The Lakota Ghost Dance of 1890

462 Pages·2008·2.71 MB·English

by  Rani-Henrik Andersson

The Lakota Ghost Dance of 1890

The Lakota Ghost Dance of 1890
Rani-Henrik Andersson
University of Nebraska Press Lincoln & London
© (cid:17)(cid:15)(cid:15)(cid:23) by the Board of Regents
of the University of Nebraska
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the
United States of America
∞
Library of Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Andersson, Rani-Henrik.
The Lakota ghost dance of (cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:24)(cid:15) / Rani-Henrik Andersson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
(cid:62)(cid:72)(cid:55)(cid:67) (cid:24)(cid:22)(cid:23)(cid:12)(cid:15)(cid:12)(cid:23)(cid:15)(cid:18)(cid:17)(cid:12)(cid:16)(cid:15)(cid:22)(cid:18)(cid:12)(cid:23) (cloth: alk. paper)
(cid:16). Ghost dance—South Dakota.
(cid:17). Teton Indians—Rites and ceremonies.
(cid:18). Teton Indians—Government relations. I. Title.
(cid:58)(cid:24)(cid:24)(cid:13)(cid:73)(cid:18)(cid:19)(cid:54)(cid:21)(cid:18)(cid:0)(cid:17)(cid:15)(cid:15)(cid:23)
(cid:17)(cid:24)(cid:24)(cid:13)(cid:22)'(cid:24)(cid:23)(cid:15)(cid:24)(cid:15)(cid:18)(cid:19)—dc(cid:17)(cid:17)
(cid:17)(cid:15)(cid:15)(cid:23)(cid:15)(cid:16)(cid:20)(cid:23)(cid:18)(cid:23)
Set in Dante.
The man had died and yet he had not died,
And he had talked with God, and all the dead
Were coming with the whirlwind at their head,
And there would be new earth and heaven!
(cid:63)(cid:68)(cid:61)(cid:67)(cid:0)(cid:60)(cid:13)(cid:0)(cid:67)(cid:58)(cid:62)(cid:61)(cid:54)(cid:71)(cid:57)(cid:73)(cid:11)(cid:0)
“The Song of the Messiah,” in A Cycle of the West

contents
List of Illustrations ..................................................viii
Preface .............................................................ix
Acknowledgments ...................................................xix
Introduction ..........................................................(cid:12)
(cid:16). Wanáǧvi Wachípi kį ...................................................(cid:14)(cid:12)
(cid:17). The Indian Agents and the Lakota Ghost Dance ...........................(cid:12)(cid:11)(cid:11)
(cid:18). “To Protect and Suppress Trouble”: The Army Responds ................... (cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:19)
(cid:19)(cid:13) Missionary Views on the Lakota Ghost Dance ............................(cid:12)(cid:17)(cid:13)
(cid:20). “In an Atmosphere Pregnant with Mysteries”: Press Coverage of
the Ghost Dance ....................................................(cid:12)(cid:20)(cid:13)
(cid:21). The U.S. Congress and the Ghost Dance ................................. (cid:13)(cid:16)(cid:12)
Conclusion: Toward “a Great Story” of the Lakota Ghost Dance ............. (cid:13)(cid:18)(cid:12)
Appendix (cid:16). A Chronology of Events During the Lakota Ghost Dance Period .. (cid:14)(cid:11)(cid:12)
Appendix (cid:17). Phonetic Key to the Lakota Language ........................ (cid:14)(cid:11)(cid:16)
Appendix (cid:18). The Messiah Letters .......................................(cid:14)(cid:11)(cid:17)
Appendix (cid:19). Kicking Bear’s Speech, October (cid:24)(cid:11)(cid:0)(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:24)(cid:15) ........................(cid:14)(cid:11)(cid:20)
Appendix (cid:20). Short Bull’s Speech, October (cid:18)(cid:16)(cid:11)(cid:0)(cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:24)(cid:15) .......................... (cid:14)(cid:12)(cid:13)
Notes ..............................................................(cid:14)(cid:12)(cid:16)
Bibliography ........................................................(cid:15)(cid:11)(cid:16)
Index ..............................................................(cid:15)(cid:13)(cid:14)
illustrations
(cid:16). The area covered by the ghost dance ....... (cid:13)(cid:17)
(cid:17). The Lakota reservations (cid:16)(cid:23)(cid:24)(cid:15) ..............(cid:14)(cid:14)
(cid:18). Lakota leaders at Pine Ridge .............. (cid:15)(cid:13)
(cid:19). The Capture and Killing of Sitting Bull .........(cid:19)(cid:18)
(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:20). Holy Cross Episcopal Church ..............(cid:20)(cid:16)
(cid:21). “Grand Council” .......................(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:17)
(cid:22). The U.S. Army on the Lakota reservations ..(cid:12)(cid:14)(cid:17)
(cid:23). The Wounded Knee battlefield ............(cid:12)(cid:16)(cid:15)
(cid:24). “Gen. Miles and Staff” ...................(cid:12)(cid:16)(cid:18)
(cid:0)(cid:16)(cid:15). “Bloody Pocket” ........................(cid:12)(cid:19)(cid:19)
(cid:0)(cid:16)(cid:16). An Indian scout ........................(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:15)
(cid:0)(cid:16)(cid:17). Soldiers digging trenches .................(cid:13)(cid:15)(cid:12)
table
The Number of Lakota Ghost Dancers ......(cid:18)(cid:17)
preface
There were at least one hundred and fifty tepees forming almost a com-
plete circle within which the Indians had gathered to the number of six
hundred[,] a part to engage in the exercises and a part to look on. At a
given spot a young tree was planted on which was placed the American
flag, around it gathered the priests who sat down on the ground and
remained silent for some time. Around this tree about equally distant
therefrom men, women, to the number of near four hundred formed
a circle and assumed at first a sitting position. The men were arrayed
in their war paint, consisting of red, black and yellow, feathers in their
hair, leggings on their lower limbs, blankets wrapped round their bod-
ies and moccasins on their feet. The women were clad in dresses of
variegated colors, some were beaded in the most artistic style and their
faces painted profusely.
The Indians forming the outer circle sat down on their feet and
remained quiet for some time, when they broke out in a sort of plain-
tive cry, which is pretty well calculated to affect the ear of the sympa-
thetic. Then some one passes around with a vessel in his hand contain-
ing some kind of roots . . . after this is partaken of, at a given command
the Indians rise to their feet [and] join hands thus forming a complete
circle. Having occupied this position for a moment they begin to chant
their opening hymn . . . and commence a slow measured movement
from right to left, increasing the pace as they go[,] and it is not long
until all[,] old and young[,] are singing and becoming excited. This is