Weblog 10

After Dr. Campbell talked about some of the history of the Ghost Dance and of the pictures taken of Wounded Knee, I was interested to know more of the Ghost Dance movement. I did a little research and found a site on MSNBC.com where they have historical information of the Ghost Dance and they presented some of the ritual songs, specifically from the Sioux tribe, which we read about.

The following is a sequence of Sioux Ghost Dance Songs of Promise, Thanks and Fulfillment:

THE FATHER COMES SINGING
There is the father coming,
There is the father coming.
The father says this as he comes,
The father says this as he comes,
"You shall live," he says as he comes,
"You shall live," 'he says as he comes.

HE PROMISES REUNION
The father says so-Eyayó !
The father says so-Eyayó !
The father says so.
The father says so.
You shall see your grandfather-Eyayó !
You shall see your grandfather-Eyayó !
The father says so,
The father says so,
You shall see your kindred-Eyayó !
You shall see your kindred-Eyayó !
The father says so,
The father says so.

PEACE AND TRUTH WILL RETURN
My son, let me grasp your hand,
My son, let me grasp your hand,
Says the father,
Says the father.
You shall live,
You shall live,
Says the father,
Says the father.

I bring you a pipe,
I bring you a pipe,
Says the father,
Says the father.
By means of it you shall live,
By means of It you shall live,
Says the father,
Says the father.

MEN WILL LIVE AS THEY SHOULD
I love my children - Ye'ye' !
I love my children - Ye'ye'!
You shall grow to be a notion - Ye'ye'!
You shall grow to be a nation - Ye'ye'l
Says the father, says the father,
Haye'ye' Eyayo'yo'! Haye'ye' Eyayo'yo!

THE LAND VALL BE FRUITFUL AGAIN
This is to be my work - Yo'yoyo'!
This is to be my work- Yo'yoyo'!
All that grows upon the earth is mine - Yo'yoyo' !
All that grows upon the earth is mine - Yo'yoyo' !
Says the father - Yo'yoyo'!
Says the father - Yo'yoyo'!
Eya Yo'yoyo'!
Eya Yo'yoyo' !

MY GREAT GIFTS ARE LIFE AND PEACE
It is I who make these sacred things,
Says the father, says the father.
It is I who make the sacred shirt,
Says the father, Says the father.
It is I who made the pipe.
Says the father, says the father,

THE POWER OF THE FATHER IS AWESOME
You see what I can do - Ye'yeye'!
You see what I can do - Ye'yeye' !
You see them, you see them,
Ha'eye'ya heyeye! Ha'eye'ya he'yeye!

Songs of the Kiowa and Paiute tribes can also be found here:

http://www.msnbc.com/onair/msnbc/timeandagain/archive/wknee/ghostsongs.asp

The site also has newspaper articles and telegrams related to the Battle at Wounded Knee. I found it pretty interesting to see what was actually being said during the time period it was taking place rather than what is said about it today.

This is a description of Big Foot in death, in relation to the picture we’ve seen in class:

Carl Smith
Chicago Inter-Ocean
Jan. 7, 1891

“Big Foot lay in a sort of solitary dignity … He was dressed in fairly good civilian clothing, his head being tied up in a scarf. He had underwear of wool and his general appearance was that of a fairly prosperous personage. He was shot through and through, and if he ever knew what hurt him, appearances dissembled very much. A wandering photographer propped the old man up, and as he lay there defenseless his portrait was taken … He was however spared the customary adjuration to look pleasant.”

Some of what was written describing the Native Americans and the battle was absolutely horrendous, i.e. the “Indian problem.”

Orders to Colonel James. W. Forsyth By Command of General Nelson Miles
Dec. 28,1890

"Disarm the Indians. Take every precaution to prevent their escape. If they choose to fight, destroy them."

President Andrew Jackson
Annual message to Congress, Dec. 7, 1835

"All preceding experiments for improvement of the Indians have failed. It seems now to be an established fact that they cannot live in contact with a civilized community and prosper ... "

President Chester A. Arthur
First Annual message to Congress, Dec, 6, 1881

" … We have to deal with the appalling fact that though thousands of lives have been sacrificed and hundreds of millions of dollars expended in the attempt to solve the Indian problem, it has until within the past few years seemed scarcely nearer a solution than it was half a century ago. ... "

Not all of these documents show the “White Man’s” point of view.

Letter from Sitting Bull requesting pass to visit Pine Ridge, as dictated to nephew, Andrew Fox
Dec. 11,1890

To the Major in Indian Office

"I want to write a few lines to let you know something. I have had a meeting with my Indians today, and I am writing to tell you our thoughts.

God made both the white race and the Red race, and gave them minds and hearts to both. Then the white race gained a high place over the Indians. However, today our Father is helping us Indians — that is what we believe.

And so I think this way. I wish no one to come with guns or knives to interfere with my prayers. All we are doing is praying for life and to learn how to do good ...

When you visited my camp you gave me good words about our prayers, but then you took your good words back again. And so I will let you know something. I got to go to [Pine Ridge] Agency and know this Pray [take part in the dance]: so I let you know that ... I want answer back soon."

Lastly, some hallowing words about the aftermath.

The inscription of the Wounded Knee Monument at Fort Riley reads:

"To the soldiers who were killed in battle with Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee and Drexel Mission, South Dakota, December 29 and 30, 1890. Erected as a tribute of affection by their comrades of the Medical Department and Seventh Cavalry, U.S. Army, A.D. 1893."

In 1903, Joseph Horn Cloud, with help from friends and relatives, erected this monument at the site of the mass grave at Wounded Knee:

"Big Foot was a great Chief of the Sioux Indians. He often said I will stand in peace till my last day comes. He did many good and brave deeds for the white man and the Red Man. Many innocent women and children who knew no wrong died here."

More of these documents can be found here:

http://www.msnbc.com/onair/msnbc/timeandagain/archive/wknee/telegrams.asp

I think that most of us in class agreed that there is a degree of exploitation in the way that these pieces of history are sometimes portrayed and I found it helpful to examine actual evidence instead of someone’s potentially skewed or biased views on the topic.