(Jurgens)
I watched the video Sitting Bull’s Great Grandson Tells Oral History Film Clip, in this
video Ernie LaPointe tells the story of the first secret agent among the
Lakota. (LaPointe) For me I find it so unsettling that in the
troubled times the Natives did not stand together united against their common
enemy, the “white man”.
Ernie LaPointe’s story tells of the time
his mother and grandmother (Angeline LaPointe and Standing Holy) met Oscar One
Bull on the road when they were traveling.
His mother told him that when the man came up to their wagon she did not
know him but her mother did and covered her head with her shawl and refused to
look at the man. She repeatedly told this
man that she “never wanted to look upon his face again in this life” and to go
away because he had caused the death of her father. Even though the man denied it she still
refused to remove the shawl from her face.
(LaPointe)
After the man left them Ernie’s
grandmother explained why she had covered her eyes refusing to look at the
man. It was because he lived in the camp
with the Lakota and would relay all of their plans and council meeting
information to the Indian Agent, James McLaughlin. Including the time he was planning to visit
Red Cloud with his concerns over the Ghost Dance. The tale made it seem that by One Bull
running off and letting McLaughlin know of his plans caused Sitting Bull’s
death shortly after.
One Bull was not only a traitor against
his own people the Lakota but he also betrayed his family by telling the plans
of his uncle, Sitting Bull. This lead to
the attempted arrest of Sitting Bull and subsequently his death.
References
Jurgens, Palmquiest &. Sitting Bull and
nephew, One Bull. Library of Congress. Sitting Bull and nephew, One
Bull. Washington, 1884. Photograph.
Sitting Bull's Great Grandson Tells Oral History
Film Clip . Perf. Ernie LaPointe.
2009. YouTube.
Hello Jana! I found this story very interesting and troubling as well because as you said- it is unsettling that there would be traitors among the natives who should remain banded together. However, history and present day do show us that despite having common enemies, people still turn against and hurt each. Based on the suggested guidelines in the assignment prompt- Do you think that the source that you selected was a good academic resource? Did the information change your opinion of the native people?
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel! Listening to this story told by Sitting Bull's great grandson put a more personal touch on the narrative to me.
ReplyDeleteI do feel that this documentary clip is a good academic source for this assignment as it was one of the videos we watched in preparation to reading the narratives in "Native American Testimony" by Peter Nabokov.
I am not really sure if the information changed my opinion of the Native American but it has given me another reason to want to learn more about their history.
Hi Jana and Rachel, those are interesting questions - 'Was the narrative about One Bull a good academic resource?", and "Did the information in the narrative change my opinion of Native people."
ReplyDeleteAs for the value of the One Bull narrative - There are so many folks in the U.S. who are generally socially excluded, I think giving voice to those who are is important. This helps us to gain a more complete picture of a complex social order.
I don't think this narrative changed my opinions about Native people. Jana wonders why Natives did not stand together against their common enemy. I think it a mistake to assume that Native Americans would act as a homogenous group, when, say, white-skinned people do not. My views of Native people are that they are just as complex and diverse as any other 'group' of people.
I was left wondering though, after reading the narrative, what benefit did One Bull receive for the information he provided?
According to the narrative One Bull was a member of the Indian police and was trying to better his own position on the police force within the reservation system by being their secret agent.
DeleteThank you for sharing Ernie LaPointe's story of Sitting Bull. I enjoyed reading this story. It is true that one person can have such an effect on his own people. From the one man relaying information it caused the death of Sitting Bull. I can understand why Ernie's grandmother did not want to look at that man's face. The Indians have honorable traditions and would feel very betrayed by that man.
ReplyDelete