Medicine Bear

[naiches]

Profile by Gardner

[bearsghost]

Hello, I am related to Mahto Wakan as well. My relation is from the First family, I am a great- great grandson of Medicine Bear. I would really like to talk with you ftpeckpabaksa, I think you may be a cousin from the Four Bear line. I hope to come home this summer , maybe we can meet up then. Email me if you have questions. Tohk'sa ake

[Dietmar]

Welcome bearsghost!

We´re glad to have an ancestor of Medicine Bear at our boards.

Here´s another portrait of him by Hamilton & Hoyt in 1872:



Dietmar

[bearsghost]

Thank you, I have this one. At the moment the family is looking for pictures of his son Edward. I had one and now have misplaced it. Any help?

[grahamew]

I'd love to see a larger and clear version of the council photo posted above.

[wacintanka]

Does anybody know who Mato Wakan's Parents were?

[ftpeckpabaksa]

I found another picture of Medicine Bear from the Stanley J. Morrow collection. its a nice one, it has him holding a saber, gun sheeth, a revolver and a eagle fan. one thing to note, i never seen one with his feathers in his hat. But I can't figure out how to post the picture. lol help me anyone?

[Dietmar]

Here´s the Morrow stereograph of Medicine Bear:


Medicine Bear by Stanley J. Morrow

[grahamew]

Another Morrow view of Medicine Bear:

[ftpeckpabaksa]

Thats awesome. The picture of him holding the revolver and fan, i never seen one with feathers in his hat like that...yeah. that Morrow photo of Medicine Bear. grahamew posted. look at his feet. he is wearing moccasin's with grizzly bear claws. those are in a museum in Vermont. Those type of moccasin's are unique and the bravest of the Pabaksa or Cut Head had the right to wear those. Interesting to see a picture of Medicine Bear wearing those in several pictures.

Also, another trait or way exlusive only to the Pabaksa was the wearing of sticks in their hair or head gear. If you read about the first Wanata. When he returned from the War of 1812. he wore sticks to signify how many he wounds he received in battle. But, in Medicine Bear's head gear you can see them...if somone can post a picture of his photo...like the side photo of him...but the frontal view....those two show those sticks. just interesting.

[Henri]

I have a pic of these mocs in my files. Will send it to Dietmar if I don't succeed putting it here.

Henri

[Dietmar]

Thank you Henri!

Here are Medicine Bear´s bearclaw moccasins:



Beautiful!!

[Dietmar]

...and the front view by Alexander Gardner in 1872:


Portrait (Front) of Mato Wakan or Ma-To-Ican or Ma-To-O-A-Wa-Kan or Ma-To-Wuh-Kan (Medicine Bear) or (Medicine Bear Track) or (Mysterious Grizzly Bear) in Native Dress with Headdress and Bear Claw Necklace and Holding Pipe, Fan and Bag 1872 (SIRIS)

[Dietmar]

Medicine Bear seem to had relatives among the Mandan.

"The Nuptadi Mandan group had many kinship bonds with the principal Yankton bands under Medicine Bear, a Sioux chief, whose mother was a Nuptadi Mandan taken prisoner when the Sioux sacked and burned the village near painted Woods during the 1780s. She was a small girl at the time and was reared by the Sioux, later marrying a Sioux. Her son distinguished himself and became head chief of a large band of Yankton. It is said that he always had a compassion for the Nuptadi Mandan and liked to visit them because he had so many relatives in that village. Other Mandans taken prisoner at the same time and adopted by the Sioux likewise claimed kinship with this Mandan group which remained back at the Knife River when the Fishhook Village was built."
(see: Hidatsa Social & Ceremonial Organiszation by Alfred W. Bowers, University of Nebraska Press, 1992, page 36)

Hence that Medicine Bear was photographed by Morrow when he visited the villages of the Missouri tribes.

[Dietmar]

Can anyone help to identify the other individuals in the group photo?