Luther Standing Bear, also known as Ota Kte or Plenty Kill, was born to the Sioux tribe.
Chief Standing Bear was a respected figure in the Sioux tribe, and Luther, his first born son to Pretty Face, always aimed to make his father proud. Luther’s every decision was driven by the desire to earn his father’s admiration. He dedicated himself to understanding the ways of the white man and sought to share that knowledge in order to educate his fellow tribespeople.
He possessed a sense of justice and advocated for the rights of his fellow individuals. According to Luther’s text “My People the Sioux,” he was born during the period known as the ‘breaking up of camp’, as stated in (3). After attaining education and acquiring the ability to calculate dates retrospectively, Luther determined that he was born in December of 1868. Raised in the Sioux reservation, Luther acquired the principles and traditions of his community.
He eagerly embraced his father’s teachings and sought to learn everything he could from him. His father instilled in Luther the values of honesty, bravery, and the importance of maintaining dignity and honor even in death. Luther was particularly struck when his father advised him, “Son, always remember that a man who tells lies is never liked by anybody” (Standing Bear, 65). Inspired by these teachings, Luther made the decision at a young age to attend Carlisle, a school predominantly attended by white students.
In his mind, he carried his father’s words: “Son, be courageous! If you must die, do so on the battlefield, far from home. It is preferable to die young than to grow old and ill and then pass away” (Standing Bear, 124). Luther saw education as his chance to prove his bravery to his father, willing to sacrifice himself in that pursuit. Over time, he discovered that attending school would allow him to present an even more valuable gift to his father.
He made a commitment to assist his father in interactions with white men by acting as a translator. His goal was to acquire extensive knowledge from the white man, so he fully engaged in his studies and willingly took on any assigned task. He was resolute in demonstrating that Indians were capable of performing on par, if not surpassing, the work of white men.
Luther achieved remarkable achievements at Carlisle school, opening doors to opportunities that were inaccessible to Indians during that era. Despite his extended time at Carlisle, Luther eventually returned to his tribe but with a changed outlook on life. He recognized the need for their community to abandon hunting as a means of sustenance and embrace the idea of working for food and clothing. Luther drew a comparison between this transition and the story of the Garden of Eden post-fall (Standing Bear, 190).
After coming back home, Luther was unsure about how people would receive him. This skepticism arose because some of the other Indians who had also attended Carlisle returned with an inflated sense of superiority over the uneducated Indians. However, Luther never subscribed to this belief. His sole objective was to improve the lives of himself and his people. Luther held diverse occupations throughout his life, which included but were not limited to assisting the agent on the reservation.
One of Luther’s most significant experiences was when he worked on the Buffalo Bills show. In this role, he had dual responsibility – overseeing the Indians and serving as their translator. Throughout his tenure with the show, Luther consistently upheld fairness. Whenever he discovered an Indian engaging in prohibited behavior like drinking, he would issue a warning.
Noticing that this seemed helpful, he chose to retain half of their payment until the end of the performance. This way, his people would have money when they returned home instead of wasting it carelessly while abroad. While Luther was away, he and his wife had another child who eventually became the first Indian baby born in England and joined the show. Eventually, Luther’s family returned to the Sioux tribe and stayed there for some time. Although Luther was supposed to go on another tour with the Buffalo Bill show, he suffered a severe train accident en route and had to go back to his tribe.
After coming back to the tribe, Luther was eventually given the prestigious role of chief, continuing a family tradition started by his father and grandfather. This recognition held significant importance for Luther as he constantly aimed to impress his father. He willingly embraced the duty of protecting his people and providing support whenever necessary. However, at a particular point in time, Luther made the choice to depart from the reservation and consider selling his land as a means of moving elsewhere.
To sell his land, Luther had to acquire American citizenship. He completed the required paperwork and sought assistance from an Indian lawyer to file the documents. However, upon receiving the documents back, Luther decided to handle the process himself. He traveled to Washington and spent the following five weeks visiting daily to monitor the progress of his citizenship application.
Citizenship was not given to Indians before, but Luther, with much persistence, managed to attain it and considered it one of the most memorable days of his life. Upon becoming a citizen, Luther sold his land and relocated his family multiple times until they settled in Los Angeles, California. Luther then entered the film industry, contributing to movies that portrayed the opinions of white individuals towards Indians.
Luther endeavored to alter this situation and encouraged his producer to grant him the opportunity to reveal the authentic nature of the Indians. Sadly, his request was ultimately denied. After several years, Luther made the decision to retire and author a collection of books aimed at aiding younger generations of Native Americans, as well as the white man, in comprehending the untold Indian perspective. These books chronicled his early years and life experiences, and have now become a significant contribution to Native American history.
Mark S. Anderson believes that the main achievement of Standing Bear was to document the significant historical heritage of the Lakota Sioux for the younger generation of Native Americans. Although some of his claims are controversial, Standing Bear effectively captures the experience of growing up in the tumultuous period of late-nineteenth century Native America (Anderson 95).
It is widely agreed upon that Luther Standing Bears is primarily known for his literary works. Although his writings cover a wide range of topics, they all share a common theme – the defense of the worth and dignity of Indian cultures. In fact, his dedication to this cause has been praised, as he has elevated the art of autobiographical apologetics to new heights (Standing Bear, Luther (1868? 1939).Works CitedAnderson, Mark S.
“The Works Of Luther Standing Bear.” Journal Of The West 46.2 (2007): 93-95. Standing, Bear Luther.
The book “My People, the Sioux” was written by Luther Standing Bear and was published in 1975 by the University of Nebraska. John Koster also wrote an article about Luther Standing Bear’s journey from Pine Ridge to Carlisle to Hollywood.
“Wild West 25.5 (2013): 22-23.” Standing Bear, Luther (1868? – 1939). “Encyclopedia of North American Indians, Houghton Mifflin.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1996.
