JOHNNY LOBO, REST IN PEACE
The earth lost a great spokes-person this past Tuesday. John Trudell died at age 69 of cancer.
Although I mourn deeply, John’s light and spirit will continue in death as in life,
like a mighty comet in the clear night sky.
“John Trudell was a Santee Dakota activist, artist, actor, and poet, who led a life dedicated to indigenous human rights, land and language issues,” said fellow poet Alex Jacobs. He was also an incredible musician.
His family released a statement yesterday which reads in part: “His wishes are for people to celebrate life and love, pray and remember him in their own ways in their own communities.”
“With love for all.”
John said near the end of his life “I appreciate all of your expressions of concern and I appreciate all of your expressions of love. It has been like a fire to my heart. Thank you all for that fire. But please don’t worry about me . . .”
John Trudell’s life story was memorialized in the ballad of Johnny Lobo,
written and sung by Kris Kristofferson.
Click on this link for a listen.
Johnny Lobo
Once upon a dusty reservation
Somewhere in the land of sitting bull
Johnny Lobo played with fire and dreamed of open spaces
Locked inside a heaven gone to hell
All the dreams were gone but not forgotten
Murdered like the holy buffalo
But johnny lobo knew the rules and grew into a warrior
Fighting for his people and his soul
Oh…… johnny lobo
Oh…… johnny lobo
Loaded down with lessons that he carried
Home from Vietnam to Wounded Knee
Johnny lobo burned a flag he knew had been dishonored
Paid the price for thinking he was free
Someone set his house on fire, burned it to the ground
With his wife and children locked inside
Later when the bitter tears were falling to the ashes
Something good in johnny lobo died
Oh…… johnny lobo
Oh…… johnny lobo
In a darkened corner of a tavern
Burning down old memories again
Johnny lobo stares into the smoke and dream of clouds
Running like wild horses with the wind
Holy phoenix rising from the ashes
Into the circle of the sun
Johnny lobo’s warrior heart was burnished in the embers
And the battle’s just begun
Oh…… johnny lobo
Oh…… johnny lobo
Rest in peace John
through the luminary lens 
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing, Bruce. Thanks, too, for that Trudell quote: “We must step into the reality of natural rights because all of the natural world has a right to existence and we are only a small part of it.”
Sad to hear this Bruce. I’m pleased to have learnt about Johnny Lobo via your blog and the documentary, which was awesome. A one-in-a-million guy but, as you say, his light and spirit will live on.
Yes Roy. I thank you so much for your comments now, and on my earlier post about John in June…. I remember how moved you were by the Johnny Lobo song, and that helped to inspire me and include it here. Peace to you and all, Roy.
Thanks for sharing. I didn’t know about him, and might never have except for your blog.
Your welcome. You may not directly know about him, although you would probably know of important events of the 70’s that John Trudell was involved with – The 18 month occupation on Alcatraz by the Tribes of All Nations the Wounded Knee occupation. His music and poems are very powerful.
Good to know. I’m writing a book set in the 70s about the white spotted owl issue.
Saw a documentary about him and the Alcatraz Island protest. Was that you who posted that a while ago? Don’t know how many people are aware of his life and work. Sharing this on Facebook.
Hi Priscilla, Yes that was a post I did in about John – https://throughtheluminarylens.wordpress.com/2015/03/27/indigenous-wisdom-reality-moments-in-time/ The documentary is no longer accessible on U-tube. Thanks for the sharing on facebook…. good for people to know about John and his amazing spirit.