Interview · South Dakota · Sidney Byrd · OSEU 3
Themes: Kinship & family, Storytelling & oral tradition, Education & learning, Spirituality & ceremony, Values & generosity, Culture & continuity, Listening & observation, Intergenerational learning
Learn About questions
What are the traditional teachings of the Oceti Sakowin people concerning the honoring of those who are older? How does this impact people in the tribe today?
What were the years of the world Spanish flu epidemic? How wide was its impact?
What is a midwife?
Mr. Byrd was baptized. How many native people practice some form of Christianity along with some of their traditional ways?
Learn From questions
How were you taught to treat older people?
How do you feel about how our society in general deals with its aging population?
Have you ever experienced an illness that brought you “near death”? Can you share that story?
Do you know the story of your birth?
Do your beliefs about religion or spirituality come from a single source, or are they informed by more than one school of thought or way of thinking? How have these beliefs developed or changed over the years?
Transcripts
Birth Story - Sidney Byrd - OSEU #3
Watch this interview on YouTubeI was able to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather. So I’m now the oldest member of this tribe…I’ll be 96 in December. When I was born, there was no sign of life. There was a flu epidemic all over the world. That epidemic killed more people than all of the casualties of the first world war. My grandmother acted as a midwife and delivered me. Can’t do that anymore. You have to be certified. But in those days, we did what we had to do. She told grandfather, “We have a new grandson, but there is no sign of life. Pray for him.”
He took this little bottle and held it up and he prayed…made an impassioned plea. There was a pitiful cry. Grandmother got all excited, “He’s alive. He’s alive.” They took that little blanket…receiving blanket…and saw a skinny little boy. They knew I wasn’t going to make it. So she said, “At least he ought to have a name.” So again, grandfather held me up and he baptized me.
Grandfather’s prayers were answered. I’ve outlived all of my relatives. I’ve followed in his footsteps.
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Source materials
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Additional source transcripts
Birth Story
Birth Story - Sidney Byrd - OSEU #3
I was able to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather. So I’m now the oldest
member of this tribe…I’ll be 96 in December. When I was born, there was no sign of
life. There was a flu epidemic all over the world. That epidemic killed more people
than all of the casualties of the first world war. My grandmother acted as a midwife
and delivered me. Can’t do that anymore. You have to be certified. But in those days,
we did what we had to do. She told grandfather, “We have a new grandson, but there
is no sign of life. Pray for him.”
He took this little bottle and held it up and he prayed…made an impassioned plea.
There was a pitiful cry. Grandmother got all excited, “He’s alive. He’s alive.” They
took that little blanket…receiving blanket…and saw a skinny little boy. They knew I
wasn’t going to make it. So she said, “At least he ought to have a name.” So again,
grandfather held me up and he baptized me.
Grandfather’s prayers were answered. I’ve outlived all of my relatives. I’ve followed
in his footsteps.