Shooting Star of the Koda Nation, Indian Guides

[Dane]

My bro is scanning old family photos, and came upon these. They date from 1969 or so. My dad and brother were in the Indian Guides, and it was a great experience. If I had boys, I'd want them to take part in the program. These pics bring back a lot of memories. My parents even made a lodge, since dad was the chief and we needed proper housing It was made of canvas, with bamboo lodge poles. Not exactly an accurate replica of a plains lodge, it was still very cool. My old first grade teacher, who I've remained friends with since before I was in her class, still uses the tipi for her Thanksgiving program! It still looks good to this day. 

Dad was the chief, so I got to be a chief's son instead of a mere brave. Hence, my brother and I got to wear the war bonnet instead of the lousy single feather.  See how serious Indians are? You are never allowed to smile

My name was Shooting Star of the Chocktalk tribe of the Koda Nation. Our Y was in North Hollywood, and I recall some of the meetings, pinewood derby races, the tribal drum, model rocket meets, etc. The best part of the meetings was the final prayer, where you got to pantomime shooting an arrow into the sky. We boys of course slaughtered each other, dying bravely.

I wonder if being in the Indian Guides is part of why I have gravitated to bow making, primitive skills, etc?

The second picture was taken at some tribal campout, somewhere in Southern California. I'm the little troll looking kid in the orange shirt in the second row, toward the left side of the photo. The guy I'm sitting in the lap of is my godfather Pat. He is dead now, and I miss him and his family. the kid in the front row in the gray sweat shirt is Kevin, one of Pat's sons, and my best friend at the time.

Just a bit of trivia. He isnt visible in the photo, but one of the dads in our tribe was Dick Wilson. You probably know him as Mr. Whipple. Mr. Wilson was a fantastic guy, and his son Stewart was one of the braves.

Sorry about the trip down memory lane. I'm lucky in that I had a dad who did things with me and my brother like the Indian Guides, hiking, fishing, music lessons, all of it.

Dane

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[DanaM]

Freakin awesome Dane, your one lucky little Indian eh And ya knew Mr. Whipple of Charmin fame
Cool pics Dane memory lane id a one way street unless you share it and thanks fer sharing eh

[ricktrojanowski]

Very cool Dane.  I love your description of you in the second pic.

[Dane]

Thanks, Rick. My ears stick out, so I look a little goofy. I grew up to be a handsome devil the women all swoon over, the men admire, and the dogs howl at, though.

Thanks, Dana! Yeah, I knew Mr. Whipple. We used to go to his house to visit, he'd come over, etc. He lived two blocks from me. My neighborhood was full of television actors. Ken Berry lived about a block from me, on Valley Spring Place. Dick Goutier (spelling? was a neighbor, and always wore totally cool costumes when we would trick-or-treat. Darleen Carr was a neighbor, and the little girl in My Three Sons, Dawn Lyn, was a classmate in the first grade. I also was classmates with the daughter of Robert Blake, and he lived about a mile from me. Actually, my family used to go the Italian restaurant he was accused of killed his wife in the parking lot of, Vitellos, I think it was called. Still there. They guy who played Pa's best friend on Little House on the Prairie was also a neighbor.

I guess I came very close to being in that industry too. My mom recalls a talent scout who approached her in the supermarket, but she turned him down. So, I could-a been a contender, or at least sold cheesburgers and soap on TV. Here is one other shot of me, when I was around five. Ain't I adorable? I should have been in the talkies, or at least vaudeville.

BTW, I'm the short chief in the red war bonnet in the first photo.

Shooting Star.





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