TRADITIONS PREMIÈRES

Introduction

An Indian of nowadays caring for the future generations...

Leonard Alden Crow Dog Jr is a young traditional Chief who was born and raised on the Rosebud Lakota Sioux Indian Reservation, in South Dakota. Instructed in the ways of his ancestors by his father and many elders since early age, making a point of practising the lakota language, he is in direct descent of a five generation lineage of Chiefs and Medecine-Men remarkably influentials among which his father, Leonard Emmanuel Crow Dog who, as part of his many life accomplishments, was the spiritual advisor of the Wounded Knee uprising in 1973, an event that ignited the renaissance of Native American pride. Leonard Crow Dog Jr is also the son of Mary Brave Bird - Crow Dog, the world reknown author of the international bestseller book «Lakota Woman».
The official visit to France of Chief Leonard Crow Dog Jr took place at the invitation of Maurice Rebeix and of the association Traditions Premières which he presides. Leonard Crow Dog Jr and Maurice Rebeix met each other twenty years ago, while the latest, a photographer, was working on a book of photos published since by Albin Michel Editions under the title «Rêveurs-de-Tonnerre» (Thunder Dreamers). Since then they meet and share time every year on the Rosebud reservation during the annual Sundance of the Crow Dog family.
Leonard Crow dog Jr is a registered member of the «Rosebud Sioux Tribe» (Sicangu Oyate Lakota) and travels as an ambassador of his culture and of the traditions of his people. Invited through the United States, in Colombia, Mexico, Canada, Italy and now in France, he recently leaded an official delegation who proceeded in Florence to the signature of a Pact of Peace and Friendship between the Lakota Sovereign Nation and the provinces of Florence, Prato and Pistoia.

Diary of the Visit

The day by day schedule of an official visit...

Traditionnal Chief Leonard Crow Dog Jr made this Official Visit to France in the company of his wife Victoria, Yoeme Indian (Yaqui) from California and of their son Alden.

May 21st, 2015

Arrival in Toulouse from San Francisco

First night after crossing over the «Big Waters»...

May 22nd, 2015

Visit of the Medieval City of Carcassonne and Arrival in Cévennes

May 23rd / 25th, 2015

Cultural and Spiritual Gathering in Cévennes

Ochoka Wakan 〜 Sacred Circle of Life

During three days, over 120 participants of all ages and origins gathered in Cévennes around Victoria & Leonard Crow Dog Jr. While sharing time together in remote nature, having moments of exchange and taking part in traditional «Inipi» steam baths, they all expressed the same will to contribute in the rising of a new and better world for the future generations. A world that shall reconnect to its roots and retake inspiration from the ancestral values that are at the heart of the cultural and spiritual Lakota tradition as well as of many First Nation traditions : a respect and deference towards the Earth Mother, a deep understanding of the interconnection that relates all living beings together, a quest for Peace to reign among the persons as well as between the nations.

May 26th, 2015

Arrival in Anglet on the Basque Coast and the banks of the Atlantic Ocean

May 27th, 2015

Day of discovery of the Basque Coast

May 28th, 2015

10H00 am - Conference Q&A and Visit of the Shared Garden at the «Cité Breuer» in Bayonne

At the invitation of the association «Graines de Liberté» (Seeds of Freedom), a conference Q&A is held at the Artotekafé in the «Cité Breuer» with students and teachers of the Albert Camus High School of Bayonne. Then, visit is paid to the 500 squared yards shared garden initiated and maintained by «Graines de Liberté» following the signature of a convention with the city of Bayonne and the GIP/DSU.
At the end of the gathering, surrounded by the youth and the inhabitants of the community, Victoria and Chief Leonard Crow Dog Jr plant flowers and a tree within the perimeter of the shared garden, leaving in doing so a perennial track of their presence in this social priority neighborood.

Conference Q&A at the Artotekafé

Visit of the Shared Garden

May 28th, 2015

15H00 - Baionako Hiriondoko Ikastola - Visit of Hiriondoko, a basque school in Bayonne

Organized in associations, the Ikastolas are schools in which the education is mainly dispensed in the basque language. Gathered within a federation, Seaska (the cradle, in basque), the ikastolas of the Basque Country contribute to the preservation of the basque language and aim to bring children to be fluently bilinguals.
Visit of a high symbolism, the presence of a Lakota Chief to this Ikastola, whose creation dates back to 1973, emphasize the common challenge facing all First Traditions, wether it be the Lakota, the Basque or any other : the preservation of an ancestral culture that passes by the transmission of its language.

