"Lakota" begins with the meeting of Nebraska epic poet, John Neihardt, and the Lakota Holy Man, Black Elk, in South Dakota in 1931, of which would bring the famous book "Black Elk Speaks". A 'telling of a telling of a telling,' "Lakota" presents Black Elk's recollections to Neihardt of the Indian Wars Era (1860–1890), Red Cloud and the Fetterman Massacre, the Battle of Little Big Horn, the deaths of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, travels with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and the Massacre at Wounded Knee.