Albert White Hat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert White Hat
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| Natan Tokahe, ("The First One to Charge") | |
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| Sicangu Lakota (Sičháŋǧu Oyáte, Brulé) leader | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 18, 1938 Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | June 13, 2013 (aged 74) Rosebud, South Dakota |
| Relations | Hollow Horn Bear (grandfather) |
| Children | 7 |
| Education | St. Francis Jesuit Mission School; Lakota language teacher and scholar at Sinte Gleska University |
Albert White Hat (born November 18, 1938 – died June 13, 2013) was an important Lakota language teacher. He also worked hard to keep the traditional culture of the Sičháŋǧu Lakȟóta people alive. He even helped translate Lakota for Hollywood movies like Dances with Wolves. He also created a way to write the Lakota language and wrote a textbook for it.
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Growing Up Lakota
Albert White Hat was born on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He came from a family that followed traditional Lakota ways. His grandfather was Chief Hollow Horn Bear.
As a child, Albert White Hat spoke only Lakota. He went to a day school in Spring Creek, South Dakota. When he was sixteen, he started attending St. Francis Jesuit Mission School. Many other children went to boarding schools much younger.
Albert White Hat later shared how important his early years were. He said he learned many stories from older people. These stories were a big part of him. When he went to boarding school, he felt like those stories were lost. But in the late 1960s, he decided to reconnect with his culture. He grew his hair long and started speaking Lakota again. He also took part in traditional ceremonies like the vision quest.
Teaching the Lakota Language
After finishing school, Albert White Hat worked different jobs. When his own children started school in the 1960s, he wanted them to learn Lakota. At that time, the Lakota language was not taught in South Dakota schools.
He decided to create his own lessons. Soon, he became a Lakota language teacher himself. In 1982, he became the head of the "Committee for the Preservation of the Lakota Language." This group worked to protect and promote the language.
Albert White Hat taught the Lakota language for 25 years. He taught at Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. He became the head of the Lakota Studies Department there. He created a special way of teaching that used many examples from the Brule Lakota culture. He was known as a great expert on the language. He taught both tribal members and non-Native Americans. He believed that learning a language helps a student develop "another heart and another mind."
In 1999, he put all his teaching notes into a book. It was called Reading and Writing the Lakota Language. He was the first native Lakota speaker to publish a Lakota textbook and a glossary (a list of words with their meanings).
He was also very active in traditional Lakota spiritual life. Cyril Scott, who was the Rosebud Sioux Tribal President, called him "a great teacher" and a "spiritual leader." Albert White Hat often spoke at conferences and gatherings. He was also well-known at powwows, which are Native American gatherings for dancing and singing. A video by Don Moccasin shows Albert White Hat talking about keeping the Lakota language alive.
Books by Albert White Hat
Albert White Hat wrote several important books about the Lakota language and culture:
- Reading and Writing the Lakota Language (1999)
- "Lakota ceremonial songs" (1983)
- Life's Journey - Zuya: Oral Teachings (2012)
Awards and Recognition
Albert White Hat received several awards for his work:
- Living Indian Treasure Award (2007)
- National Indian Education Association Indian Elder of the Year (2001)
- Outstanding Indian Educator Award (1995)
