Delores Marion (Helper) Taken Alive was born September 29, 1933 at Kȟaŋǧí Ská Oyáŋke (White Crow Settlement) on the Pȟežúta Wakpá (Little Oak Creek), southwest of Little Eagle, SD to her parents, Wallace Black Fox/Helper and Julia Dog Eagle-Helper. Her Lakȟóta name was Hiŋháŋ Sná Wiŋ (Rattling Owl Woman). Delores was named by her Great-Grandmother Itéskala Wiŋ (Nellie Dog Eagle) who was a survivor of Wounded Knee. Being named by her Great-Grandmother was something she was very proud of.  Hiŋháŋ Sná Wiŋ grew up at Kȟaŋǧí Ská Oyáŋke with her Čhuwéku (Older Sister) Imogene and Suŋkáku (Younger Brother) William. Her and her brother and Sister all grew up speaking the Lakȟóta Language.  Growing up at Kȟaŋǧí Ská Oyáŋke without electricity and running water, they planted gardens, hauled water, rode horses, canned food, her and her  family went to Good Shepard Church every Sunday, her mother would bake often, and her family shared a root cellar with her Grandparents-Amos and Margaret Dog Eagle. As they would be going to sleep, her father Wallace would teach through and share many oral stories. She also enjoyed spending evenings with her Grandparents where she would also get to hear stories.

Hiŋháŋ Sná Wiŋ went to the Little Eagle School for 8 years riding the bus every day from Kȟaŋǧí Ská. After leaving Little Eagle School, she went to the St. Elizabeth Mission school in Wakpala, staying throughout the year and returning home in the Summers. Upon graduation she moved to the Black Hills to help her Čhuwéku (Older Sister) Imogene and Sič'éku (Brother-in-law) Peter while Peter was attending School. After returning home she married Walter Taken Alive. They were married in 1958 and had a son, Newton, who passed away shortly after birth. Delores and Walter then moved to attend the Cook Christian Training School in Phoenix, AZ. After this they moved back home to Running Antelope (Little Eagle), SD where they started working with horses and having cattle. Around this time, Hiŋháŋ Sná Wiŋ began working for the Standing Rock Head Start Program in Little Eagle, first as a Teacher's Aide, then as a Social Worker, and then as a Classroom Teacher. During the Summers her and Hiŋgnáku (her Husband) Walter would go to Grand Forks where he would teach Lakȟóta and where she pursued and would eventually complete her Bachelor's Degree in Teaching and Learning from the University of North Dakota. She worked for over 30 years for the Standing Rock Head Start Program until her retirement in the late 90's. "Uŋčí Dee" and "Lalá Walt" raised or helped raise many children. She always talked about her 3 sons- Hank (Taken Alive), Richard (Long Feather), and Charles (Black Fox) and her daughter- Gwen (Taken Alive). They would also "keep" many of their Grandchildren (and Great-Grandchildren and Great-Great-Grandchildren). At the time of her passing, she was "keeping" her Great-Great-Granddaughter, Kai'Lana. Her Great-Grandson CJ was also living with her. The love of her life, Walter, left this earth in 1989.  They were married for about 30 years. She chose not to remarry. Delores did not stay retired for very long after leaving Head Start in the late 90's. In 2003 she came out of retirement to teach the Lakȟóta Language at the McLaughlin School where she was known as "Uŋčí Dee." She taught at McLaughlin for 14 years. Teaching the Lakȟóta Language and being involved in Lakȟóta Language Revitalization was something she was deeply passionate about. She was viewed as an eloquent speaker and walking Dictionary by many often using words and phrases no longer in use by many speakers. She shared her language freely and gave to anyone wanting to learn, always encouraging others to continue never doubting the Revitalization of the Language and never doubting those who were trying to learn. She was always willing to translate, speak, listen, and help anyone at any time when it came to the Lakȟóta Language. She was always patient and kind with learners and teachers. During the Summers, she began attending the Lakota Summer Institute (LSI) at the Sitting Bull College where she would speak her language, help others learn, and teach the Language as well. She learned to write her language at LSI, something she was very proud of accomplishing and talked about often. Every Summer since its inception, she continued attending the Lakota Summer Institute which would become the Dakota Lakota Summer Institute (DLSI). In July of 2018, she was asked to do radio shows in Lakȟóta on KLND, the local radio station, which she happily agreed to. She continued this up until the time she got sick. One thing that was essential to Hiŋháŋ Sná Wiŋ was prayer and spirituality. She was a lifelong member of the Good Shepard Church at Kȟaŋǧí Oyáŋke, was active in the Wíŋyaŋ Omníčiye at St. Peter's Elizabeth Church in McLaughlin, and prayed and attended services in many different denominations and Faith's including services in the Bahá'í faith, Jehovah's Witnesses, Episcopalian Services, and Congregational Services. Along with her Christian Faith, she believed in the Lakȟóta Ways of prayer. Around 1984 she began attending Sundance at Sitting Bull Camp with her Brother (1 ^st Cousin) Isaac Dog Eagle, Jr. and her sister Imogene and many others. She continued praying at Sitting Bull Camp until around 2015 and then began attending the Aóhomni Nakípȟa (Run-Around Butte) Sundance in 2018 where she stayed until her passing. She enjoyed camping at Sundances (and Wačhípis)-never wanting to leave. She loved and cherished the Lakȟóta Ways and had deep respect and affinity for them.

