherokee) in Walla Walla, Washington who contributed his personal wealth of knowledge and experience, genealogy resources, Newsletter, sent an entire Archive of Historic Scans and Text on computer media as well as contributing continuing financial support to help in mailing costs to insure the ICUG NAIH Posters continue to reach an expanding circle worldwide FREE. Vern also supplied the Cherokee Alphabet used in the Sequoyah Poster as well as the photo of Cochise. Vern went on to feature the Sequoyah Poster in reproduction in his far reaching Genealogy Newsletter. The list goes on.

Besides keeping History alive and promoting Cultural Exchange worldwide, ICUG was Honored to Design and Produce ~

ICUG NAIH Posters were presented at the First Meeting on the Mall in Washington, DC where Elders and Tribal Spiritual Leaders gathered from across the country, and received the Posters and included them in their Speaking and Purification of Sacred Smoke Ceremony, by Avrol Looking Horse, Harry Charger and Harry Bird. * see Photos on the ICUG Web Site

The Official Poster for The Candle Light Prayer Vigil for All People on the Washington, DC Monument Mall in (1993) "Sacred Circle of Teepees on The Mall" ~ Color Copies were presented to all Tribal Elders, Leaders and Organizational Representatives in attendance to take home with them.

The Official Poster for The Walk For Justice, 1994, in which Dennis Banks, (co-founder of American Indian Movement and Native American Indian Activist and Actor (movie “ThunderHeart”) led a group of dedicated walkers from Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, California, to Walk entirely Across America to finally reach Washington, DC at the Lincoln Memorial. ICUG was there with a Poster Display so that all of the Historic Figures could "see and greet them" as the Walkers Arrived! ICUG produced and contributed over 1000 Posters to the event. ICUG also met Lavonne White, direct descendent of Chief Lame Deer, the Granddaughter of Lakota Holy Man John Fire Lame Deer, and a blood relation to the great Oglala Warrior, Crazy Horse! Lavonne was on a Hunger Strike to call attention to the plight of Leonard Peltier, at this event, and We presented Her and Dennis Banks with specially made ICUG Necklaces to Honor the Walk for Justice and their personal commitments and sacrifices. * see Photos on the ICUG Web Site.

The Official Poster for the Annual Native Youth Alliance Pow Wow on the Mall, held in conjunction with the Annual Prayer Vigil.

The Official Poster for "Miracle ~ The Birth of the White Buffalo Calf" (1995) told of for Generations by Lakota and Cheyenne Nation Prophecy. ICUG produce 2 very high photo quality Miracle Posters that were used in the official Ceremonies, as well as 100s of full color copies that were given away free to all at the event. One of the two photo quality Posters was presented to Vern Jordan in recognition of all of his efforts and support throughout the years. The commemorative posters for all of the Elders, were presented in standing clear Lucite plastic frames, with Miracle on the front and an Event Poster on the back, so that both were visible, when the standing frame was viewed.

As the ICUG Story continues, so shall the Poster Series. We have always had plans to expand it across the multi-cultural horizon to include many more. From other Cultures to Literature, Poetry, Art, Martial Arts and beyond. At ICUG we teach by doing, and so we hope to see new members and students, adding to the Poster Series as they are learning Desktop Publishing Skills and promoting Education, History and Culture Exchange. The advent of the popularity of the Internet for so many people around the world, has helped to greatly fill the vacuum that once existed in availability of historic information and photos. For that reason ICUG will present the NAIH Poster Series available in Adobe Acrobat .PDF version, which will allow them to be freely downloaded and printed by all who might wish to.

~ "The ICUG Native American Indian Heritage Poster Series" ~

~ YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMORROW" ~

“So that Unstilled Voices, May Speak

And Continue to Tell Their Story,

for the Benefit of Generations of

Today, and All Of Those To Come!”

ICUG Co-Founder Jessica, on the Mall in Washington, DC, with Elder Harry Charger of the Lakota (Sioux) Nation and standing next to the 1^st Teepee on the Mall under the Washington Monument.

“Giving Credit where Credit is Due!”

Throughout the years, Time and time again, Jessica’s Intuitions, People Person Skills, Honest Intentions, Diligence and Tireless Efforts, Warm Bright Smile and Radiant Persona, were to lead ICUG to Expanding Circles from the Native Nations to the far East and The People’s Republic of China and Japan!

Next Post: A Choice Of Colors
Previous Post: Leadership Training Institute (L.T.I.) - The Y.O.U. Story Pt II

 

WOW Michael! I enjoyed reading this very much! Is it possible to get copies of those posters? Everything you do is so interesting! BRAVO! On all of your accompolishments! Take care! Love and Hugs!

A'HO!! Dear brother. You are doing so much good for all the people!! I am honored to call you friend and brother!!
Blessings and hugsss, WhiteBuffaloHawkeWoman

a fantastic blog my friend,you have done so much in ur time,in this world and i have a great admiration for you,and i pray that god will give you strength and good health to go on,in ur journeys,i love the pictures you have posted here,very amazing and beautiful,you are a king amongst us...
love to u my friend,
and manny blessings always.
  hugs

This is really interesting and good, but I have to be honest -as I always like to be, that I haven't finished reading it...so I will be back maybe tomorrow night. It is almos 1AM and have to get up in 5 hours...
so bye for now ... I will be back. :)

so sorry for coming in your blogs so late! but i need my time to read all these long interesting blogs of yours. youve got a wide, wide memory to tell all these things here...nice and maybe i will come back for more absorption, lol!

Michael...it's going to become an interresting journey following your blogs slowly! For the journey has just begun...and I am hooked already!

WOU! VERY INTERESTING. MICHAEL!