My Painting of Black Elk by Paha Ska Salway

Paha Ska was born in White Clay Nebraska in 1923. He grew up on Pine Ridge Reservation learning the ways of his people. He was named Paha Ska by Ben Black Elk because he had been born in White Clay, which is in the sand hills of Nebrska. He had an incredible knack for keeping and understanding native traditions and yet being somewhat worldly. He did some acting in his younger days and was in movies such as "White Savage" and "Life and Times of Crazy Horse", among others.

His first wife's name was Joyce and they had 5 children. Like Black Elk, Paha Ska had four sons and a daughter. He and Joyce eventually divorced and in 1983 he married Susan. Before he married Susan, he promised her she would always have horses...and he kept that promise. Susan learned the Lakota language and traditions from her husband and also learned the legends. She became an accepted member of the tribe and was named Susan Yellow Bird Woman. They had a wonderful life together and Paha Ska was the official greeter for Keystone for over 50 years. He and Susan met people from around the world who came to Keystone. They also visited many of the people they met from overseas.

He was an elder on Pine Ridge Reservation and was a respected man. He tutored many young people in art and storytelling. His art now hangs in castles and other prestigeous places around the world. He was particularly talented with painting on buffalo (or any other animal) hide. He was witty and charming and in his early days as greeter for Keystone, he had his horse and he would let children ride his horse with him. That is, those who were not frightened by him in full Regalia. Some children only knew what they had seen in movies about Native Americans and were naturally frightened when he reached out for them. Others, however, gladly accepted the lift atop the horse and proudly rode with Paha Ska through town.

Sadly, in November of 2005, Paha Ska passed away. After he died, he was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame and there was even talk of erecting a monument and park to his memory in Keystone. Paha Ska's grown children were given his possessions and Susan moved into the gallery where Paha Ska did his painting. Although all of his original paintings are sold, she does still have prints that were made of the pictures he painted the years before he died. She also continues to give tours of the Black Hills, just as she and Paha Ska did for years. You can find out more about the tours by checking the Paha Ska Black Hills Tours Lens.

Paha Ska is sorely missed by many, many people who had the opportunity to know him over the years. He was a great man and a true modern Native American legend.

I am not a Native American, nor do I consider myself a "wannabe". I have a great respect for Native American History and am proud to have known some great people of that heritage. Through Paha Ska, I learned that there are many reasons why one can become so involved in Native American History and that there are almost always connections which link us. Paha Ska's widow gave me this painting because of the connections she felt I had with Black Elk through Paha Ska.

Connections between myself and Black Elk:

• Paha Ska was born in Nebraska (I am from Nebraska)


• Black Elk's son named my friend Paha Ska


• Paha Ska painted a portrait of Black Elk


• "Black Elk Speaks" is a famous book written by John Neihardt (Who was from Nebraska-I am from Nebraska)