Cyndie M. Styles

Snakes in Paha Sapa Cyndie M. Styles

Black Hills, South Dakota, also known as Paha Sapa, got the name from the depth of their rich color. Their glorious beauty radiates for miles - beauty that was stolen from the Lakota nation. The loss of Paha Sapa to the Lakota people was the turning point in their heritage and their spiritual culture. After being confined to a reservation and following a lifetime of preventing the Whites from stealing resources from his sacred land by whatever means necessary, a 40 year old once-feared Lakota warrior begins a legal journey to reclaim Paha Sapa for his people. In his quest, he experiences new things for the first time, being thrust into a White man's way of life, as if seeing it through the eyes of a child. He enlists the help of a tribe member educated by the White man and a fiercely independent White woman rancher who restores his faith that he is not alone in his fight for his land, freedom and spirit. This independent woman discovers love for the first time in an aging Lakota warrior. She finds a new mission in life - to bring awareness to the theft of Paha Sapa. They begin a love story that becomes legendary. He fights next to her when her treacherous neighbor tries to steal her ranch, legacy, and her very life. Her ranchhands are misfits, who aren't accepted anywhere, other than working for a woman, which adds even more character to the story. This strong woman brings together nationalities from many heritages; White, Black, Mexican, Lakota and Cherokee to live and work under the same umbrella of unity.