Open Letter From Rikki Lee Travolta

Dear Friends,

In the Native American culture, the tradition was to earn ones name based upon ones character and actions. As explained in the writings of Chief Simon Pokagon on file in the University of Virginia Library regarding the corruption of the Native American naming process through forced integration into Christian society, traditionally names were not stagnant, they were custom made for each individual. The Names of the Native American, he wrote, were typically descriptive of an act accomplished by the person or a definitive characteristic.

Sadly this custom, at least officially, has been lost in many senses due to the Big Brother need to over-govermentalize by using Social Security, Selective Service, Credit Bureaus and other modes of tracking that reduce people to numbers and letters and not personas and spirit.

Although I am probably most recognized for my predominant Italian-American heritage, I am also one-quarter Nez Perce American Indian. Sometimes I wonder what my tribal name would be if my family practiced the old tradition of earning ones name based on their actions.

• Would I have a warrior's name for the small acts of bravery that perhaps some might think I have shown in life?
  
• Would I have a jester's name for the many blunders that have pebbled my years?
  
• Would I have a name reflective of my career? Something like "Dances with Pelvis."

The interesting thing is, though, that I do wear pajamas when I don't sleep.

As much as I enjoy shocking the world with my overly-familiar morning embrace, I equally enjoy buying the most gaudy pajama pants possible and wearing them out-and-about in every day life. People call them my "Crazy Pants."

I wear Crazy Pants to the Post Office and the grocery store, on dates, to the theater, in clubs…just about anywhere but in bed. The louder the pajamas are, the better.

I have "Superman" pajamas (and you thought Underoos were just for kids). I have "Charmin – Big Squeeze" pajamas (you can write your own punch line there – I have thick skin). I even have "Bye Bye Birdie – One Last Kiss" pajamas, complete with lipstick prints.

Plain and simple, I wear Crazy Pants. When I have a family of my own, we'll probably be known as the Crazy Pants Family (it's now suddenly clear why I've never been married, isn't it?).

So, there you have it. It could well be that if my family still practiced the traditions of tribal naming I would be "Crazy Pants" Travolta. Then again, maybe that's exactly why we don't practice the custom anymore.

Thank you to for sharing in my sense of humor with me. Life is too short to take too seriously.

You not only make my career possible, you make my life fun.

Peace Love Trust

rikki lee travolta

Review other RLT commentary

It's All Relative
Stand Against Racism
Writing About Life
Crazy Pants Travolta
Gregory Hines
Everwood
Book Excerpt: Bus Fare
Learning to Stand
A Time of War
Country Charm
Talking Frankly About Family (& Christmas)
My Fractured Life
Forever Love
Good and Evil
Man Behind the Wheel
The Little Engine that Could: A Memorial
Perceptions of Perfection
Personal Decisions
Responsibility in Communication
You Done Good
Duality of Man
Evolution of a Hero
Reason to Quit - Stop Smoking
Beware of Stalkers
Dare to Dream
Do The Right Thing
Dealing with Abuse
Mother's Day
Right to Choose
Support the Cause
Just Try
Virtue of One
Martin Luther King Jr
Free Form Jazz
Creating the News
Great Expectations
Story of a Life
Acting 101
Why I Cried
Personal Values vs. Monetary Value
Broken Hearts
Dignity over Jealousy
Community Responsibility
Life, Honesty, and Integrity
Drug Withdrawal
Christmas Spirit
Rikki Lee Travolta's debut album!

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