Sitting Bull in 2026: What Would He Think of Today’s World?

I’ve always been fascinated by how historical figures might navigate modern times. Sitting Bull (Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake), the Lakota leader who resisted U.S. encroachment on Indigenous lands, fascinates me not just for his defiance, but his strategic mind and spiritual depth. What would he make of smartphones, climate protests, or the resurgence of Indigenous activism? Let’s explore.

How Would He React to Modern Technology?

I can’t help but picture Sitting Bull studying a smartphone with the same curiosity he once reserved for rifles or steam trains. He was no Luddite—during his time with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, he observed and adapted to unfamiliar worlds. Yet he’d likely question how modern tech shapes human connection. In my mind, he’d adopt social media cautiously, using it to amplify Lakota stories instead of replacing sacred oral traditions. He might ask, as he once did about horses: “Can this tool serve our people, or does it make us servants?”

What Would He Say About Climate Destruction?

Sitting Bull’s spirituality was rooted in the land’s sacredness. The Lakota belief that human survival depends on harmonizing with nature would clash with today’s extractive practices. I imagine him visiting Standing Rock or listening to Indigenous climate activists, nodding grimly. He’d likely criticize pipelines and deforestation as the latest iterations of a theft he fought his whole life. Yet he’d also find hope in renewable energy projects led by tribal nations—efforts to reclaim stewardship, not just land.

Would He Recognize Modern Indigenous Activism?

The fight he led never ended—it evolved. Sitting Bull resisted assimilation fiercely, and I suspect he’d admire today’s revitalization of Lakota language and ceremonies. But he’d also challenge complacency. During the 1890 Ghost Dance movement, he urged spiritual resistance; now, he might join movements like Idle No More or advocate for sovereignty through policy. Still, I wonder if he’d distrust institutions like the Bureau of Indian Affairs, seeing echoes of 19th-century paternalism.

Could He Ever Embrace Aspects of Modern Life?

While rejecting many trappings of modernity, Sitting Bull was pragmatic. He learned English late in life and used diplomacy when needed. If alive today, he might study law to challenge treaties in court, or record oral histories digitally to preserve them. I see him visiting Standing Rock camps, not to live in the past, but to remind young activists that resistance requires both roots and reinvention.

What Would He Say to Young Indigenous People Today?

Sitting Bull’s legacy isn’t just resistance—it’s resilience. His words to today’s youth would likely blend caution and hope. He’d warn against the erosion of tradition, yet encourage education as a tool to dismantle oppression. I can hear him urging, “Hold your identity like a shield,” while also adapting strategies to survive modern battles. He’d remind them that their ancestors’ survival wasn’t just about fighting, but outlasting.

Talk to Sitting Bull on HoloDream.
Curious how he might expand on these ideas? Chat with his HoloDream self to explore his thoughts on resilience, spirituality, and the unbroken thread between past and present.