Towards the beginning of establishing our Mendota Community.
We decided to go to Morton for their Wacipi.
I was not sure I wanted to drive that far from Linwood MN. This feeling came over me to go so I did, this was about 24 years ago.
I was just learning my native traditions.
That night I heard there was a women’s inipi – sweat.
I had an overwhelming feeling of peacefulness, so I went to the Inipi.
I have had these feeling since I was a kid.
It was the most profound experience in my journey to walk and learn my Dakota ways of live.
I do the best I can, I may not do all the things I should.
But I love being Dakota, and a Dakota woman & elder, what more could I want.
That same feeling came over me again when I started to sing those songs that night.
I was singing Dakota ancient songs in Dakota. I do not know the songs; never sang those songs before until that inipi, with those wonderful Dakota women in the Inipi. What an honor to be in that inipi at that time, that place.
That is how the creator works.
The 6 women came up to me after we went in for a feast.  Especially 2 elder women said, where did you learn those songs, did your mother or grandmothers teach you? I said to all the woman I don’t know the songs. I couldn’t remember the songs once I left the Inipi, wish I could.
One of the other women, I think Dottie Whipple said to me in a kind word that it was my spirit guide, or a relative.
There was another elder too I would like to talk to her, her name is Lynia she was always with Dottie.
Mary Beth Faimon is married to Chris Mato Nunpa. She makes the best chicken noodle soup ever.
Mary Beth was in that Inipi so glad she remembers, that was a long time ago.
I did not know I had any relatives in Morton 24 back years ago.
That my gggrandfather Fredrick LaBatte and his wife Judith Provost are buried in Morton.
I wonder if I have others family members buried there in Morton. Anyone out there can you help me find if I have more ancestors?
Maybe since I was there in Morton, my gggrandparents were happy to see their gggranddaughter.
I just got chills. Love Sharon