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The drums of the Akicita Heyoka have been beating for peace, nonviolence, and justice since 1862, the year that 10 young Lakota men risked their lives in the name of peace. These 10 young men-ranging from 16 to 21 years old-were led by WaAnnatan, the Charger. During the Minnesota Uprising of 1862, a time of war among the Native American nations and White settlers, WaAnnatan and his Fool Soldiers negotiated the release of several women and children from the warring Dakota White Lodge, and returned the captives to St. Pierre, South Dakota. "These 10 young men believed in peace between the races," says Brenda Charger, WaAnnatan's granddaughter. "This went against the beliefs of everybody else." Today, Brenda's father, Harry Charger, leads the Akicita Heyoka Society from his reservation home in South Dakota. Brenda Charger and her husband, Darren Black, are caretakers of the Fool Soldiers' drum. Charger's sons, Kyle, 10, and Nolan, seven, are being prepared to take on the responsibilities of drumkeepers, a sacred role among the Akicita Heyoka. "Among the Lakota, the boys and men are drumkeepers and songkeepers," Charger says. "Darren and I are teaching the boys the responsibilities of the drum-the different ways of the drum." The Fool Soldiers drum plays prominent roles in powwows, weddings, memorials, funerals, Sun Dances, and other ceremonies. The Fool Soldiers perform in schools and on special occasions, such as Veteran's Day ceremonies at the Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Oregon. "Wherever the drum is needed, you go," Charger says. "You don't go for money, but for the belief." Charger and Black are passing on the beliefs and values of the Lakota to their sons. In so doing, they are presenting them with a spiritual foundation and a strong sense of responsibility to themselves, their heritage, and their people. Already, Kyle and Nolan, with their raven black hair flowing nearly to their waists, have felt the sting of discrimination and bias. It happens in the schoolyard and when the boys perform with the Fool Soldiers. "Some of the little kids have racist remarks," Charger says. "They make the Hollywood Indian sounds, like we're all Pow Wow the Indian Boy. It used to make me angry. But I don't play that prejudicial game anymore. "Teaching my boys that lesson is hard," she adds. "They've had a lot of arguments with other kids-some Black kids, some White kids. I just tell my boys that every race has some people who are prejudiced, and that we shouldn't play that game. I tell them there are prejudices even among our people. But I tell them it is up to us to change that." The members of the Fool Soldiers compose a diverse group themselves. The ensemble includes members of several nations, including Sans Ark Lakota, Nez Perce, Colville, Tshimsin, Turtle Mountain Chippewa, Crow, Assiniboine-Sioux, Yakama, and Umitilla. "It is OK to be proud of who you are regardless of the style of your hair, the color of your skin, or the way you dress," says Charger. Charger's Lakota heritage and her connections to the Fool Soldiers are part of the legacy she is passing on to her sons. It is a powerful bond that provides a framework for pride in oneself, personal responsibility, and concern for others. "We teach them that if they take care of the drum, it will take care of them," Charger says from her apartment in a north Portland complex. "When you don't misuse it or abuse, the drum will take care of you."  Kyle and Nolan are learning the songs, the ways of the drum, the history of their people, respect for the planet, and other aspects of their Lakota heritage. "We're teaching the boys respect for the animals and the land, though they teach us too," notes Charger. "They're into recycling now. Some of the things I used to clean the house with I don't use no more," she adds with a laugh. "They got on me about it-about dirtying the water. They're such environmentalists." The passing of the drum to the younger Chargers will occur when they feel they are ready to accept the responsibilities, when they feel they understand the ways of the drum. "It's in their hands," Charger says. "It is left up to them. When to care for the drum, that's their decision. It's not ours to make. They make their own decision, and they will accept responsibility for it. They will carry on the tradition." Kyle understands the responsibilities ahead of him as a keeper of the drum. "This drum is really special," he says. "I'm learning about its power." The drum, which is the only one that represents the Akicita Heyoka Society, is adorned with medicine and tobacco pouches, eagle feathers, and other gifts from people for whom the Fool Soldiers have performed honor dances. Sweet grass weaves its way around the drum, which has a face of elk hide over buffalo hide. A detailed painting on the drum face represents the values and legacy of the Fool Soldiers. Ten small tipis represent the original 10 Fool Soldiers who sought peace in 1862. A bolt of lightning is the symbol of the Charger family. The colors each carry meaning as well: the blue represents sky, and the black and white represents the coming together of all people. "This is the only one," Charger says. "This is the only drum that represents the society itself."
LEARNING FROM THE PAST Hanging on walls and draped over chairs throughout the Charger-Black apartment are the traditional moorings of their heritage. Eagle-feather bustles and eagle-feather fans are proudly displayed and are part of the traditional dress that Kyle and Nolan wear when dancing and performing. "Eagle is the messenger," Black explains. "Since he flies higher than any other bird, he carries the prayers to the Great Spirit. He's a good luck symbol to us. Plus, he's a pretty bird." Also hanging on the walls in their apartment are more than 20 photos of family members. Charger's father, Harry, has been teaching Black various ceremonial songs such as pipe songs, sun dances, memorials, and weddings. "My dad is fluent in Lakota," Charger says. "But the language is being lost in my generation. A lot of our parents went to boarding schools and the language was taken from them. Now the language is disappearing." The Fool Soldiers have continued their messages of peace and cross-cultural understanding through four generations. Today, the group travels to schools and other public places to teach children and adults about their history, the values of diversity, and respect for cultures. Part of the responsibility to the drum is for all members of the Fool Soldiers to remain drug- and alcohol-free. Both Charger and Black have been in recovery for six years after years of alcohol addiction. In 1992, they went through a family-oriented alcohol and other drug treatment program provided by the Native American Rehabilitation Association in Portland. "It's the only drug treatment facility in the United States that takes in entire families," she says. "They understand that not only does the alcoholic need help, but the family does too." The addiction has gripped other members of the Charger family as well, she says. Today, her sisters and father are all in recovery, though two brothers have returned to drinking. "At one time," she says, "all seven of my Dad's children were in sobriety. That was one of my dad's dreams -to have all his kids in recovery. It was a dream that he realized for only a little while." In many ways, the lessons Charger and Black pass on to Kyle and Nolan represent advocacy at its most basic level-from parent or caring adult to child. "I'm teaching the boys to respect other points of view and other people," Charger says. "But mostly, they need to respect themselves. If you don't have respect for yourself, you won't respect anyone else. To respect yourself, you must know yourself. To listen to the inside stuff." Black, who has been making drumsticks at the dining room table for an upcoming performance of the Fool Soldiers, notes that the learning doesn't stop at adulthood. "We are teaching the boys," he says, "but we are still learning too." 
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This document's URL is: Home | Up & Coming | Programs & Projects: Northwest Education | People | Products & Publications | Topics © 2001 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
Date of Last Update: 9/28/01 
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ne cannot help but to feel the drums. They are the heartbeat of the Akicita Heyoka-the contrary warriors, the Fool Soldiers-and the symbol of nonviolence that traces more than 130 years of a family's legacy of peace.
