Artist Gerald Yellow Hawk seeks to honor Indian women

By Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer | Monday, February 14, 2005

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He calls it "Honoring the Third Circle."

Using acrylics, colored pens and pencils, Gerald Yellow Hawk created a woman in a beaded traditional dress, a burgundy shawl on her left arm, an eagle-wing fan in her right hand. She faces two flags, one representative of the Lakota nation and the other of the United States.

Yellow Hawk, 68, has captured a woman's undulating dance to the beat of the drum, the fringe of her dress and shawl swinging in time to an unheard song.

In the Lakota way, children were at the center of the circle, Yellow Hawk said. The elders surround them. The women encircled all of the children and elders.

"It's an honoring of women that I've wanted to portray most of all," he said.

It struck a chord with people who attended the gallery showing of fine arts at the 2004 Black Hills Pow Wow, winning the People's Choice Award and the honor of being featured in this year's poster.

Before committee members and volunteers, Yellow Hawk's "Honoring the Third Circle" was recently unveiled as the 2005 Black Hills Pow Wow poster.

Organizers have scheduled the 19th annual powwow Oct. 7-9 at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Although it isn't an official theme of the powwow, recognition of women in Lakota culture has been represented in its new poster and princess' crown.

Morning Star Zephier said that elements of the Miss He Sapa Wacipi crown represent Mother Earth and honor White Buffalo Calf Woman, who delivered the sacred pipe to the Lakota people.

Zephier's father, Mitchell Zephier of Rapid City, designed the crown for a woman of good standing to wear it with honor and respect.

"He mentioned that this is the time of the woman. I think it's a wonderful time for women, because they uplift our people," she said.

Wayne Weston, fine-arts coordinator, was particularly moved by the painting and its meaning.

"I've always wanted to do something special for women," he said.

Weston said in his family is the story of a great-great-grandmother, who was berry picking with her grandchildren when a bear stumbled upon them and attacked.

"She defended her grandchildren. She pulled out her knife, fought with the bear and eventually killed it," Weston said.