Tashuga Saba (His Black Horse), our teacher, storyteller, timekeeper, historian, researcher, and cultural/spiritual leader left Makonaxdaga (Earth) to continue his spiritual journey on February 17, 2024.
Kenneth Edmond Ryan was born October 8, 1943, at Chicken Hill (Shiyo Baha). His parents were Thomas Ryan Jr. and Agnes Jackson Ryan. His sisters were Joy Ryan Payne, Cleo Ryan, Charity Ryan, Bernadine Ryan, and Beatrice Ryan. His grandparents were Thomas Ryan Sr. and Susie Baker Ryan. He was raised by his parents, grandparents, other family, and the community members of Shiyo Baha. He was raised to be Wadopana and Nakona. He was a proud member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine Tribes.
In 1969, Tashunga Saba met, fell in love, and married beautiful Sylvia Stanley from Rocky Boy, Montana. They met at the Rocky Boy pow wow and have been inseparable since. For the past fifty-five years, they have spent their lives together as best friends.
Tashunga Saba graduated from Wolf Point High School in 1962. He served in the United States Army from 1965-67. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Weber State University in 1975 and received a Master of Human Services from the University of Great Falls in 1998. In 1995, Tashunga Saba was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from the University of Montana. He was bestowed this degree for his work on the Assiniboine language orthography and curriculum.
Tashunga Saba devoted his life to serving Native American communities throughout the country. Over the years, he has worked for the Administration of Native Americans (ANA), Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Indian Health Service (IHS). In addition, Tashunga Saba has served the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, as an elected Tribal Council member and as Chairman of the Tribes from 1985-1987. In every work capacity, Tashunga Saba sought to ensure Native Americans had access and support for Federal, tribal, and state programs.
Tashunga Saba contributed to many great initiatives throughout his life. The outcomes of his work are evident in our community. Not only was Tashunga Saba a pipe carrier and lodge maker, but he was also at the forefront of establishing the Fort Peck Community College. He was the second Indigenous person to create an orthography for a heritage language. He authored twenty-three Assiniboine lessons. He worked to develop Native American language courses in Native spirituality, language, and culture. His final work was assisting his granddaughter, Mahu in creating Nakona University, which is an online Nakona I?abi (Assiniboine language) school for children and adults. Tashunga Saba was currently serving as the Vice-Chairperson since its establishment
in 2022. His life’s work was monumental. He was innovative and progressive. His work will live on forever.
Other life accomplishments include his work which led to bringing back the bones of our relatives from the Board school era. In 2013, Tashunga Saba accepted the Fort Peck Code Talkers Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the Fort Peck Tribes. In 1994, he was the Ceremonial Leader on behalf of the American Indian College Fund in Rome Italy. There he met the Pope and conducted a pipe ceremony. He conversed with world leaders. These are a few of Tashunga Saba’s life work. We have been blessed with a truly amazing human being.
Tashunga Saba is survived by his wife, Sylvia Ryan, his daughters Traci (Franklin) Caplette and Kimberly Ganade, granddaughter, Maia Henderson (Kyle Herrera), and grandson Trey (Ceyara) Henderson, and great-grandsons Julius Herrera, Trysten Henderson, and Colter Henderson. He is survived by his sister Joy Payne’s children who include Susie Symington and family, Carl Payne’s family, Cleo Payne MacDonald and family, Tom Payne’s family, John’s Payne family, Gloria Payne and family, and Faith Tallwhiteman and family. He is survived by his special granddaughter, Sylvia Long Knife, Sister in law Ethel Parker (Alfred) and her children Ivy (Ty) Watson and their children Taryn, Tia, Tyann, and Chase Watson, Darwin (Penny) Parker, Nolan(Michele) Parker, Thelma Nault (Tim) and their sons Daniel Nault (Jayde) Nault and their children Jessa, Jaiden, and Quint, and Timothy (Rikki) Nault Jr., and their daughters Tailin and Tivaya.
He is preceded in death by his son, Knu owada, his grandparents Tom Ryan Sr. and Susie Baker Ryan; parents, Tom Ryan Jr., and Agnes Ryan; sisters Joy Ryan Payne, Cleo Ryan, Charity Ryan, Bernadine Ryan, and Beatrice Ryan, nephews Carl Payne, John Payne, Tom Payne, his great grandson, Ryan Payne, brother-in-law Layton Payne, nephew Alfred J. Parker, Brother in laws Daniel Stanley, Ken Stanley, and Stephen Stanley and special friend Melvin Gopher.
Tashunga Saba relatives include all of his Medicine Lodge family and the Nakona Oyadebi from all across the world.
To All his extended families and close relatives and friends, we apologize if we have missed you in our acknowledgments
dagu ungichiyabi- We are all related.
“Mitugashi, you will live forever.”