Day 13 (D-48) Lakotas / Wounded Knee / Chief Big Foot

The story of the Native Americans is long, complex and sad.  Not enough time here.  For those who would like the full story, I would suggest the book Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown (1970). I finally took time to read it this past summer.  The same story over and over again: wars, massacres, broken treaties, unkept promises, starvation, illness, cold, reservations, sadness, pride, desire to return to their homeland and death.

With so many tribes, it's difficult to remember everything.   We've taken a little look for now at the Cheyenne. At times they were allied with the Lakota and Arapaho, and at other times, enemies of the Lakota. The Lakota come from the Sioux Nation, along with many others.  I'm giving you here the three divisions and the different bands of Indians, if you are curious.  The information in red is what concerns this part of our trip: The Western division (Lakota) in the Black Hills.  

Great Plains Indians were called “Sioux” by French trappers who abbreviated a Chippewa term. The Chippewa were not allies of the Plains people, and the term “Sioux” translates to enemy or little snakes.

Oceti Sakowin  -Seven Council Fires- properly refers to the entire Great Plains tribal system. Within the Oceti Sakowin, there are three tribal divisions, and each division is comprised of bands, who all speak different and distinct dialects.

• Eastern division - Isanti/Santee (Dakota)
  Originally, called Isanti - or Knife Makers - they were also known as the Santee. The eastern division consists of four bands. Members of this division spoke the distinct Dakota dialect.
  1) Mdewankanton - Dwellers by the Sacred Lake
  2) Wahpekute - Shooters Among the Leaves
  3) Wahpetonwan - Dwellers Among the Leaves
  4) Sisitonwan or Sisseton - People of the Marsh




• Middle division - Ihanktown-Ihanktowana (Nakota)
  The smallest division, these Native Americans moved into eastern South Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The division consists of two bands. In addition to speaking the Nakota dialect, they are known as the Keepers of the Sacred Pipestone.
  1) Ihanktown (Lower Yanktonai or Hunkpatina) - End of the Camp Circle
  2) Ihanktowana (Upper Yanktonai) - Little End Village




• Western division - Tetonwan/Teton (Lakota)
  Made up of seven bands, the western division is the largest division. All members of these bands speak the Lakota dialect. Tetonwans - Dwellers on the Plains - traditionally occupied the area west of the Missouri River; later, they spread out and settled the sacred lands of the Paha Sapa - Black Hills.  
  1) Oglala - Scatter Their Own
  2) Sicangu/Brule’ - Burnt Thigh
  3) Mnicoujou - Planters by the River
  4) Hun’kpapa - Campers at the Horn
  5) Itazipo or Sans Arc - Without Bows
  6) Oohenumpa - Two Kettles
  7) Sihasapa - Blackfeet

After thousands of years of roaming their vast buffalo hunting land, the Lakota people were required to settle on eleven reservations - nine of which are in South Dakota that today make up the Great Sioux Nation.

This is becoming too long.  I don't like to give you too much to read. But I would like to point out on the map of South Dakota a place we won't be visiting, Wounded Knee.  The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation also called Pine Ridge Agency, is an Oglala Lakota Native American reservation. 
The massacre of Wounded Knee occurred on December 29, 1890. 150-300 Lakota were killed there.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wounded_Knee_Massacre

Spotted Elk (Chief Bigfoot) lies dead, frozen in the snow,

after the massacre of Wounded Knee

My best,

Jane

PS  (https://vimeo.com/112639971 the television film of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, made in 2007) _________________________________________

--over and over again = again and again

--unkept promises = you keep a promise (tenir une promesse)  keep -kept -kept -->  unkept

--starvation = to die from having no food to eat

--to roam = here, to travel purposefully not disturbed through a wide area

--required = it's an obligation

 --to settle = to make their homes