Tue, Nov. 01, 2005

DORREEN YELLOW BIRD COLUMN: Nicknames come, don't always go
_http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/columnists/13048303.htm_
(http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/columnists/13048303.htm)

Tim Russert moderates the Sunday morning TV show, "Meet the Press." On
Sunday, it featured analysts David Broder, William Safire, Judy Woodruff and
David
Brooks. They discussed the investigation into the CIA leak case that brought
the indictment and resignation Friday of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, top aide
to Vice President Dick Cheney.
As I sat listening to these pundits, it occurred to me that "Scooter," one
of the top political figures in Washington, D.C., at least conceivably might
have run for election someday and become president.
Would we then have called him President "Scooter"?
In the discussions, no one seemed to stumble over that nickname, "Scooter."
Even the media calls him "Scooter," not Lewis. But when I think of "Scooter,"
I think of a 10-year-old with red hair and freckles who is likely to
skateboard down the street with a comic book in his back pocket.
Nicknames can be endearing titles - or not.
In reservation communities, there are some strange, funny and not-so-cute
names.
A friend from Turtle Mountain told me about these: Her father's nickname is
"Spoiled Egg" and yes, he answers to it. His wife is called "Auntie Egg." In
Belcourt, N.D., there are a lot of French-derivative names such as "Cha Boy."
A former judge is called "Tonto" and another, "Fat Man."
One of my nephews always has been "Boysie" Yellow Bird to me. The name was
given to him because he had exceptionally good eyesight. His uncles would take
him along on hunting trips because he could see the dark of rabbit eyes in
winter-white snow banks. He didn't need binoculars to point out deer from
great distances.
He likes that explanation - although, he notes, other relatives say he got
that name when he was born. A relative held him up naked in front of a room
full of onlookers, then said, "boy, (gesturing) see?"
One of my sister is named Gloria Jean. Nice name, but we've always called
her "Bouncy." My auntie Betty called her that because Gloria Jean was so
energetic and bounced along like a ball, Aunt Betty said.
An easy nickname belongs to my brother, Alan. His Indian name is Spring
Colt, so we called him "Pony." My younger brother, Grover Jr., is called
"Coolie." Why? Because my grandfather, my mother said, couldn't say Grover in
Sahnish
- so he called him "Kola," which means "friend" in Sioux. The name evolved
from that to Coolie.
My other brother's nickname was "Cookie," but I think that is a pretty
common nickname.
I have a friend from Parshall, N.D., who has tried hard to get people to
call her Ramona, a perfectly good name. But when I met her years ago, she was
called "Tinzy." And I still call her that, but I think I'm one of the last
people who does so.
Then there are people such as my sister, Gail, who never would speak to me
again if I gave out her childhood nickname - and I can't, because she also
knows mine and she is one of the very few who do.
I also have a sister named "Bissy." I have a friend in Standing Rock whose
nickname is "Busy." Her grandmother said she always was busy sweeping, dusting
and doing dishes.
In our area, we had a tribal chairman from Turtle Mountain whose nickname
was "Jiggers." No one seemed to know why. The past president of the Turtle
Mountain Community College is called "Carty" Monette. A former tribal chairman
from Spirit Lake was called "Skip." The former tribal chairman of the Fort
Berthold Reservation (and my ex-husband) was called "Eddy Boy" Lonefight.
Of course, adding "boy" or "girl" on to a name is common among tribal
people. I have a cousin-brother named "Sioux Boy." His grandfather said the
youngster looked like a Sioux friend of his, hence the name. Nobody calls him
anything but Sioux now.
Nicknames on many reservations stick with the person for life.
It is hard to believe that "Scooter's" nickname followed him to the White
House. I wondered why he didn't try to curb its use when he enter politics, but
I guess didn't really hurt is image - at least not as much as last week's
indictment did.
I know people with names such as "Poopie," "Boo Boo" and "Bubba." Those
names would have hurt a career in politics.
Thanks heavens my nickname (which shall remain secret, and this means you,
Gail) got dropped when I started elementary school.



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