Matoska and Siyaka

[emilylevine]

Hi folks
Perhaps you all can help with another puzzle I'm facing in the Waggoner ms.
In a section about Yanktonai headmen she writes:

"Matȟoska was living at the time the Indians were spreading out on farms. He was of the Huŋkpathina band. He died in 1882; his son Šiyaka took his place as chief. Šiyaka died in 1912 at 80 years old."

Clearly she is not talking about the more famous White Bear who lived until 1931 (Tom Frosted). Siyaka appears to be the man that Densmore worked with. She places his death in March 1913. (Waggoner often dated by winter count years, i.e. 1912-1913, so this would make sense.) Densmore says that Siyaka was also called "Wanbli'wana'peya (Eagle Who Frightens)" and that he was Yanktonai-Teton.

Can anyone shed any light on this? LaDonna, you're from up there...
do you know all about this and I'm being an idiot?

thanks.

[mika]

In Teton Sioux Music Densmore says Thomas Frosted was full blooded Santee-Yanktonai.

[mika]

What I have on Frosted;
"Friday, Dec 23, 1932
: Old Chief Passes Away Early Tuesday Morning
Last of Heriditary Yanktoni Chieftains, White Bear or Thos. Frosted, South Happy Hunting Grounds After Active Government Service Life

The last of the heriditary Yanktoni Chieftains, Mato-ska, or White Bear, better known to white men as Thomas Frosted, passed away at his spacious log cabin on the banks of the meandering Porcupine creek, six miles north of Fort Yates. He sought out the Happy Hunting Grounds early Tuesday morning after a lingering illness which consumed the old Chieftains health to the very marrow.

Frosted has lived a very interesting life in the land of the once powerful Sioux. Born and reared on the prairie among his people he led the life of a Sioux until early manhood at which time he became a friend of the whites and lived thereafter near the agency here. He served the "Grandfather" (Uncle Sam) in the role of Indian Policeman for more than two score years and at the time of his resignation was chief of that organization. White people must credit with due respect such a man who would join the white man and become a police official over his brothers who were for the most part at that time at war with the government.

The deceased chieftain was born at Long Lake, Dakota Territory in 1859, making him 73 years of age at the time of his death; his father was known as Standing Bull and his mother, Singing. He vividly recalled on frequent occasions the well known and much written about battle of Kildeer Mountains, in which General Sibley's troops participated. Frosted was then but a boy.

As a boy in his late teens he attended Hampton Institute in Virginia where he learned the occupation of a carpenter and on his return here was for many years assistant carpenter at the agency. He built many structures, including school buildings and churches for the Indian People.
"
I have images of Frosted as well, but you weren't searching for Frosted were you. ( I do have some of Afraid Eagles, but it seems Wambli kokipa is different than Wanbli'wana'peya, and I quess he is Oglala as well)

[ladonna]

I am not sure our people were called Santee or Isanti

[kingsleybray]

Emily, I don't know about the Siyaka connection but about an earlier White Bear, a leader of that name was among the ten Lower Yanktonai (Hunkpatina) chiefs recognized by Gen. Harney in 1856. He attended and spoke at the treaty talks at Ft Sully in 1865 and 1866, and settled at Crow Creek Agency. He was still an active leader at Crow Creek in 1876 at the time of the Black Hills Agreement.

Kingsley

[lgarcia]

I just spoke with Mrs. Larry (LaVerne) Sullivan to make sure I had things correct. Her father was Tom Siyaka (son of Siyaka), he had a half brother Clarence who was photographed by Barry, same mother but different father. Anyway Tom moved to Ft. Totten. LaVerne says she is the last of family. She is the only Siyaka as there were no boys in the family.
She knows of no one at Cannonball / Ft. Yates with the Siyaka name.
The name Charging Eagle was passed on to her son Tom Sullivan who is a carpenter with Spirit lake Housing department.

[ladonna]

I ran a search and came up with the following:

Yanktonais
Widow of Matoska-Sungliska b. 1851

Siyaka b. 1839- Fort Peck

Siyaka b. 1847- Sisseton/Wahpeton

Siyaka- b. 1850-Crow Creek



Thomas Siyaka b. Devil Lake not enrolled



Thomas Frosted b. 1857 SRST

[ladonna]

I found both of these as Hunkpathina

Matoska- b. 1808-SRST
Spouse: Mandan Woman


Mato Ska b. 1809-Crow Creek
Spouse: Hanomani
Daughter: winona

[wahpekute]

tom frosted was my dad's dad mom mom's 1/2 brother, same dad. their dad was at crow creek and tom's mom was from sisseton, i believe. seems like white bear was brother to standing bull but i need to look for the information in my papers.

[emilylevine]

You are all wonderful. What a lot of information! Obviously, there were a number of White Bears and Siyakas and given the paucity of information provided by Waggoner, it may take a bit of time to sort this all out.
Any additional information or clarity would be appreciated.
Thank you again for all your time and help. I know I'm a broken record, but I'll say again how valuable this site is in its recognition that it is through all resources---published, written, tribal memory, family history, photographic and other visual forms--that we gain a full understanding of the past.

[clarkkimberling]

Thanks, Emily, for calling to our attention the singer Siyaka.

I would like to add a few remarks about Frances Densmore's high regard for Siyaka.

Of the many singers Densmore interviewed for Teton Sioux Music, it was Siyaka's portrait that she chose to face the title page.

Densmore recorded 29 songs sung by Siyaka. The second highest number for a singer was 20 songs, sung by Two Shields.

In "The Study of Indian Music," Densmore wrote: "I remember with queer affection an office at Fort Yates, NJ. Dak., that had been part of the kitchen of the old fort" ... Among the Sioux who recorded song in this office was Siyaka . . . a particularly fine man..." For a picture of Densmore's office, visit www.makochevision.com/densmore.html

In Teton Sioux Music, before and after "Where the Wind is Blowing" as sung by Siyaka, Densmore quotes him (translated):

"The owl said, "Always look toward the west when you make a petition, and you will have a long life." After this the owl commanded me to look at him. As soon as I did this he was changed to an elk, and at his feet were the elk medicine and a hoop. As soon as I saw him changing, I began to wonder what marvel would be next. Then I heard a song. I tried to learn the song, and before I realized what I was doing I was singing the song. The following is the song taught me by the elk in my dream."

After the appearance of the song [4 staves of music, Lakota text, English translation, and musical analysis], Siyaka continues:

"The hilltop where I had my dream was quite a distance from the camp. My friends knew I had gone there, and in the early morning they sent a man with my horse. I came home... After this dream, my stronghold was in the east, but the west was also a source from which I could get help. All the bird and insects which I had seen in my dream were things on which I knew I should keep my mind and learn their ways. When the season returns, the birds and insects return with the same coloring as the previous year. They are not all on the earth, but are ABOVE it. My mind must be the same. The elk is brave, always helping the women, and in that way the elk has saved a large proportion of his tribe. In this, I should follow the elk, remembering that the elk, the birds, and the insects are my helpers. I never killed an elk nor ate its flesh. The birds that continually fly in the air I would not kill. I may kill water birds and grass birds if suitable for food, but only these."

Then comes Densmore's remarkable conclusion:

Siyaka was deeply affected by telling of this dream and the singing of the songs. Shaking hands with the writer, he said that he had given her his most cherished possession.

A footnote tells us that Siyaka's narrative was given in November, 1912; he died in March, 1913.

[charlie]

At which band belonged MATO SKA (WHITE BEAR)?
May be at "Ite Gu" (Burnt Faces) band of the well known chief Two Bears?
In fact, in the list of his headmen, appears also a man called The White Bear.