Paulette High Elk

Paulette Rose High Elk, 64, of Thunderbutte, started her journey on the Wanagi Ochanku (Spirit Trail) Friday, November 13, 2020 at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls.

In compliance with the CRST Tribal Directives, private family services was held on Friday, November 20, 2020 at the Landmark, Eagle Butte. Burial will be in the AY High Elk Family Cemetery, Thunderbutte.

Paulette Rose High Elk was born June 30, 1956, at the Cheyenne River Old Agency. She was the second oldest child to Paul and Clara (Stricker) High Elk, who resided on Irish Creek in Thunder Butte, SD.   Paulette grew up around the Irish Creek area and at the High Elk Ranch. She comes from the Howozu/Oohenunpa/Itzipcho bands of the Lakota and is a member of the Wakinyan Khiza Thiyospaye (Fights the Thunder Clan).

She attended Dupree elementary school and then transferred to Cheyenne Eagle Butte School. In 1974, she married James L. Swan and 4 children were born to this marriage: Lynnea, Karlys, MJ and Miriam. The family resided in Minot. Here she attended the Northwest Bible College and earned an Associates in Secretarial Science in December 1980. When they moved to Watertown, she pursed her nursing degree. In 1985, she completed her education through Lake Area Vo-Tech, to become a Medical Assistant. The family moved to Eagle Butte, so she could continue her nursing education. She received her RN Associate Degree in 1989, at Presentation College. In both 2008 and 2009, she attended the Lakota Summer Institute which gave her college credit towards a degree in Lakota Language.

In her younger years, Paulette was a barrel racer. She was trained by her mother Clara, who was horsewoman herself and jockey along with Lila Red Bear-Hale. They started training at 6am every morning, riding and running the barrels. She used her sister Ruby’s horse Flame, then her brother Doug Dupris loaned her his horse, Brownie until she was given a Christmas present from Uncle Narcisse “Shorty” Stricker, a grey quarter horse - thoroughbred “Ace of Diamond”.

From 1985 to 1995 Paulette was a Community Health Provider for the Tribal Health Department. As the Tribal Diabetes Program Coordinator, she developed the program from ground up. In both 2005 and 2006, she worked with the Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairman’s Health Board as the Breast and Cervical Coordinator in Rapid City. She traveled across Indian Country educating and bringing awareness to the Lakota people about the importance of health, self-care and recognizing that these dangers run high with indigenous people.

Alongside her mother, Paulette became active in revitalizing our Lakota language. She was a Lakota language instructor at Cheyenne Eagle Butte Middle School from 1995 until 2004. During her time at C-EB, she developed a Curriculum with the other Lakota language teachers and coordinated the school’s annual Lakota language bowl and hand game tournament. In 2008, she became a Lakota language instructor for the Sioux Falls School District. There were three different high schools in this district. Despite the amount of miles she put in traveling across down every day, he initialized and coordinated the Lakota drum group. She also developed the Lakota Language bowl that is still being utilized in the Sioux Falls School District. After contacted by Lakota Nation Invitational board members, she organized the LNI Lakota Language Bowl as a means of engaging the youth and promoting Lakota cultural events. Later she incorporated the hand games tournament. For many years she was the organizer and enjoyed this time of year.  

Since 2013, she was the Lakota Language and Cultural Leader at Tiospaye Topa School. She was instrumental in reviving hand games and organizing the team. She ordered team hoodies and shoes and made ribbon skirts. They traveled to many competitions and started a trend because they all looked so nice. She organized cultural school events; hand games and pow wows. Most of the time funding wasn’t available but she had a way of making it happen. She spent countless hours, helping her students design, sew and bead their regalia. She lived a great distance from school, but she was dedicated and traveled through the winter storms to work because her students depended on her. She loved her students and would talk about all of them and tell what they were doing and have a bright smile.  

While employed at Tiospaye Topa she collaborated with her students to bring to life a family traditional oral story told by her mother, Clara. The book, “A Mother’s Love, The Story of Chinks” is published by the Keya Foundation and the illustrations were by drawn her students. The following statement is taken from the book, “Although Paulette has a degree in Nursing; she has dedicated over 25 years of her life to revitalizing the Lakota Language and Culture in our school systems. Whenever she is asked, why she doesn’t work as a nurse she always says, “There are a lot of nurses out there, but very few fluent Lakota speakers and I don’t want our language to die.”

She was the family historian, and everyone turned to her for guidance on culture etiquette and proper Lakota translation. She was called upon numerous to be the family spokesperson. Her yearly Christmas Eve Party was a hit because she went all out with festive decorations, appetizers and punch, Lakota Santa games and storytelling. She gave out gifts to everyone who attended and made sure the kids were not left out.

