Woohola- respect
This past week at the rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming there was some controversy regarding horse stalls. Rodeo contestants have a designated group of stalls to use. There are other equine events at Cheyenne Frontier Days as well, so other horse owners have certain areas for their horses, away from the contestants. Cheyenne Frontier Days has horse relay races, a parade and all sorts of other events, it’s far more than just a rodeo. There’s a lot of horses and people, and not all are rodeo contestants.
Every year native american tribal members enter the horse relay race. It is one of my favorite events at Cheyenne, it takes skill, a good horse and strategy. This past week the relay race contestants put their horses in the rodeo constant stalls. Even though several rodeo contestants complained to CFD officials, the Native American contestants singled out Carlee Otero as their sworn enemy. They blame her for getting them evicted from the horse stalls, even though they weren’t supposed to be there in the first place. For the record, yes it’s hot in Cheyenne, but it’s no where near Oklahoma heat and humidity. (So quit whining)
Carlee says she has received death threats. She has been been attacked on social media relentlessly. So much so she has sent video footage to CFD officials, supposedly they are investigating the threats.
I grew up in the Choctaw Nation. I have family that is Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee tribal members. So many of the tribal council members I grew up around emphasize treating people with respect. The tribal elders are very guarded with how they speak. Native American culture has always fascinated me. The Lakota Sioux tribe is very prevalent in the Cheyenne rodeo. I have studied their customs and traditions for decades. Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull and so many other great chiefs had such wisdom.
This week I watched as many Native Americans threatened a visitor to their community. They threatened Carlee Otero, a woman that doesn’t look to me like she weighs much over a hundred pounds soaking wet.
I’ve watched videos of Carlee and her husband as they work out and prepare for the long summer rodeo season. A year or so ago I also watched Carlee and her husband Micheal take time to help a little girl that was having problems with her horse. I seen that with my own eyes at a rodeo in Texas.
One concept often associated with Lakota culture is wówačhaŋtognaka, which is commonly translated as generosity. Another is wóohola, meaning respect.
I’ve watched Carlee and Micheal Otero closely the past couple of summers. They have treated the young and very old with dignity and respect when no one was watching. Woohola, it means respect. In a deeper sense it also means to live in harmony with family, community, nature, and the Creator.
I was raised to believe a warrior eats last, it’s one of the most honorable and sacred Native American traditions. It requires a warrior to care for the sick, orphans, and elderly before he eats. From where I’m sitting Carlee and Micheal Otero look like the true warriors to me, Woohola.
James Lockhart lives near the Kiamichi mountains in southeast Oklahoma. He writes cowboy stories and fools with cows and horses.
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