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.

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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