Tony Black Feather, Lakota Light Passing
Dear Friends,
I am very sad to relay this message from the Oyate that one of the great leaders and friends of our time has passed to the spirit world, Tony Black Feather, Lakota and United Nations representative.
In his honor, I am also including an article written after he spoke on Stronghold Table, SD, in Sept. 2002. Tony said, later, when he was at the Stronghold in April, 2003, to give support to the Tokala Warrior Society defending the remains of the Ghost Dancers in the Badlands, that this article was so popular at the United Nations that he was unable to keep enough copies on hand to share.
We were blessed to have known him, may he continue to recieve the blessings of his work in the Spirit World.
Brenda Norrell
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To our brothers and sisters of the Tetuwan Oyate, Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council, and the American Indian Law Alliance,
It is with true sorrow that we learn of the news of the passing of your elder leader and trusted advisor, Tony Black Feather of the Lakota Nation. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, his tiospaye, his Nation, and to your organizations.
Tony will always hold a special place in the heart and work of the Seventh Generation Fund as we strive to recover and sustain the sovereignty of Native peoples and Nations. Tony often participated in our many different gatherings, and his presence was always rich with contributions to the conversations at hand. He also filled a kind of “loving grandpa” role for our gatherings on many occasions, a critical place in our community, and his presence stood as an example to our many youth who are emerging in this work.
We remember Tony fondly, as an exemplary leader, visionary, and statesman, with many talents and gifts, which he shared with the people with generosity and great wit. His unflinching dedication to his peoples' legacy of strength, courage and resilience, even in the constant face of oppression and disenfranchisement by the U.S. and other colonizing governments, stands as a testament to all Native peoples. Tony also remains in our memories for his wonderful, unpredictable humor and very enjoyable company, which we at Seventh Generation Fund, will miss immeasurably.
He helped lay a foundation of work - - - blood, sweat and tears for the movement, particularly in the international arena, and it is now handed to those he mentored so well, to carry on what he helped set into motion. Filling such a void is no small task, and surely, many more than just one person will need to take on that far reaching responsibility.
You are not alone in your sadness, we join you in mourning him, and hope to be informed of the services, if appropriate, when that information is made available.
with deep respect,
on behalf of the Seventh Generation Fund http://www.7genfund.org
Tia Oros Peters
At 03:41 PM 8/10/2004 -0400, you wrote:
It is with great sadness that the Tetuwan Oyate, Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council, and the American Indian Law Alliance inform you that this morning at 3:30 a.m. South Dakota time Tony Black Feather went home to the spirit world. This is, of course, an enormous personal loss for all of us at the Law Alliance and we extend our deepest sympathy to his family. Tony will be greatly missed by all of us who have had the pleasure of working closely with him over the many years that he gave to the Lakota Nation and Indigenous peoples worldwide.
The loss to our movement is, however, even more immeasurable. Tony’s unfailing humor, unshakable courage and incomparable sense of justice were shared equally with all that stepped within his presence. All that he ever asked was that truth and justice be honestly sought by all and that politics, a word he considered the deepest expression of selfishness and irresponsibility, be left outside the world of true human interaction. It is hard for us to imagine a world in which we, his children, must move forward with the same sense of justice and courage without Tony there to encourage us. Nonetheless, for those of us who have come to rely upon him, we recommit ourselves to the work that he so faithfully pursued and pledge that, as Tony always said, we will go down fighting.
At this time, funeral arrangements have not been made. We will send out a second email when this information is known.
...to hear the voices of our people even unto the seventh generation
Kent Lebsock kent@ailanyc.org
Executive Director
American Indian Law Alliance
http://www.ailanyc.org
Please continue for two articles on Tony Black Feather + UPDATES...
Dear Friends,
I am very sad to relay this message from the Oyate that one of the great leaders and friends of our time has passed to the spirit world, Tony Black Feather, Lakota and United Nations representative.
In his honor, I am also including an article written after he spoke on Stronghold Table, SD, in Sept. 2002. Tony said, later, when he was at the Stronghold in April, 2003, to give support to the Tokala Warrior Society defending the remains of the Ghost Dancers in the Badlands, that this article was so popular at the United Nations that he was unable to keep enough copies on hand to share.
We were blessed to have known him, may he continue to recieve the blessings of his work in the Spirit World.
Brenda Norrell
----------------------------------------------------------------
To our brothers and sisters of the Tetuwan Oyate, Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council, and the American Indian Law Alliance,
It is with true sorrow that we learn of the news of the passing of your elder leader and trusted advisor, Tony Black Feather of the Lakota Nation. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, his tiospaye, his Nation, and to your organizations.
Tony will always hold a special place in the heart and work of the Seventh Generation Fund as we strive to recover and sustain the sovereignty of Native peoples and Nations. Tony often participated in our many different gatherings, and his presence was always rich with contributions to the conversations at hand. He also filled a kind of “loving grandpa” role for our gatherings on many occasions, a critical place in our community, and his presence stood as an example to our many youth who are emerging in this work.
We remember Tony fondly, as an exemplary leader, visionary, and statesman, with many talents and gifts, which he shared with the people with generosity and great wit. His unflinching dedication to his peoples' legacy of strength, courage and resilience, even in the constant face of oppression and disenfranchisement by the U.S. and other colonizing governments, stands as a testament to all Native peoples. Tony also remains in our memories for his wonderful, unpredictable humor and very enjoyable company, which we at Seventh Generation Fund, will miss immeasurably.
He helped lay a foundation of work - - - blood, sweat and tears for the movement, particularly in the international arena, and it is now handed to those he mentored so well, to carry on what he helped set into motion. Filling such a void is no small task, and surely, many more than just one person will need to take on that far reaching responsibility.
You are not alone in your sadness, we join you in mourning him, and hope to be informed of the services, if appropriate, when that information is made available.
with deep respect,
on behalf of the Seventh Generation Fund http://www.7genfund.org
Tia Oros Peters
At 03:41 PM 8/10/2004 -0400, you wrote:
It is with great sadness that the Tetuwan Oyate, Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council, and the American Indian Law Alliance inform you that this morning at 3:30 a.m. South Dakota time Tony Black Feather went home to the spirit world. This is, of course, an enormous personal loss for all of us at the Law Alliance and we extend our deepest sympathy to his family. Tony will be greatly missed by all of us who have had the pleasure of working closely with him over the many years that he gave to the Lakota Nation and Indigenous peoples worldwide.
The loss to our movement is, however, even more immeasurable. Tony’s unfailing humor, unshakable courage and incomparable sense of justice were shared equally with all that stepped within his presence. All that he ever asked was that truth and justice be honestly sought by all and that politics, a word he considered the deepest expression of selfishness and irresponsibility, be left outside the world of true human interaction. It is hard for us to imagine a world in which we, his children, must move forward with the same sense of justice and courage without Tony there to encourage us. Nonetheless, for those of us who have come to rely upon him, we recommit ourselves to the work that he so faithfully pursued and pledge that, as Tony always said, we will go down fighting.
At this time, funeral arrangements have not been made. We will send out a second email when this information is known.
...to hear the voices of our people even unto the seventh generation
Kent Lebsock kent@ailanyc.org
Executive Director
American Indian Law Alliance
http://www.ailanyc.org
Please continue for two articles on Tony Black Feather + UPDATES...