Indigenous Culture Worldwide

Co-Ho (Lame Man). Ute - 1873

Oglala Lakota Chief American Horse. Early 1900s.

Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Wise Spirit, Sioux Indians, Mandan, N.D. 1920. Photo by Lutz.

We need a big Aho! 💜🪶❤











Ten Little-Known Facts About

1. Founding Story: BMW, which stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, was founded in 1916 in Munich, Germany. The company originally built aircraft engines, later expanding into motorcycle production in the 1920s and eventually into cars in the 1930s.

2. The BMW Logo: The BMW logo, commonly known as the "roundel," features a black ring with blue and white quadrants. This design represents the company’s origins in aviation, symbolizing a spinning propeller against the sky.

3. Innovation Leader: BMW is at the forefront of automotive technology. It launched the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle, the BMW i3, in 2013, and continues to innovate with advanced driver assistance systems and hybrid technology.

4. Motorsport Excellence: BMW has a strong presence in motorsports, particularly in touring car and Formula 1 racing. The M division of BMW is known for producing high-performance variants of standard models, renowned for their engineering precision and dynamic driving experience.

5. Global Influence: BMW is a key player in the global automotive market, with a significant presence in various regions around the world.

6. Luxury and Innovation: BMW is synonymous with luxury and innovation, designing vehicles that blend cutting-edge technology with elegance and comfort.

7. Sustainability Efforts: BMW is committed to sustainability, incorporating eco-friendly materials and practices in its production processes. The company is also advancing electric mobility with models like the BMW i4 and iX.

8. International Manufacturing: BMW has production facilities spread across the globe, including in Germany, the United States, and China, ensuring a broad manufacturing footprint.

9. Brand Diversity: In addition to the BMW brand, the company also owns MINI and Rolls-Royce, catering to a wide range of automotive tastes and luxury preferences.

10. Cultural Significance: BMW vehicles frequently become cultural icons, representing a blend of innovation, luxury, and high performance in the automotive world.

In the frantic search for something that has meaning to life, we have a tendency to do a thing simply because everyone else is doing it. It becomes a "thing", a fad that must be done to keep on the inside circle. There's little originality, little thought, but a lot of following along in beaten paths. It is a mistaken idea to believe that all I see with my eyes and the limits of my thinking are the limits of my world. There is a tremendously interesting world out there never before investigated, and I am in individual like no one else. It is quite marvelous to break through the shell of the middling and to discover the ability to see and feel, and to hear more keenly. Suddenly, I can feel more kindly, not because of who I am on this earth, but because I'm a child of God. I can see more color, more light, more vision because I'm not being shown, I'm discovering. My world is no longer based on passing fancies, but on the lasting built slowly within me, with love.

"Everything is laid out for you. Your path is straight ahead of you. Sometimes it's invisible but it's there. You may not know where it's going, but still you have to follow that path. It's the path to the Creator. That's the only path there is." --Leon Shenandoah, ONONDAGA-- Everything on the earth has a purpose and a reason for its existence. Every human being is a warrior and every warrior has a song written in his/her heart and that song must be sung or the soul forever remains restless. This song is always about serving the Great Spirit and helping the people. This song is always sung for the people. Many times I need to learn much about the difficulties of life. I need to know this, so I must experience it. Then I can be of use to the people. Because I am experiencing difficulty does not mean I have left the path or that I have done something wrong. It means I'm doing the will of the Great Spirit during these times of testing. I need to pray constantly to keep a good attitude. Great Spirit, this I know - You will never leave me, only my doubting makes it seem like You do. This I know - Your love is always dependable, only my doubting makes it seem like You do. Today remove the doubts from my belief system and allow me to stand straight and see You with straight eyes.

It is good to keep the promises we make to ourselves to enjoy a peaceful hour. How long has it been? How long has it been since we walked on a grassy hillside and watched the shadows hover and move? Walking is good for the legs - but it does wonders for the soul. The autumn season is one of the best times to walk and think. There is a rhythm in the earth that rises into our feet when we walk. In it is the healing and it centers the soul so that the cares of the world cannot get in to destroy peace. And peace has so many side effects. It restores youth and gives perspective to a world-weary mind. ~ The Great Spirit made these mountains and rivers for us, and all this land. ~

"They also learned, and perhaps this was the most important thing, how to look at things through the eyes of the Higher Powers." --Fools Crow, LAKOTA– Our eyes can only see our beliefs. Our beliefs cause us to make assumptions, draw conclusions and cause confusion. Our five senses are very limiting. The Creator has a way of allowing us to see or know in the spiritual world. This is called the Sixth Sense. The Sixth Sense is like a radar system; our personal radar system. It will help us "see" opportunities and help us avoid disaster. This Sixth Sense is controlled by God. We must learn to listen to it. We must learn to trust it. We must learn to act on it even if our head says differently. We must learn to look at things through the eyes of God. My Creator, guide me today. If my eyes cause confusion, let me close them and see through Your eyes. If my ears hear confusion, let me listen to my heart. Let me let You guide me.

Eagles soar more surely than we walk - but even so we are eagles in spirit. Physical wings are not so important to us if we can free our spirits to soar. As a symbol of freedom, the eagle builds its nest higher than any other nests and its eyes have vision that can survey anything moving far below. It sets its wings to catch the wind and its flight is graceful and beautiful. Unlike us, it takes time to renew and restore - even its beak is renewed and its old feathers replaced with new ones. When we set our minds and spirits to do something, nothing can bring us down. But rest and renewal are necessary - and never just luxuries to be avoided. ~ I am here by the will of the Great Spirit, and by His will I am chief. ~

MONTANA WINTER, circa 1908. The solitary Crow tepee had leather thongs that secured the tepee poles for transport by horse. The Crow Indian Reservation, southeast of Billings (Montana), is home to 8,000 enrolled members.

Joseph K. Dixon, a former pastor, had worked in the camera department at the first Wanamaker department store. Dixon helped organize three expeditions for Rodman Wanamaker to draw attention to the plight of Native Americans and to help obtain their citizenship. PC users can click to enlarge/clarify this rare image. Text and digital restoration of photo by Gary Coffrin.