Retired voyageur, illegal whisky trader
and inadvertent founder of the City of St. Paul (first called Pig's
Eye Landing), Pierre Pig's Eye Parrant is back!
What Stories Does He Tell?
Pig’s Eye tells about his life in the fur trade, and the lives of James Aird and the two Grey Clouds in a lengthy narrative which Duke Addicks wrote down and has made available as part of this web page. This is the most complete account of the life of Pig’s Eye Parrant published and made available anywhere. (PDF)
After the narrative, Duke lists the sources he uses when he tells about the fur trade era, especially those sources that provide information about Pig’s Eye, who was quite a character.
The narrative is interesting reading, and may be duplicated if proper credit is given to Duke Addicks as noted on the beginning of the narrative.
Pig’s Eye himself is available to tell his stories, just contact Duke Addicks for details about his appearances. You can call Duke at 651-643-0622.
Duke plays his Great Highland Bagpipes
on the steps of Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Duke playing "Indian Blues" on
a Conch Shell Trumpet on stage at the Conference of the International
Native American Flute Association, August 2006, accompanied by Dr.
Michael De Maria on drums.
CEREMONIES, RITUALS, CELEBRATIONS,
MUSIC AND STORIES
Ceremonialist Addicks is available to conduct life-transition ceremonies, rituals and celebrations including: weddings, house blessings, anointing with holy oil and laying on of hands with prayers for healing, coming of age, celebration of pregnancy and parenthood, leave-taking, parting, loss of a loved one, retirement, recognition of becoming an elder, funerals and burials, and other rituals, ceremonies and celebrations. Ceremonialist Addicks is also available to perform ancient and traditional music from around the world on Native American Indian style flutes, concert bass guitar, and a variety of percussion instruments for weddings, funerals, burials, banquets, receptions and other events.
Addicks is available only in the greater Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, metropolitan area including the neighboring areas of Wisconsin. Addicks resides in on the border between Falcon Heights and St. Paul. For pricing (fees are usually a flat rate of $500 to conduct ceremonies and $400 for his elder tales and ghost story programs, and $400 for flute playing) and availability, contact
Addicks at 651-643-0622 or addicks.storyflute@gmail.com
Qualifications: Addicks received his Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and Juris Doctor in law degrees from the University of Minnesota and his Master of Arts in religious studies at the ecumenical United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. He has done post-graduate work in the anthropology of music, performance on ethnic instruments and ethnomusicology at Liberty University Baptist Seminary and Graduate School, and is currently studying Theology and the Arts at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. As a lay minister, Addicks has led worship services in many different Protestant denominations, including Lutheran (ELCA), Episcopalian and the United Church of Christ. He is authorized to conduct marriage ceremonies in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Although he has practiced law in Minnesota and before the United States Supreme Court for forty six years, Addicks does not provide legal services in connection with any of the ceremonies he conducts.
Addicks is a “living storytelling legend” also known as “Minnesota’s Master of Real Ghost Stories”.
For more about his True Ghost Stories and his Elder Tales, and other programs, see: DukeAddicksFluteplayer.
Duke Addicks leads a chapel service at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, in which he tells the story of "St. Dorothy and the Lawyers," plays African drum, Native American Indian style flute and steel Moyo drum. Enjoy! Direct link to YouTube
Duke Addicks playing Celtic/Indian
jazz while the Thunderdrum rests.
UPCOMING 2012 PROGRAMS
At the Stevens House, 4901 Minnehaha Avenue in Minnehaha Falls Park, Minneapolis, 612 827-0138
Saturday, June 16
The Forgotten War of 1812
The War of 1812 began on June 18, 1812 when the Americans declared war on the British. During this war the British burned the nation’s capital, Washington DC, and our National Anthem was composed. It was our Second War of the Revolution.
Sunday, June 24
The stories of two American Indian Women of Power:
Singing Bird, The Woman Behind the Blackhawk War, and Conch Girl and the Mammoth Hunters, as told by Duke Addicks.
Sunday, July 8
Massacres & Genocide: Getting a Perspective on the Dakota War of 1862.
The Dakota/Lakota War From Minnesota to Wounded Knee 1862 to 1890 as told by noted storyteller, Duke Addicks, who provides an in-depth, nuanced view of these important historical events you will not find anywhere else.
Highly recommended by Duke: Sunday, July 15
Natural Medicines Used by Early Settlers and Indians
Demonstration by Jerry Foley, Stevens House gardener and expert on the use of plants as medicines by early settlers and Indians. Come and have him show you how to make medicines from the ordinary plants found in our historic garden.
At the International Woodcarvers and Arts Festival, Lake Bronson State Park, Minnesota, 218-754-2200
Saturday, August 4th
9 am to 5 pm
Duke will stroll the festival grounds, playing his tunes on Highland smallpipes, native flutes, Irish end blown flutes, electric/acoustic bass guitar, steel drums and blues harmonicas. He will tell his tales and encourage attendees to tell him their stories about the history of the area.
Duke is especially interested in collecting any stories about the ghosts of the fur trade era in the Red River area.
The highlight of the evening will be a program called “Haunting Tunes and True Ghostly Red River Trail Tales.” This program is a combination of true Ghost Stories from this region collected, investigated and told by Duke, the “Minnesota Master of Real Ghost Stories.”
Duke has been a ghost hunter for over sixty years and is now a “living storytelling legend.” Duke will also play his haunting Metis music and other tunes from around the world on Native American Indian style flutes and other instruments.
