FORT YATES, N.D. — Standing on a bison pelt, Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics was smudged with sacred grasses, presented with traditional quilts and eagle feathers, and given a Lakota name that means “Little Mountain” as he was welcomed Thursday into his mother’s Standing Rock Sioux tribe.
Irving and his sister, the model Asia Irving, visited the tribe’s reservation that straddles the North Dakota-South Dakota border for a daylong celebration recognizing their tribal heritage and support for the tribe’s long battle against the Dakota Access oil pipeline.
In front of a packed auditorium, they were honored with Lakota names during a ritual that a tribal spokeswoman, Danielle Finn, said “is a very special rite of passage for a Lakota person.”
Kyrie Irving’s Lakota name, Hela, is roughly pronounced HAY’-law and means “Little Mountain.” Asia Irving’s name, Tatanka Winyan, tuh-TONG’-kuh WEE’-yun means “Buffalo Woman.” Both are associated with their White Mountain family.
The Irvings’ late mother, Elizabeth Ann Larson, was a member of the tribe and lived on the reservation until her adoption at a young age. Their late grandmother and great-grandparents also have ties to the reservation.
The siblings were greeted by hordes of fans, many wearing green T-shirts with the Standing Rock Sioux seal, Kyrie Irving’s uniform number 11, and the words “Welcome Home Kyrie Irving.”
“It truly is a good day for Standing Rock,” tribal Chairman Mike Faith said, turning to the Irvings. “For you two, welcome home.”
Many in the crowd, including Char White Mountain, consider the siblings part of their family.
“We want him to know who his relatives are,” she said. “We definitely don’t want him to think we’re people using him for his money. He’s family.”
Jewel Felix, who considers Kyrie Irving her nephew, said she became emotional when she heard he was coming.
“I started crying,” she said. “I can’t believe it’s happening.”
The feeling appeared mutual.
“This is finally meeting my mom’s family in their home. …This is family for me now,” Kyrie Irving said, calling it “a very special day.”
Todd Giroux, a high school junior and point guard for the Standing Rock basketball team, said Irving became his hero when Irving gave him an autograph at a Celtics game against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis.
Giroux came to Thursday’s event wearing an Irving jersey.
“It’s amazing,” he said, adding “it makes it even cooler” that Irving in late 2016 expressed support on Twitter for tribal efforts to lead the battle against the pipeline, which opponents believe threatens the tribe’s Missouri River water supply.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
