We left Rapid City for Wind Cave National Park late morning to walk the cave and then participate in a ceremony led by Mme S, one of the Grandmothers.

The truth is I’ve never even heard of the place. Honestly, I didn’t know of the Black Hills either, the most sacred site of them all for the Lakota. Specifically, Wind Cave is where people came from. Pretty big deal right? And then The Creator shrunk the entrance so we wouldn’t be able to return. Imagine what it feels like to have it turned into a revenue machine.

We were “granted” an hour of private time for the ceremony. It was beautiful and moving.

Tonight we’re staying at a large cabin in a gorgeous location outside Custer; again, wtf.

The bus continues to deliver. Not only have we found shelter from monumental lightening and rain, today we were saved from hale too. It’s great having it packed with everyone laughing and chatting during epic weather events.

This has been my first time witnessing an interpreter up close and personal. The fact is the interpreter is always in the middle of whatever is going on and faces the full emotions of both parties. Coupled with our species’ innate ability to not focus, a good interpreter is invaluable.

Of course there is the actual translating as well. I know from my limited Portuguese experience there are colloquial words and phrases which don’t simply become another language. Witness the online translators and their overall limited effectiveness.

Our interpreters are also up against the milieux given people themselves don’t necessarily (is typically more accurate?) communicate well in their native language in a familiar, comfortable and safe setting.

How to navigate aggression, bias and discomfort? I’ve joked with M O that he is making up this stuff to smooth over a situation.

The interpreter’s use of tone, gestures, facial expressions and posture are also critical to successfully conveying the message. These details make or break communication. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the infinite snapshots over the course of a conversation add up to plenty.

I’m told the work starts before the conversation and continues after. Before, so that the speaker and interpreter are on the same page and the gist, intentions gestalt are conveyed. It takes time to understand and respect each speaker’s lifetime of experience and assumptions. This education occurs over and over, day in and day out to better convey the macro and micro.

Afterwards, the interpreter regroups with the speaker to discuss how the message was received and how to keep improving. Cultural differences have to be accounted for and these follow up sessions provide the opportunity.

Don’t forget availability! Anything beyond minimal communication for food or drink requires our solo interpreter.

I am exceptionally impressed with M O and am very glad he is on the team.

I reviewed this section with M O and received excellent feedback. One interesting specific was using interpreter rather than translator. I looked up the definitions of each and the difference is significant.

I love watching kids run. Did you know fun and run rhythm? They are not constrained by heart rate percentages, efficiency or speed expectations, and the so called perfect stride has not yet clouded their objectives. Sure, it is about getting somewhere quicker. Equally so is having a good time. Did I say I love it?