By Dan Altman
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

World-renowned speaker and educator Peter Catches visited UH-Clear Lake Nov. 21 to share his knowledge on the Lakota Sioux Native American tribe.

Right: Denise Shipley, UH-Clear Lake coordinator of Multicultural and International Student Services introduces Peter V. Catches, a Lakota Sioux holy man, at the "Voices of Color" event.
photo courtesy of Karen Barbier

Catches is an internationally known Lakota Sioux holy man from the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota. The speaking engagement was an installment of the Multicultural and International Student Services Office's "Voices of Color" series to honor Native American History Month.

Catches' speaking engagements have taken him to the University of Miami, the University of California at Los Angeles and various other colleges around the United States and abroad. His lectures revolve closely around his book entitled "The Sacred Fireplace: The Life and Teachings of a Lakota Medicine Man."

Catches' father was responsible for reviving the Sun Dance Ceremony and bringing back the Spotted Eagle way of medicine to Native Americans and non-natives. With help from his father, the younger Catches discloses in his book the importance for native people to live the traditional Lakota life in the face of a man's aggressions and controls.

Catches began his performance with a short prayer sang in the native female language. Each Lakota tribe uses two languages, one for the men and one for the women. A small handmade drum provided background music for his prayer.

"It is hard to tell the age of this specific drum," Catches said. "They had these types of drums when Christopher Columbus came; they also had these drums when Leif Erickson came."

Catches discussed the seven sacred rights of the Lakota people. The seven sacred rites include: the purification rite, the sun dance rite, the keeping and releasing of the spirit rite, the throwing of the ball rite, the making of relatives rite, the sweat lodge rite and the crying for a vision rite.

"The seven sacred rites of our people are the most important aspects in the lives of the Lakota people," Catches said. "The most important rite is the sun dance rite."

A variety of songs pertaining to the various sacred rites were performed by Catches with his sacred drum. The drum provided a melodic tribal beat that complimented the singing.

Attendance for the gathering was large. Students watched the performance from outside classrooms and from standing behind chairs that were filled to capacity.

"It was good to learn more about other cultures," said Michelle Argo, social work major. "More people need to educate themselves about other people's cultures."

For those in attendance, food was available during the performance.

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