Raised on the Lakota reservation along the Missouri River in South Dakota, he spent countless hours of his youth in company with his grandfather. Says Eagle Horse, “He taught me the old ways—the ways of nature and the ways of the Lakota. He taught me to have respect for who I am and to realize that the Creator has given every man a gift, [and] that I should find my gift and use it wisely.” As a full-blood member of the Lower Brule Lakota Tribe, Eagle Horse’s gift would prove to be his deep appreciation for his ancestral heritage, and his ability to share it with others through his artistic talent.
That talent, combined with his knowledge of traditional techniques and materials, has enabled him to recreate in accurate detail the artwork, cultural artifacts and dress of the Lakota, such as ceremonial war shirts, war bonnets, shields, and lances. Inspired by spiritual meditation, he vividly envisions each new work before he begins. Then, using traditional Lakota earth paints and acrylics—often intermingled with beadwork, feathers and trade cloth—he recreates his personal vision. These completed artifacts, along with his paintings and drawings in pen and ink, symbolically convey various aspects of the Lakota way of life and spiritual belief system. Recently, in fact, Eagle Horse completed a project that had been months in the making… a large ceremonial buffalo robe illustrating his story of the Lakota people from the beginning of time into eternity.
Eagle Horse’s traditional skills were passed down to him from members of his family and friends. He recalls, “My mother and aunts knew how to create the beadwork patterns, and so I learned by watching them. My grandfather taught me the spiritual meanings of the ceremonial robes and how to make them. And all the boys knew exactly what the designs on the lances, coup sticks and shields meant. Every item of decoration had an important meaning passed down from our ancestors. Nothing was placed on them by accident.”
Today, Eagle Horse and his wife Diane live in Bandera, Texas, with their three sons. Recently, however, they returned to South Dakota with their two oldest boys, who are twins. Eagle Horse explains, “They came of age and each made their own ‘vision quest’ in search of their own unique gift from the Creator.” Diane adds, “We have taught our children that they are Lakota first, last and always. We want that heritage to remain with them and with their children for generations to come.”
Indeed, Eagle Horse has made it his determined goal to share the heritage of the Lakota people with as many people as possible. He and his family regularly travel to pow wows to share traditional customs and participate in Native American art shows, such as Red Earth, in Oklahoma, and the Northern Plains Tribal Art Show in South Dakota. In addition, they are actively involved in museum education programs and teach numerous youth groups about the history and times of the Lakota. “I want people everywhere to know more about our heritage and culture,” says Eagle Horse. “If I can open up someone’s eyes to the peace and beauty of the Lakota way, I feel I have used my gift well.”