Delores enjoyed cooking for others and fed many people throughout her life, something her Great-Grandmother Itéskala Wiŋ (Nellie Dog Eagle) told her she would do when she was 5, she loved speaking the language and sharing stories, loved to make and sew quilts, she enjoyed playing bingo, watching Basketball especially when her Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren and Great-Great-Grandchildren played even traveling to many away games, she also enjoyed going to Wačhípis watching her Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren dance. On her last day, she told her Son Hank to let all her Grandchildren (and Great-Children and Great-Great-Grandchildren) know that she loved them.

Delores, Hiŋháŋ Sná Wiŋ, was proceeded in death by her Parents Wallace and Julia Helper, Čhiŋhíŋtku (Son) Newton Taken Alive, Hiŋgnáku (Husband) Walter Taken Alive, Čhuwéku (Older Sister) Imogene Taken Alive, Suŋkáku (Younger Brother) William (Bill) Helper, Grandsons Larry Taken Alive, Tyler Taken Alive, Taylor Helper, Tyler Helper, Corey Yellow Earrings,and Granddaughters Deidre Maȟpíya Máza, Amy Lee Talks, Michelle Wawókiya, and Ellen Taken Alive.

She is survived by her Sons-Hank (Donna) Taken Alive and family, Richard (Virginia) Long Feather and family, Charles (Tammy) Black Fox and family, her Daughter Gwen (John) Taken Alive, Great-Granddaughter Saxon (Preston) Vossler and children-Kai'Lana, a'Keivah, Warren and Lily, Great-Grandson Chance (Chastity) Harrison and children- Josiah Walter Newton, Chastan Christopher Navien, and William Joe George, Great-Grandson CJ Harrison, and many other countless relatives.

Chance Harrison, Gilbert Kills Pretty Enemy III, Cyril Chuck Archambault, Lawrence Archambault, Ty Taken Alive, Ray Taken Alive

Honorary Pallbearers:

Valerie Bobtail Bear-Archambault, Elizabeth Brugier, Kristen Bringe, Karen Pulkrabek, Veronica Iron Thunder, KLND Radio, Standing Rock Language and Culture Institute, McLaughlin School, Standing Rock Head Start Programs-Running Antelope and Bear Soldier, Bear Soldier District and Security Staff, Avera St. Luke's Staff, Lakȟól'iyapi Wahóȟpi/Wičhákini Owáyawa Immersion Nest, Sitting Bull College, Dakota Lakota Summer Institute, Lakota Summer Institute, Lakota Language Consortium, Jan Ulrich, Standing Rock Nutrition for the Elderly Program, Wolakota Project, Cleo and Husband, Rocky and Alge Matho, Episcopal Lay Readers and Clergy, Bahá'í Faith, Jehovah's Witnesss, Congregational Church, Kȟaŋǧí Ská Oyáŋke Thiyóšpaye, Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake Wiwáŋyaŋg Wačhípi Thiyóšpaye, Aóhomni Nakípȟa Wiwáŋyaŋg Wačhípi Thiyóšpaye and countless others.

Uŋčí received this song in a dream she said. She called it her "lamenting song."

Lak ȟ óta ki ŋ blihéi č 'iya. Lak ȟ óta ki ŋ blihéi č 'iyapi. Ep ȟ é ki ŋ óta ye. Mníwak ȟ á ŋ na mnišála ki ŋ u ŋ the ȟ íya u ŋ k'ú ŋ pe.  Mníwak ȟ á ŋ ki ŋ u ŋ onúniyata u ŋ k'ú ŋ pe. Mnišála ki ŋ u ŋ oíyokšilya naú ŋ ži ŋ pe. Lak ȟ óta ki ŋ blihéi č 'iya. Lak ȟ óta ki ŋ blihéi č 'iyapi. Ep ȟ é ki ŋ óta ye. Wó č hekiye na wóu ŋ spe henáu ŋ s lá ye. Wó č hekiya na wóu ŋ spe henáu ŋ s lá ye. Wó č hekiye ki ŋ u ŋ t ȟ okátakiya ta ŋ yá ŋ u ŋ k'ú ŋ pi kte. Wóu ŋ spe ki ŋ u ŋ Lak ȟ óta ki ŋ há ŋ ta ŋ yá ŋ yaú ŋ pi kte. Lak ȟ óta ki ŋ blihéi č 'iya. Lak ȟ óta ki ŋ blihéi č 'iyapi.  Ep ȟ é ki ŋ óta ye.

Take courage Lakota (people), Take courage Lakota (people), I have much to say, we are suffering with Alcohol and Wine, We are lost because of Alcohol, We are sad/hurting because of wine, take courage Lakota (people), take courage Lakota (people), I have much to say, With prayers and teachings you are going forward, With prayers and teachings you are going forward, With prayers we will move forward in a good way, With teachings Lakota (people) you all will live well, take courage Lakota (people), take courage Lakota (people), I have much to say.