Duke is a fur-trade era historian especially interested in the nearby Red River Ox-Cart Trail which ran from the Winnipeg area to the Metis colony at Pembina and on to the riverboat landing at St. Paul, Minnesota. The Ox-cart drivers were Metis men from the Pembina, which includes Lake Bronson. Duke comes as a recommended performer by the Outdoor Extra program of the Minnesota DNR.
At all these events Duke Addicks will be selling his GHOST STORIES CD
Who Haunts Here?
Duke Addicks’ True Personal and Mississippi River
GHOST STORIES For Adults and Older Children.
Suggested retail price $19.95.
Duke
tells true ghost stories selected from
the hundreds of hauntings by American
Indians, explorers, fur traders, pioneers
and the recently deceased that he has
investigated, and also tells about his
own encounters with ghosts.
In this set of two audio CDs, first released in September of 2009, Master Teller of Real Ghost Stories Duke Addicks tells about some of the hauntings he has experienced and investigated over the past sixty years in the Upper Mississippi River Region. Duke plays his thunder drum while telling some of the stories and also plays brief, haunting melodies on Native American flutes between stories.
“Duke
is without a doubt the Minnesota
Master of real ghost stories. He
makes the stories of ghosts seem
natural and believable.” - fellow
storyteller
Order from Duke at 651-643-0622 or Addicks.storyflute@gmail.com
Play his blend
of ancient melodies and modern jazz on native American style flutes,
and
Tell flute legends
and lore. The emphasis can range from just flute music, to flute
music with some tales between the tunes, or flute stories illustrated
by flute music. Click here for Duke's Flute Player Page, and
Watch
Eagles with Duke Wednesday
evening eagle watch at Keller
Lake Most
Wednesday evenings, June through
August, 2010.
One hour before sunset to sunset.
Watch
the Keller Lake eagles that nest
on the south side of Highway 36 and west of Highway 61 in Maplewood, Minn. directions
When bringing a group, contact Duke at 651-643-0622 beforehand to make
sure that he expects you and that his eyesight has returned.
Duke Addicks is a member of the International Native
American Flute Association, and was honored
to give a general session presentation /
performance of Native
American Flute Tales and Tunes at the International Native
American Flute Association's 2006 Annual
Conference in San Francisco.
Duke was once again honored to make a presentation
at the 2008 conference of the International
Native American Flute Association in Eau
Claire, Wis., July 9-11, 2008, on Playing
Celtic Tunes on the Native American Flute.
Duke's
Native American Indian Tales CD
AVAILABLE NOW !
THE
TWO EAGLE STORIES on the hour-long
CD are the following:
Burnt
Face (also called Scar
Face). Centuries ago this young
man followed an eagle and built
the solar observatory we call
the Wyoming Medicine Wheel.
Fawn.This
young woman, whose village was on
a tributary of the Minnesota River
at Kaksiza Sica, or Sica Hollow,
near Sissiton, South Dakota, survived
the Great Flood and married Big Eagle.
They are the ancestors of all of
the Dakota Indian people, perhaps
of us all. Pipestone is the flesh
turned to stone of those who died
in the flood. The Thunderbirds who
brought the flood waters are the
guardians of the Pipestone Quarry
in Minnesota.
Duke’s authentic Native American
Indian stories illustrate the spiritual background
and the mysterious gift of the flute. Duke
gives voice to his flutes with his unique
music — a blend of ancient Native American
Indian melodies, Celtic and other modal tunes
from many different cultures, and blues and
jazz. His breath enables the spirit that
lives within the flute to sing. More
Fur
Traders James Aird and Pig’s Eye Parrant tell the story of
The Two Grey Cloud Women
Two Mdewakanton Indian (Dakota Sioux) women,
mother (1765 to 1844) and
daughter (1793-1849),
both named Grey Cloud
Whose Lives Changed the Course of Upper Mississippi
River History (an island in the Mississippi bears
their name)
James Aird, portayed by Duke Addicks,
stands in the yard of Aird's 1770s house near Prairie du Chien,
Wisconsin. This is the oldest structure in Wisconsin still on its
original location.
Duke Addicks, portraying James Aird, tells
an audience of 200 people at Fort Crawford in Prairie du Chien,
Wisconsin, to not forget Zeb Pike.
Duke Addicks
portrays Scottish-born fur trader James Aird who tells
stories about his own Mississippi River adventures and those of his wife, Grey
Cloud; his brother-in-law, Chief Wabasha; his
protege Ramsey Crooks, who would eventually lead the American
Fur Company; his partner Robert Dickson, who led the Indians in their
efforts to keep the Upper Mississippi in British hands during the War
of 1812; his partner Murdoch Cameron, whose ghost may still haunt the
far shores; and his other partners, including Archibald Campbell, who
was killed in a duel due to an argument with Dickson.
Aird also tells the stories of Zebulon Montgomery
Pike and Lewis and Clark.
Duke tells the true
story of this extraordinary young hero of the Upper Mississippi.
At the same time Lewis and Clark were searching for the source
of the Missouri, Pike was sent to search for the source of
the Mississippi, to establish sites for forts in the Northwest
frontier and to establish peace between the American Indian
tribes. By the time he was made a brigadier general in 1813
at age 34, Pike had become a national hero and was so highly
regarded as a military leader and explorer in his own time
that, had he not met an untimely death, he likely would have
become our nations President.
THE
TWO EAGLE STORIES on the hour-long
CD are the following:
