1937, Apr.12:
He was born at Leech Lake Reservation, Minnesota as a Ojibwa Indian (Anishinabe).

1942 (Age:5) - 1952 (15):
He had to be at Boarding Schools forcefully.

1954 (17) - 1957 (20):
He was in Air Force in Japan, lived with Machiko.

1957 (20) - 1966 (29):
He lived with Janette & children in Minneapolis.

1966 (29) - 1968 (31):
He was in jail and had his eyes open to Human Rights.

1968, July (31):
He co-founded the American Indian Movement (AIM) with George Mitchell & Clyde Bellecourt in Minneapolis.  Established it to protect the traditional ways of Indian people and to engage in legal cases protecting treaty rights of Natives, such as hunting and fishing, trapping, and wild rice farming.

1969 (32):
He met Henry Crow Dog of Lakota Sioux and learned the traditional Spirituality.  Also he met Russell Means (Lakota).

1969 (32) -1971(34):
He supported the occupation of Alcatraz Island.

1970 (33):
He supported the occupation of Mount Rushmore of Lee Brightman (Lakota).

1972 (34-35):
Mar, He led the demonstration against the murder of Raymond Yellow Thunder in Gordon, Nebraska.  AIM Song was born then.  He met Kamook Nichols.  Oct, He assisted in the organization of AIM's "Trail of Broken Treaties", a caravan across the U.S. to Washington D.C., and occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

1973, Feb-May (35-36):
He led a protest in Custer, South Dakota against the murder of Wesley Bad Heart Bull.  And led the occupation of Wounded Knee for 71 days, which received national attention.  He escape to Canada until May, surrendered in South Dakota.  As a result of his involvement, Banks and 300 others were arrested and faced trial.

1974 (37):
He cooperated with FBI for Patty Hearst Rescue.
Sep., He was acquitted of the Wounded Knee charges.

1975, July (38):
He was convicted about the riot at Custer.  Refusing the prison term, Banks went underground to California.

1976 (39) - 1983 (46):
He received amnesty in California by then Governor Jerry Brown, who refused to extradite him to South Dakota.  He also received financial support from actor Marlon Brando.
Banks earned an associate's degree and taught at DQU, a Native American-controlled institute, where he became the first American Indian chancellor.

1978 (40-41):
He organized "The Longest walk" (San Francisco – D.C.) and the first Sacred Run (The message of "Land, Life and Peace") from Davis to Los Angeles with Bill Wahpepah.  The Longest Walk defeated all Anti-Indian Bills.

1980 (42-43):
He organized "The Long for Survival" with Lee Brightman.  He has been supported by Katherine Cole for next 2 decades.

1983 (45):
Governor Brown left office, Banks received sanctuary from the Onondaga Nation in upstate New York.

1984 (46-47):
He left Onondaga to surrender to law enforcement officials in South Dakota and served 18 months in prison.

1985 (48):
When he was released, he worked as a drug and alcohol counselor on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

1986 (49):
He organized the Great Jim Thorpe Longest Run from New York to Los Angeles.  Which was 2nd Sacred Run.

1988 (51):
3rd Sacred Run with Ainu People (Onondaga-San Francisco, Hiroshima- Hokkaido in Japan). He received "Asahi Nonfiction Award" with Yuri Morita for "Sacred Soul" which was published in Japan.  Floyd Red Crow Westerman & Thomas Banyacya went too.

1989 (52):
The grave robbers in Uniontown, Kentucky were halted in their digging for artifacts in American Indian grave sites.  He was called in to organize the reburial ceremonies.  His activities resulted in Kentucky and Indiana passing strict legislation against grave desecration.

1990 (53):
4th Sacred Run (London- Moscow) He met Masaou Yamamoto, and had Live Painting Event with Seitaro Kuroda & Art Exhibition "Many Faces of Dennis Banks" at Gallery Piazza in Sausalito, Ca.

1991 (54):
5th Sacred Run (Vancouver - Mohawk in Quebec, Canada)
AIM Sundance in Pipe Stone, MN started.

1992 (55):
6th Sacred Run (Alaska – Santa Fe) The Sacred Run Foundation established in Kentucky with Alice Lambert.  Oct.,"Another 500 Years" Exhibition at Gallery Piazza.

1993 (56):
The musical release "Still Strong" with Narada Michael Walden, featuring Banks' original work as well as traditional Native American songs.
Banks went to Japan with Michael for the concerts in 1995.
7th Sacred Run (Australia & New Zealand)

1994 (57):
He led "Walk for Justice" for Leonard Peltier.

1995 (58):
8th Sacred Run(Hokkaido – Hiroshima in Japan)

1996 (59):
9th Sacred Run (LA – Atlanta) with Aveda.  Book "Wisdom of Wind" with Seitaro Kuroda was published.

1997 (60):
10th Sacred Run (England – Ireland)

1998 (61):
11th Sacred Run (Hokkaido – Kamakura – Okinawa)
With Okinawa & Ainu People.  He moved back to Leech Lake.

1999 (62):
He started harvesting the wild rice & maple syrup.  Also started teaching children the spirituality.

2000 (63):
Masaou Yamamoto & Piazza Staff visited him and started the natural food business in Leech Lake and export them to Japan.
12th Sacred Run (Australia)

2001 (64):
Dennis Banks & Co., Ltd was established with Masaou Yamamoto.
DBC participated in the food shows in Hong Kong, Paris & Tokyo next few years.  Sep.11, Preliminary event of "The Great Anishianbe Canoe Race (Yamamoto Cup)"

2002 (65):
Nowa Cumig Institute was established with friends.
1st Yamamoto Cup held in Leech Lake with Yamamoto, Clyde Bellecourt, Floyd Red Crow Westerman & Eddie Benton.
Open Dennis Banks' Grill in Tokyo, Japan.  1st Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.  Built the sweat lodge & Tee Pee at Eco Farm in Japan.

2003, (65-66):
Jan., He visited Cuba with Masaou Yamamoto.  May, American Indian Foods Event with Loretta Oden at Cafe632 in Tokyo.  July, 2nd Yamamoto Cup in Leech Lake.  2nd Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.

2004, May (67):
He joined the party of Sumida 55th Anniversary in Japan.  Book "Ojibwa Warrior" was published in U.S.  3rd Yamamoto Cup in Leech Lake.  3rd Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.  His eco story was on TV in Japan.

2005, May (68):
1st Mother Earth Tour.  Events were at Expo in Nagoya and at Café 632 in Tokyo with Shonosuke Okura, Clyde Bellecourt.  July, Visited at Wounded Knee & Pipe Stone with Floyd, Yamamoto & Saburo Hiwasaki.  Event was in Rapid City, SD.  4th Yamamoto Cup in Red Lake, Mn.  4th Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.

2006, Feb. - Apr. (68-69):
13thSacred Run (San Francisco - D.C.) Feb., Benefit Concert at Studio Z (San Francisco) with Floyd, Peter Coyote, Charlie Hill, Martha Redbone, Robby Romero, David Amram & SF Taiko Dojo.  5th Yamamoto Cup in Leech Lake.  2nd MET visited at Oneida, WI. & Sundance. Nov., Benefit Concert at Sweet Water (Mill Valley) with Floyd, Pete Sears, Pak Poe.  5th Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.

2007 (70):
3rd MET visited at NM, AZ,NV.  Benefit Concert in Sedona with Floyd, Keith Secola.  6th Yamamoto Cup in Leech Lake.  6th Yamamoto Cup Winnes' Trip to Japan.  Nov., Benefit Concertat Fillmore (San Francisco) with Kitaro, Kris Kristofferson, Wes Studi, Max Gail, Taj Mahal, Koichi Tamano, Peter Coyote.

2008, Feb.11 - July 11 (70-71):
"The Longest Walk 2" (San Franciso – D.C.) "All Life is Sacred, Save Mother Earth, Clean Up Mother Earth" July, D.C. Concert with Harry Belafonte, Daryl Hannah, Danny Glover, Bill Miller & Keith Secola, 4th MET visited at North West Coast.  Welcome Event was by Suquamish Tribe.  7th Yamamoto Cup in Leech Lake.  7th Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.

2009 (72):
5th MET visited at Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation& South in CA, NV.  8th Yamamoto Cup in White Earth with Winona LuDuke, Mn.  Aug., Event in Mill Valley with Kitaro, Mary Sano, Kirilo'la' & SF Taiko Dojo.  8th Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.  Nov., Event in Tokyo with Masaou Yamamoto & Reiko Koshikawa.

2010 (73):
Aug., 6th MET visited at South.  9th Yamamoto Cup in Minneapolis.  9th Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.  Oct., "One Thousand Drums Event" at COP10 in Nagoya with Kitaro, Publishing Party of "Ojibwa Warrior" & Screening of "A Good Day To Die" with Masaou Yamamoto & Reiko Koshikawa & Kirilo'la' in Tokyo.  Nov., "A Good Day To Die" received the Best Documentary Award at San Francisco American Indian Film Festival.

2011, Feb.14 - July (73-74):
8 Longest Walk 3 (Reversing Diabetes)
Aug. 7th MET visited at 6 Nations & New England.  10th Yamamoto Cup in Leech Lake with Screening of "Nowa Cumig/ The Drum Will Never Stop".  10th Yamamoto Cup Winners' Trip to Japan.  Oct., Screening Tour of "Nowa Cumig" in Japan.

2012 (75):
Apr., He had a 75 year old birthday party in Leech Lake, Aug., 8th MET will visit Northwest Coast & Plain Indian Lands.  Nov., He will visit Japan.

Edited by Takeo Koshikawa (Nowa Cumig Institute Advisor), May, 29, 2012

Domo Music Group To Release Groundbreaking Project, LET MOTHER EARTH SPEAK Featuring The Wisdom of Native American Activist DENNIS BANKS with Music by Grammy Award Winning KITARO - Debut Single, PEACE To Be Released on 9/11

Domo Music Group presents world-renowned Native American activist Dennis Banks as he joins forces with Golden-Globe and Grammy Award-Winning artist Kitaro in celebration of our Earth in this new CD, LET MOTHER EARTH SPEAK.  The project contains a message of international peace intertwined with stories and life lessons from Dennis Banks featuring the musical sensitivity and prowess of Kitaro.

With a focus on world and inner-peace, in "Let Mother Earth Speak", each song begins with thoughtful spoken words from Dennis with Kitaro providing the musical accompaniment.  Following Dennis' narrative, Native American drums and culturally correct instruments begin as Dennis sings a traditional Native American Indian song.  A new featured and beautiful composition, PEACE with music by Kitaro heads the inspired track listing and will be released with the entire album on September 11, 2012.

The unique mix of Kitaro's music with Native American instruments along with the insight of Dennis Banks makes Let Mother Earth Speak one of the most unique marriages of musical and spoken word driven projects of this or any year.  It's a journey we all should take and a message to which we all should carefully listen.