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Ed Defender (1953-1999)"Mannn! micopi yelo," he smiles "Ohhh my! The are calling to me" "Ha yeee! Ha yeee!" He says grateful they had been his family "mitakuyepi, ewaktunje kte sni yelo" "My relatives, I will not forget," he saysAdapted with permission"Her Homecoming" By Lydia Whirlwind Soldier, Rosebud, SDEd Defender, a Standing Rock Sioux artist, best known for his humorous watercolors, was born in Popular, Montana on March 15, 1953 to Veronica Afraid of Hawk and Daniel"Mike" Defender. Although the 1950s were a time of rapid change and when Indian cultures were greatly impacted by assimilation, Ed's early life was infused with Indian tradition, taught by his maternal great-grandmother, Louisa Spotted Bull and grandmother, Louis Shooting Bear who raised him on the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation in Montana. His grandmothers' teachings of his Indian tradition guided him throughout his life and remained ever present regardless of where he lived. Ed, like many of the Indian children born in the 50s, was sent to boarding schools for his education. He completed his elementary years at St. Joseph's Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota and high school at Flandreau Indian School in Flandreau, South Dakota. In his pursuit of refining his natural talent as an artist, Ed began his post-secondary education at Eastern Montana State University in Billings, Montana and later attended the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe. From 1988 to 1998 Ed resided in Albuquerque with his wife, Sue Harvey, and it was during this time that Ed realized his most prolific years as a watercolorist. Ed was a tall, friendly man with definite opinions and an obsessive love of felt top hats and old-fashioned derbies which distinguished him from the rest of his family of fellow artists at art shows and gallery openings. His imposing stature crowned by his favorite black top hat sat easily atop his braided head, twinkling black eyes, and beguiling smile all readied-waiting to tease one of his many friends or to make that final sale is a prominent image of Ed that many will long remember. It is also an image that reflected the cultural contradictions of Ed's life and which he was able to successfully communicate in his art with classic Indian humor and irony. His paintings reflected the stylistic origins of hide-painting, traditional story-telling qualities integrated with geometric patterns from parflech designs, beadwork and star quilts. His paintings titles,"Serving Fry Bread, Caviar, and Green Bologna","Bobbing for Fry Bread","Oh Lord, Won't You Buy Me A Mercedes-Benz","Polyester Pete Coming Home", and"Running Late For The Opera," chronicled the conflicts of being a full blooded Standing Rock Sioux Indian at the end of the 20th Century. Ed's gifts to the American Indian Art world have been recognized by numerous awards, including United Tribes Indian Art Expo, Bismarck, ND (1990-1995), Northern Plains Tribal Arts, Sioux Falls, SD (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996), and the Eiteljorg Indian Market, Indianapolis, IN (1994). Over 20 galleries from the east to the west coasts showed and represented Ed's watercolors as well. Ed will be remembered for his ever present generosity, his sense of humor, and his commitment to community service on the Atlati Second Circle Board and the NPTA Artists Advisory Committee. Ed died in Mobridge, South Dakota on August 27, 1999. Ed was buried on Friday, September 3rd, at the Catholic Church of Assumption Cemetery in Kenel, South Dakota next to his father. Survivors include one paternal half-sister, Bridgette Defender of Rapid City, SD; a maternal great-aunt, Vickie Spotted Bull-Azure of Ft. Rock, MT; his ex-wife, Sue Defender of Albuquerque; numerous nephews, nieces, and a world full of friends. Memorial donations are being provided by the Northern Plains Tribal Arts, Artists Advisory Committee, P.O. Box 1720, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-1720 for Ed's final resting place.
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