Post by ephriam on Feb 19, 2022 19:13:13 GMT -5
NO EARS AND LEFT HERON: WINTERCOUNT KEEPERS
The famous No Ears Wintercount and related versions have been widely published, including in James Walker (ed. Raymond J. DeMallie), Lakota Society (University of Nebraska Press, 1982). But what do we know about the authorship of this wintercount?
In 1917, D. McMillan of Manderson, South Dakota, replied to a letter from Walter Camp regarding this wintercount. "The different events were assembled by John No Ears an old Policeman & his Brother," McMillan explained, "and were translated into English by Chas. Nines & Dr. Walker formerly of Pine Ridge." In addition, a notation on a copy of this wintercount in Father Eugene Buechel's papers at the Holy Rosary Mission on Pine Ridge notes that that John No Ears "had acquired [the] information from his father." These few details link this particular wintercount to three different individuals: John No Ears, his unnamed brother, and their unnamed father. Can we discover more about this family and determine what bands or tiysopaye they were associated with, perhaps helping us better connect the calendar entries to other wintercounts?
John No Ears Núŋğe Waníča (c1853-1918) -- The census records for the Red Cloud and Pine Ridge Agency mention a man named No Ears between 1874 and 1880, generally within Young Man Afraid of His Horse's band, but we cannot be certain yet if this is him. The first definitive record of John No Ears is on the Rosebud Reservation in 1887, when he was counted among the "Waziahziah." Census records show that he had married his wife, Black Woman (later known as Betsy No Ears) about 1874 and they had several children. The family transferred to the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1891-92 when the boundary between the two reservations was adjusted and they later settled in the White Clay District. As already noted, he served in the Pine Ridge Agency police force in the 1890s. He received an allotment on White Clay Creek north of the Holy Rosary Mission.
Left Heron Pheháŋ Čhatká (c1849-1935) -- John No Ear's older brother is identified as Left Heron in several sources, including a 1906 name register and a probate record from Pine Ridge. Left Heron married his wife Lottie about 1878 and they had several children. The family first appears in the census records on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1893. Left Heron settled in the Porcupine District and later received an allotment west of Eagle Nest Butte.
Walking Eagle Waŋblí Máni (died 1888) -- According to a Pine Ridge Reservation probate record, John No Ears and Left Heron were the sons of Walking Eagle and his wife Bear Woman (also known as Red Turtle). Left Heron provided additional details in a 1931 interview in which he noted that his father Walking Eagle was from a Minneconjou tiyospaye known as Wakpokiyan, the band of Lone Horn. Walking Eagle's wife (and the two brother's mother) was an Oglala from the Kuhinyan band. This suggests the possibility that the family moved between Minneconjou and Oglala relatives over the years. Is this reflected by changes in the names of the wintercount years? I am not certain yet, as there is still one more mystery to solve.
Left Heron mentioned in his 1931 interview that he was also known by the name Breast or Makula, a name that also appears in at least one census account for the family. Josephine Waggoner collected an Oglala wintercount from "Makula" or Left Heron. The record for each year in the No Ears Wintercount and the Breast Wintercount are initially closely aligned, but then by the 1850s, they diverge, generally recording different events. If both of these wintercounts are by these two brothers, why are they different in later years? The Breast Wintercount ends in 1877 as this community moved north across the border, noting "Treaty was made with the Canadians."
The famous No Ears Wintercount and related versions have been widely published, including in James Walker (ed. Raymond J. DeMallie), Lakota Society (University of Nebraska Press, 1982). But what do we know about the authorship of this wintercount?
In 1917, D. McMillan of Manderson, South Dakota, replied to a letter from Walter Camp regarding this wintercount. "The different events were assembled by John No Ears an old Policeman & his Brother," McMillan explained, "and were translated into English by Chas. Nines & Dr. Walker formerly of Pine Ridge." In addition, a notation on a copy of this wintercount in Father Eugene Buechel's papers at the Holy Rosary Mission on Pine Ridge notes that that John No Ears "had acquired [the] information from his father." These few details link this particular wintercount to three different individuals: John No Ears, his unnamed brother, and their unnamed father. Can we discover more about this family and determine what bands or tiysopaye they were associated with, perhaps helping us better connect the calendar entries to other wintercounts?
John No Ears Núŋğe Waníča (c1853-1918) -- The census records for the Red Cloud and Pine Ridge Agency mention a man named No Ears between 1874 and 1880, generally within Young Man Afraid of His Horse's band, but we cannot be certain yet if this is him. The first definitive record of John No Ears is on the Rosebud Reservation in 1887, when he was counted among the "Waziahziah." Census records show that he had married his wife, Black Woman (later known as Betsy No Ears) about 1874 and they had several children. The family transferred to the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1891-92 when the boundary between the two reservations was adjusted and they later settled in the White Clay District. As already noted, he served in the Pine Ridge Agency police force in the 1890s. He received an allotment on White Clay Creek north of the Holy Rosary Mission.
Left Heron Pheháŋ Čhatká (c1849-1935) -- John No Ear's older brother is identified as Left Heron in several sources, including a 1906 name register and a probate record from Pine Ridge. Left Heron married his wife Lottie about 1878 and they had several children. The family first appears in the census records on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1893. Left Heron settled in the Porcupine District and later received an allotment west of Eagle Nest Butte.
Walking Eagle Waŋblí Máni (died 1888) -- According to a Pine Ridge Reservation probate record, John No Ears and Left Heron were the sons of Walking Eagle and his wife Bear Woman (also known as Red Turtle). Left Heron provided additional details in a 1931 interview in which he noted that his father Walking Eagle was from a Minneconjou tiyospaye known as Wakpokiyan, the band of Lone Horn. Walking Eagle's wife (and the two brother's mother) was an Oglala from the Kuhinyan band. This suggests the possibility that the family moved between Minneconjou and Oglala relatives over the years. Is this reflected by changes in the names of the wintercount years? I am not certain yet, as there is still one more mystery to solve.
Left Heron mentioned in his 1931 interview that he was also known by the name Breast or Makula, a name that also appears in at least one census account for the family. Josephine Waggoner collected an Oglala wintercount from "Makula" or Left Heron. The record for each year in the No Ears Wintercount and the Breast Wintercount are initially closely aligned, but then by the 1850s, they diverge, generally recording different events. If both of these wintercounts are by these two brothers, why are they different in later years? The Breast Wintercount ends in 1877 as this community moved north across the border, noting "Treaty was made with the Canadians."
