BUS STORY # 93 (Dependable Hickory Strongheart, Part 1)

Back in February, I wrote about another rider’s story about participating in the peyote ceremonies of the Native American Church. That story included a reference to someone with the remarkable name of Dependable Hickory Strongheart.

He tells me there’s a “white guy” from Santa Fe that’s been coming to the ceremonies. Of course, I think to myself, of course he’s from Santa Fe. Apparently he wants to film a documentary about the ceremony, but he’s been told it won’t make any sense to him unless he understands it from the inside first. So he’s coming to the ceremonies without his camera.

“His name is Dependable Hickory Strongheart.”

“That’s quite a name for a white guy,” I reply. I say the name over and over because I want to remember it long enough to write it down when I get the opportunity.

“He got that name when he made a walking stick and the wood was no good, so he made another one out of hickory.” And then he adds, “It’s on his birth certificate, too.”

I will also google that name after my peyote harvest search and come up blank.

BUS STORY # 81, Part 2

A couple of weeks later, I received an anonymous comment on the blog.

So here's something random. I'm sitting here wasting time googling people from years ago. In 1987 I worked in a toy store in Santa Fe and remember a young brother and sister that used to come in a hang out. I'll never forget their names: Dependable Hickory Strongheart and his sister, Hallelujah Misty Mountain Strongheart (Lu Lu for short) Really unique kids, I always wondered where they ended up. BTW, I'm not buying the story of how he got his name. He had it when he was a kid. I think there were other sibs too. Wonder what their names were.
Peace,

I had my own doubts, not only about the origin of the name (especially in light of my co-rider’s addendum to his story, “It’s on his birth certificate, too”), but also about the existence of the person so-named himself.

Even more amazing than the confirmation is the fact it happened at all. What are the odds, I wonder, that someone would sit down and google “Dependable Hickory Strongheart?” Or that anonymous would wait until after I posted my story before googling? What if he (or she) hadn’t taken the time to post his (or her) comment? I’d still be treating New Mexico’s Dependable Hickory Strongheart like Arkansas’ Ivory-billed Woodpecker or California’s Big Foot.

Anonymous’ comment is like the tip of some fantastic iceberg. Which is why this story is Part 1. I sense there is more to come. Not that I plan to go stalking, just that I have my radar set because the story of Dependable Hickory Strongheart, like the truth, is out there.

Thank you, anonymous. Thank you very much.

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Thanks to JM in Brooklyn for this week's This Week In feature.