Iktómi Wičhítegleǧa Siŋté Waŋ Úŋ (Iktomi's Raccoon Hat)

Setting: The play takes place in Iktomi's home and in the lands around it. IKTOMI the Trickster will play any trick rather than leave the house to work, but his WIFE tells him if he doesn't go hunting, they will be hungry this winter. Iktomi protests that he is out of arrows. His Wife plays on Iktomi's pride and constant appetite to send him off in search of trees that can provide wood for new arrows. Wearing his proud hat with the raccoon tail, Iktomi sets off. A group of GRASSHOPPERS, followed by a flock of LITTLE BIRDS looking for their lunch, tell Iktomi where the trees are. Iktomi hitches a ride on the back of HAWK to cross a river. He teases and irritates Hawk so much that Hawk dumps him into a hollow tree trunk as a reward for his mischief. A helpful WOODPECKER creates a hole in the tree trunk that lets Iktomi beg other creatures for help getting out of the tree. Ditzy MEADOWLARK flies about calling out the news about Iktomi's predicament; steady TURTLE suggests that Iktomi can cut his own way out of the tree with his fancy knife. Iktomi gets the attention of two pretty sisters, DAWN and SUNSET, and tricks them into cutting a larger hole in the tree trunk, to get the raccoon they think is inside. When they run off to get fire to burn the tree down, Iktomi escapes. He then tricks the sisters into thinking he was just passing by, gathering wood for arrows. He nearly gets a free dinner from them until Meadowlark's clueless announcements reveal the truth, and Iktomi gets a beating instead of dinner. --- From "Iktomi's Raccoon Skin," collected by Ella Deloria Adapted by Shayne Laughter Translated by Jan Ullrich and Ben Black Bear for the Lakota Language Consortium CAST Iktomi.....................................................................Ben Black Bear Iktomi's Wife.....................................................................Naomi Last Horse Grasshoppers.....................................................................Waniya Locke and children Little Birds.....................................Helene Circle Eagle, Suella High Elk Hawk.....................................................................Ken Little Thunder Woodpecker.....................................................................Iris Eagle Chasing Meadowlark.....................................................................Kevin Locke Turtle.....................................................................Courtney Yellow Fat Dawn.....................................................................Bernadine Little Thunder Sunset.....................................................................Sandra Black Bear MUSICIANS Instrumentalist.....................................................................Kevin Locke Instrumentalist.....................................................................Courtney Yellow Fat PRODUCTION STAFF AND CREW Producer.....................................................................Wilhelm Meya Director.....................................................................Rhiana Yazzie Stage Manager.....................................................................John Vander Veer Lighting & Sound.....................................................................John Vander Veer Program Artist......................................................................Marty Two Bulls Presented by the Lakota Summer Institute 2012 in conjunction with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Sitting Bull College with financial support from: The South Dakota Arts Council and the Puffin Foundation West Ltd. Filmed By Florentine Films/ Hott Productions in Fort Yates, ND June, 21, 2012