During her lifetime she not only raised her own children but helped her nieces and nephews. The boys called her Momma Paulette and she was there for all of their sporting events. She was very proud of her Lakota way of life and taught her children, grandchildren, and family to honor and preserve the Lakota language and traditions. She shared her knowledge freely and was eager to help you learn. She was a generous, kind and loving Lakota woman.

She enjoyed sewing, beading, making regalia, attending rodeos, horse races, Indian relays, and playing in the pool league. Her brother the late, James “Crackcorn” Elk Nation taught her how to play pool. She made it to SD State Tournaments three times. The first year, she beat the #1 woman’s player to win the tournament, after that she turned in a pool shark. Paulette loved watching the NBA but wouldn’t allow football to be played on her tv.  

Paulette lived a fulfilling 64 years, full of knowledge in the Lakota Language and Culture, her legacy and teachings will live on through her students and all those she mentored.

Paulette is survived by her companion, Maurice Hollow Horn of Red Scaffold; her son Manual James Swan II of Sioux Falls, daughters Lynnea Swan (Ben LaPointe), Karlys Swan (Bryan Bender), Miriam Swan and granddaughter she raised as her own Marquel Shepherd, granddaughters; Senior Airman Kaleb (Staff Sergeant Corey) McIntosh of Florida, Wicahpi Bison (Senior Airman Rudy Dyer), Aaron Rain Turns Plenty, Darrlyn & Ulyssa Holliday, Morliah Two Hearts, grandsons; Manual “Diamond” Swan III, Mahpiya Bison, Seaman Logan Bison, Chasten Turns Plenty, Clifton Holiday III, Logan Quilt, Theasus Holliday; hunka grandson, Riggan Mortenson; great granddaughters: Haidyn “Sweetie” Ryley Shepherd, Taidym “Tater” Ophelia Tait Shepherd, Ilya “Baby Princess” Kymm McIntosh; great grandsons: Tyan Mace McIntosh, Tracen Bison, and Tyler Bison; sisters - Mildred (Tommy) Carpenter of Lodge Grass, MT, Lois High Elk of Spearfish, SD, LaVae (Hermus) Red Horse of Bridger, SD and Codi High Elk of Thunder Butte, Carol Elk Nation (Tony Marshall) of Eagle Butte; Hunka sisters Consuelo (Jeff) Guillory of Lapwai, ID, Judy (Husky) Houston of Bread Springs, NM, Dr. Vicki Birkland of Dupree; Hunka brothers: John (Rita) Birkeland, Jake (Cindy) Longbrake, Henry Takes The Gun, George “Porgy” (Gloria) Old Elk of Crow Agency, MT; cousin brothers, Tony Stricker, Lyle Elk Nation, Fred, Dana (Wynema), and Kermit (Nancy) Dupris; cousin sisters: Barbara and Connie Dupris, Carol (Tom) Knight, Diana Pretty Weasel; nephews: Charles & Delano White Eagle, Todd Johns, Paul Garreaux, Justin Knife, Jalen Knife, JT Red Tomahawk, Charlie Marshall, CL (Marlene) Good Nature, Philip Nordvold & Skeets Dolphus, Kanaan Houston, Dr. Raphael (Gloria) Guillory, Dr. Justin (Sunni) Guillory, Jongary Old Elk, and Lyman Pretty Weasel; nieces: Rhea Tom, A’Reta Tom, Melissa & Tiara Carpenter, Ashley Elk Nation, Lorraine Good Nature, Donna & Rikki Red Legs, Tiffany (Darrell) Boyd, Lativia Houston, Dr. Veniece (Chris) Lacey, Lyndee Hill; Devonna, Dondra, Donna, and Terri Pretty Weasel; uncle: Floyd High Elk of Eagle Butte; aunts: Christine Blacksmith and Vistana Blacksmith of Oglala; Hunka children — Heather Lynn, Ariana, Trevor, Camielle & Francis Swan, Guadalupe Rafael Lara, and Curtis ThompsonJr.

She was preceded in death by her parents; Paul and Clara High Elk, brother Carlos Red Legs; sisters; Ruby Norvold, Alva, Della & Ruby Darlene Stricker; cousins; Elgin, Howard, Duane, Dean Stricker, James Elk Nation, Casey Dupris, Doug Dupris; nieces; Jayme & Terri White Eagle, Darla, Janet & Shelley Stricker, Mary Grass; nephews, Brady Paul Knife, Gerald White Eagle, Avery Red Legs, Kenny Fights The Thunder, Troy Eagle Chasing, Sr. granddaughters, Angel Rose and Laila Bird, and LaVae Marie Johns, hunka brother; Floyd Hand.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Paulette’s arrangements.