winona
Junior Member
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Post by winona on May 8, 2014 23:22:47 GMT -5
lagarcia--Thank you! The man is question was Frank Pierre (Black Hawk) mixed race, Black with a Sioux mother. His father was an interpreter, and very well could have spoken French. Emily Levine, the writer, noted that Francois Des Laurios (DeLoria) was called Saswe, and Witkola says it means "Dragonfly." His name in Lakota was Cetan Sapa (Black Hawk)so I do think it was a nickname of some sort. The Metis part is interesting, and would fit with the early fur trade of his father's era.
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Post by lgarcia on May 13, 2014 16:38:44 GMT -5
I know well to whom you are referring. part of the family lives here at Spirit Lake, Ft. Totten, North Dakota. Frank is a son? / grandson ? of Isaiah Dorman who was killed at the battle of the Little Big Horn by the Lakota. Isaiah was Custer's Lakota interpreter.
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Post by gregor on May 15, 2014 7:29:46 GMT -5
I am not convinced that "Saswe" is a word for dragonfly. In Lakota dragonfly would be "tusweca" or "susweca" according to Buechel. In some publications that deal with French trappers the word "Saswe" keeps popping up with “Francois”. See, for example, “The Western Métis: Profile of a People” by Patrick C. Douaud (p. 43 – 45, …traders sent inland encountered an man known to them as “Franceway” or by his Indian name “Saswe”…..). If we try to speak “Saswe” with a French accent, it actually sounds like a corrupted form of Francois (“Saswoah”). I seem to remember that Vine Deloria in one of his books explained “Saswe” as a corrupt form of Francois. But I’m not sure. I’m open for any better explanation.
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Post by ladonna on May 15, 2014 8:46:54 GMT -5
Frank BlackHawk was the Grandson of Isaiah Dorman, the son of Baptist Pierre, I had talked with the family and i believe it is a word for Francois because of the language difference because as I researched there is no word Saswe,
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winona
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Posts: 58
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Post by winona on May 29, 2014 14:43:25 GMT -5
Thank you all for you input! The Francois/Saswe makes the most sense, given that Frank BlackHawk's brother's name was Baptise,(Bacis, his other brother Pierre (Peter)(Pinto) and his sister Celestine, all French names. Frank's name was probably Francois. I appreciate all the help!
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winona
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Posts: 58
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Post by winona on Apr 6, 2015 17:54:16 GMT -5
There is a group photo offered at Ebay regarding the Spicer incident: "1897 Sioux Indian Murder Dakota Spicer Murder Massacre Suspect Trial Photo
This is an exceptional original vintage photo showing a group of Native American Dakota Sioux that were accused of being responsible for the brutal massacre and murder of the Spicer family in the area of Winona Dakota.
This extremely scarce original 1897 cabinet photo shows the Sioux Indians from Winona in Emmons County North Dakota. Three are confirmed as members of the famous group accused for the awful massacre of Tom Spicer and his family at Winona North Dakota on February 15, 1897. The reverse of the card identifies the photo as Spicer Family Murderers and names two of the 5 that were accused of the crime: Paul Holytrack (Top row 2nd from right) and George Defender (Top row far right). Also in this photo is another of the accused which is Phillip Ireland (bottom row far right) although he is not identified on back. All three of these men were hung at nearby Williamstown North Dakota shortly after the murders along with another suspect. The three shown in this photo by have had their identities confirmed by comparing it with information and another photo showing all of the 5 men after they were captured by the Sheriff. The Spicer family murders are an interesting history of the Sioux and of North Dakota." I think I identified the man second on the left in the bottom row. I believe it is Frank Gates, who lived at Standing Rock Agency in 1897. There are some other photos of him in the North Dakota State Archives (Frank Fiske Collection) if anyone has an interest in him.
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Post by Historian on Aug 19, 2015 10:32:47 GMT -5
Is there a translation for "Saswe"? Or is this a nickname? It is listed in the 1900 Census for Frank Pierre, a Lakota at Standing Rock. Thank you in advance! Winona The Lakota name "Saswe" is listed as the traditional name for Frank Gates from the Standing Rock Agency. The translation given for "Saswe" is "Blood Red." In the Lakota language, the term "Sa" (Red) is used to describe something that is naturally red, in contrast to the Lakota term "Luta" (Scarlet-colored or Colored Red) which is used to describe something that is not naturally red, but has been painted, changed, or colored red. In the Lakota language, the term "We" is the term for "Blood." Hence I believe it makes sense that: Saswe = Sawe' = Sa We' = Red Blood = Blood Red. I hope this helps.
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Post by Historian on Aug 29, 2015 9:30:18 GMT -5
I agree that the person with the mustache in the group photo is Saswe (aka Blood Red, aka Frank Gates), the husband of Mahpiya Bogawin (aka Gathering Clouds Woman, aka Nellie Two Bears, aka Nellie Gates), and the father of Wanahca Tindah Waste Win (aka Her Good Work Brings Flowers Woman, aka Josephine Gates, aka Josephine Kelly).
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Post by danduch on Mar 12, 2021 1:10:17 GMT -5
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dduch
New Member
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Post by dduch on Mar 12, 2021 15:43:39 GMT -5
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winona
Junior Member
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Post by winona on Mar 8, 2022 17:05:17 GMT -5
danduch, that is a fascinating article on the Metis and Saswe origin. Thank you! dduch: Thank you as well for an interesting history!
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