May 29th, 2015

15h00 - Official Reception by Mr. Claude Olive, Mayor of Anglet

Acknowledging Leonard Crow Dog Jr in his status of Traditionnal Chief acting as an ambassador of the Sovereign Lakota Nation, Mr. Claude Olive, Mayor of Anglet, assisted by MMrs. Florence Lasserre et Nicole Darrasse, Deputies Mayor, officially receives this foreign dignitary and his wife at the Aristide Briand School of Anglet in the presence of all the pupils gathered for that circumstance.
Honoring the hospitality offered, Chief Crow Dog Jr and family then proceed to a customary giveaway intended for those hosting him on that occasion.

FRANCE 3 AQUITAINE / EUSKAL HERRI - PAYS BASQUE

Videos & Medias

Videos Reports, Press Publications & Social Networks

Videos

Press

Social Networks

Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Thanks

Chief Leonard Crow Dog Jr and his family,
Maurice Rebeix and the association «Traditions Premières»
wish to give thanks to...

Associations

The association «Artoteka»
The association «Ezkandrai»
The association «Graines de Liberté»
The association «Hiriondoko Ikastola»
The association «Terre d'Issis»

Cévennes

Arlette Andreault, Jacques & Emmanuel Arnaud, Jose-Maria Artiaga, Fabienne, Louise, Martial & Roland Baltera, Josy Bentz, Marie-Jo Dauzat, Sylvie De Haynin, Virginie & Victor Derobe, Dominique Derrien, Rosita & Alain Deslot, Barbara Dreier, Remo Finger, Bernard Legrand, Paul Maguet as well as all those who took part in the gathering.

Basque Country / Euzkal Herria

ANGLET
Mr. Claude Olive, Mayor of Anglet
MMrs. Nicole Darrasse and Florence Lasserre, Deputies Mayor of Anglet
Mrs. Corinne Courrèges, in charge of the Sustainable Development services at the Anglet Townhall
Mr. Eric Duprat, Director of the Aristide Briand school as well as all the educational and extracurricular personnel of the school.

BAYONNE
Mr. Jean-René Etchegaray, Mayor of Bayonne
MMrs. Martine Bisauta, Deputy Mayor of Bayonne
Mr. Jean-Claude Iriart, Bayonne Town Councillor
MMr Jean-Claude Larronde and Rafael Zulaika, President and Director of the Bayonne Basque Museum / Baionako Euskal Museoa as well as all the museum personnel
The basque artists Sybele Damestoy, dance, Julen Axiari, Beñat Achiary and Benoît Lamerain, music and songs

Maité Axiari, Anoé, Unai, Laure & Laurent Bernays, Sandrine Cantelaube-Débauché, Mylène Charrier, Marie-Hélène Daubagna, Marlène & Gorka Echarri, Elodie & Vincent Lafitte, Pascal Marrec, Fabien Nogué, Winona Rebeix-Soms.

Landes

Véronique, Yves & Amélie Morgaud at the agroecological and permaculture farm «Terre d'Issis».

Presse & Medias

La Semaine du Pays Basque
Sud Ouest - Edition Pays Basque
Sud Ouest - Edition Landes
France 3 Aquitaine
France 3 Euskal Herri - Pays Basque
Radio France Bleu Pays Basque
Berria
Anglet Côte Basque (Facebook)
Vincent Biard, Olivier Bonnefon, Colette Dechaume, Loic Dequier, Stéphanie Deschamps, Félix Dufour, Iñaki Etxeleku, Maitena Horiot-Ortega, Peyo Lasterra, Karine Pierret-Delage.
Dominique Castinel for having graciously produced and directed the video report of Chief Crow Dog Jr stay in the Basque Country.

Photo & Video Credentials

Laurent Bernays, Dominiquer Castinel, Loic Dequier, Victoria & Leonard Crow Dog, Karine Pierret-Delage, Elodie Lafitte, Maurice Rebeix, Rafa Zulaika - Musée Basque de Bayonne / Baionako Euskal Museoa.

Bibliography

Some books directly related to the visit...