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John Wayne King - Ponca
Tribe of
Oklahoma.
Raised in the Bois d’
Arc area near
Ponca City,
Oklahoma
Attended Chilocco
1954-56.
John met and later
married Reta Wesley.
They had 5 children and
have lost 3 of them as of 9/05.
One of the high points
in a pow-wow for children is that of the Indian Clown and this is what
he was in California.
He was also a Men's
straight dancer. This is one of most the respected group of male
dancers.
He helped form the
Elders organization at the
Urban
Inter-tribal
Center
in
Dallas,
Texas in 2000.
John now lives in
Mesquite
Texas.
He is a five year
survivor of stomach cancer.
He founded a non profit
organization 501C3 to purchase new coats and shoes for Native American
kids in the Metroplex of
Dallas
Texas
called Zhinga-Wee-Thay in 2002.
John, one year, bought coats for Ponca children in Ponca City regardless
of whether they were on
the roll or not.
He is retired and loves
to work outside and visit and talk to anyone that will listen.
Web
site link at the bottom.
PS. He is still living!
http://quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/bdk811/poncajohnamptexastweetyourlives/index.html
John King is a natural leader and is associated with his family of the
Gives Waters. This story I wrote about the afternoon he invited us to
that special family event they have each year: I changed John King's name
to John Gives Waters in this story: I video taped the event and many
people have viewed and enjoyed the beauty of that afternoon these years
later.
http://electricscotland.com/history/america/donna/william_clark.htm
I have great respect for John because I know how hard it is to become
successful in that great metropolis of Dallas even when a person is non
Indian much less, someone like John who has a strong Native American
presence. Not only did John succeed with his own business in that world
but he has gone on to live through the most difficult of times to battle
cancer. I hope you will go to his home page to share his joy in living.
He is, indeed, an inspiration.
John King had his
surgery yesterday and they took out 2 gall stones from his bile
duct the 1st one was 1 in long by 1/2 in around, the 2nd one was
a little smaller but not by much. He came through the surgery
like a champ, he is in a lot of pain in ICU as of last night
before we all left. They said it was best for him to be in ICU
so they can watch him better for the first 24-48 after surgery
because of his stints and pace maker. The Dr said that hopefully
this will take care of a lot of his problems, that we will have
to see. I will get an update later on, on how he is doing. Will
do my best to keep you updated.
John King was a
student at Chilocco the years I was there, 1955. He didn't
graduate at Chilocco but went into the service. Later he
graduated at Ponca City High School.
John was raised
by my cousin Jenny who was married to John's father, Funston
King.
His family's
burial plot is next to my family at the White Eagle cemetery so
we always had one time a year to catch up on visiting.
John was a
business man in Dallas, Texas, no small accomplishment for a
Native American man who had a heavy Ponca accent and strong
Ponca ways. Nevertheless, he had to be admired for his
achievements there.
I have a nice
video of the Gives Waters private camp grounds yearly ceremony
with John as the central figure. His lively bantar and ways of
joking with every day happenings has been caught on the short
most enjoyable tape.
He knew the old
ways and wound them in through his conversation. His calling
attention to the elders present in a loving, admiring way, yet
joking with them as if they were pillars of strength still, was
a classic example of how the leaders of the tribe once showed
respect for the older ones. Too bad, too bad, those ones are
leaving our time and space to create a void to find us with
fewer and fewer reminders of the "ways of peace," practiced by
the Ponca.
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