One of my favorite things to do on the Journey is to learn about the history behind the places I visit.  The stories behind the Devils Tower did not disappoint.  Devils Tower is located in the northeast corner of Wyoming, an easy and beautiful drive north of I-90.  My original plan, I didn’t have Devils Tower on my list of stops; but then I saw how close I was going to be, so I added it to the list.  Do yourself a favor, if you are in the area, this is a must-see.

Devils Tower, also known as Mato Tipila, means the “Bear Lodge” in Lakota. It was renamed by Col. Richard Dodge when his interpreter misinterpreted its name as ‘Bad God’s Tower’ (later shortened to Devils Tower).  I think I like the original name better and the stories behind it are amazing.

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A number of legends exist regarding the name of the Tower; all of which involve the stories of a bear and have similar narratives. Below are just a few of my favorites.

“In the Lakota Sioux legend, six girls were out picking flowers when they were attacked and chased by bears. The Great Spirit felt bad for them and raised the ground beneath their feet. The bears gave chase and attempted to climb the newly formed tower, but they couldn’t get to the top. The bears fell off, clawing the sides of the monolith.”*

“The Kiowa legend follows a similar storyline but includes astrology as well. Seven little Kiowa girls were out playing, spotted by several giant bears, and were chased. The girls prayed to the Great Spirit, and sure enough the ground rose beneath them towards the Heavens. The bears tried to climb the rock but only managed to leave their deep claw marks on the sides. The girls reached the sky and were turned into the constellation Pleiades(Seven Sisters).”*

As for Amerigo and the kids.  They are all happy doing fun shit.  I found an off-leash nature trail for the dogs in Spearfish, SD.  The puppies had a blast but were worn out.  Amerigo is handling the trip like a trouper; no major problems, just some little stuff that was easy to resolve.  We are all looking forward to heading into Yellowstone National Park.  

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“Love yourself; get outside yourself and take action.  Focus on the solution; be at peace.” — Sioux Proverb

In other words, Do Fun Shit Always – live beyond the weekend and bridge the gap between mental and physical health.

#dofunshitalways #dfsa247 #nps #resist

*INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY