BIOGRAPHY OF A MODERN NATIVE AMERICAN

Ken Laffoon is a man of many hats. He is an auctioneer colonel, a musician, a photographer, a nationally renown hairdresser and makeup artist working in both the U.S. and Canada. He is an ordained minister and rendezvous chaplain, as well as a missionary in several states in the U.S. He has flown Sesno airplanes and raced horses and even done some rodeo performances. He is an antique dealer, a Native American art collector and consultant, a history buff and enjoys museums in many states. He founded the first horseback riding program for physically challenged children in Southeast Missouri. He was founding board member of SEMO Mental Health Association and an advisory board member for Doctor’s Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri but in the rendezvous circle and among Native Americans he teaches, he is known as “Spirit Wolf”, a tribal name given to him by the Lakota Sioux tribe. Ken is also Cheyenne, some Cherokee, Irish and French. He was born in St. Joe, Missouri and attended high school in Poplar Bluff. Currently, he resides near Buffalo, Missouri.

When Ken was 12 years old, he was given his first Native American courting flute. He carries flutes on his person and uses them for opportunity to witness to others. He plays gospel music on the flutes with a Native American sound.

According to Ken, only 5% of Native Americans are Christian because they have never had the opportunity to know Christianity. Spirit Wolf says he developed a heart for Native Americans due to that statistic alone but also because of a high suicide rate among the youth, poverty, hunger and disease rates and states he does not understand why children are going hungry in our country today and would like to be a part of the solution. People in some United States poverty areas still do not have running water, outhouses or heat for harsh Winters.

Ken is not only an advocate for Native Americans but for religious rights as well.

Recently, he was invited by a friend in Fredericktown to visit Silver Mines and there a photography and videography session was done while Ken was playing the Native American flutes. He dressed in full Native American regalia during the performance. His regalia includes a flute bag housing several Native American courting flutes which he plays gospel music on. Once the photographer/videographer was satisfied, a DVD was made which is available to the public. If you would like more information about Spirit Wolf attending your school for a Native American lecture or church to give his testimony, please write to kenlaffoon@yahoo.com.