Washaka the Bear Dreamer: A Lakota Story Based On Leon Hale's Dream

Set in the early 1800s, this tale offers a rare glimpse into the Lakota tribe on the cusp of a great historical change. Little Chief, a young Lakota boy, dreams of a white bear tied to a tree and bleeding at the neck. His grandfather tells him he must watch for this bear—or something like it—because dreams are "Wakan," sacred signs from the creator. When Little Chief finds a white boy who’s been abused by his father and tied to a tree, he knows this is the White Bear of his dreams. Based on the dreams and prayers of Leon Hale, a Lakota man, the narrative chronicles the rush of cultures coming together and—despite the love of family and friends—the ensuing heartbreak of a cultural collision.