As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
For my own reasons, it became of interest to me the contribution of a French immigrant to America named Joseph Nicollett. He died before he could complete his manuscripts, and never was ranked with Zebulon Pike, Lewis and Clarke, John Charles Fremont, George Caitllin and Kit Carson as explorers. He remained like his fellow Frenchmen in the Verendrye brothers. It seems odd that it was Joseph Nicollett who hired John Fremont to manage his expeditions and this is where the Pathfinder began.
Some of the greatest men in America are unknown, and some like Charles Geyer were German and not even American.
This is a period which Francis Parkman touched on his sojourn in the West. This was an America with Spanish, French and British, because they were all having claim wrested from them.
All of this starts in America with the Mississippi River, the headwaters of it in Minnesota. Even that name is Canadian, as the Sioux invaded America from the lakes and spilled down into Minnesota, into Iowa, and then spread to the West in invasion in the lands held by Mandan, Assiniboin, Ree, Crow and Pawnee. The name Sioux is the slash across the throat as they were cut throats in how they killed people. They were a law unto themselves.
It is of interest that Lewis and Clarke called them the Pirates of the Prairie, but when among them as Parker, Caitlan and Nicollett were, they were a different people altogether.
What is now thee American Indian has nothing to do with what Nicollett was interacting with. The current “Indian” who are Asian in tracing their DNA roots to an almost extinct Japanese mountain tribe, are of mostly European bloodlines. Yes the eastern tribes have in their civilization Phoenicians who sailed to America, as much as the interior tribes had Viking bloodlines. All there is of the Indian is propaganda by those who profit off of them as has always been the case and as this is the easy money, that is what most Indians enslave themselves into.
In that I desired to share a history of the Sioux in what they were, before squaw men turned their gambling into piracy. They had a unique and savage culture which Nicollett recorded and has been hidden in his works for too long. You can read the quotes below. I know enough Siouxan to read a map and am fluent in sign as this is where most of the misunderstandings come from as the sign for something is the best explanation of something that might not make any sense.
I have made satire of this in the name Crazy Horse, which could just as easily be signed “Silly Pony”. The translations always went to the more macabre as no one wanted to read or follow someone named Silly Pony.
Below though you will read some of the dialect of the originals and their ceremonies on chastity and honor. It did not take long for that to corrupt to hedonism and lies, because they are human after all.
To close this out, two of Nicollett’s scouts and interpreters were breeds. they were Joseph LaBrombois and Joseph Renville, neither were Sioux, but married Siouxan women and produced enough French offspring that these names are in the Sioux registry.
As it has been stated, everything is not as you know it nor as it is being told to you.
The Truth died long ago.
Watopenans, “the canoeists (canoteurs)” between
the Yellowstone and Devil’s Lake.
2. The Wichiyenans or the Hohes, on the north bank of the
Missouri between the White [Earth] River on the same side and
the Yellowstone.
3. The Inhantonwanyans, “the people of the village on the
rocks,” in the environs and near the Fort of the Yellowstone, ^^
of which they declare themselves the protector, and the only
band with the Wichiyenans who do not steal horses.
4. Watopar’ndate, “the boats covered with skins,” between
the Yellowstone and the Wood Mountain to the north. At three
days’ march from the fort, 300 lodges. More than 5 to 6 per
lodge.
5. lya openaka, “those who speak in a sharp manner.” On
the Wood Mountain frequenting the Yellowstone, the British at
the Fort de Prairies, and Mouse [Souris] River,
6. Wakpatowan, “those who make a village on the river.”
7. Minishnan-atowan, “the village of lone v/ater’‘; ishnanan,
“lone, that which is lone.”
8. Rheatonwan, “the village on the mountain.”
9. Tchan rtata, “the soft, tender, fiexible wood,” which is
not hard, firm.
[Miscellaneous notes on the Dakota].
The savage soldiers [akichita] in their zeal for duty and the
execution of their assignment go so far as to kill those who
resist their entry. Also, when they are in the service of whites,
especially, before leaving they say Wananriiata Manikta, “I am
going to the dead, the spirits,” making allusion that if they kill
for duty, they will be killed in revenge.
Nanri, “shadow of a man, the spirit.” To say the spirit of
any object other than mon—ohanzi. Chan ohanzi, “the shadow
of the tree.” They identify the shadow of man with his spirit.
They say that the spirit is not seen; the shadow is seen, but it is
nothing; the shadow is like the spirit. Spirits speak to them.
They believe that they see them like shadows, be it in a dream,
or be it in their excitement [when fasting], they go to speak to
it, touch it, they find nothing.
Wakan, the Grand Medicine, the ceremonies.
Wichashtawakan—man of the medicine society, not a
doctor, but a diviner, a juggler.
Wichashta waka wapiya—ihQ medicine man who is a doctor,
practicing medicine in his nation.
Washichon-true correspondent to ‘’Manida’‘ [Manitou],
“spirit.” They are in the air, in the waters, in the woods, etc.
Miniwancha washichon-*’thQ French on the other side of
the sea.”
Miniwancha washichon emancha—’‘\ am a Frenchman from
the other side of the sea.”
Washichon ikcheka-’‘the vulgar, common, ordinary French
of the country, the Canadians, the Creoles of the Missouri.
The Yanktons still say Washichon rchaka, “pure, direct
Frenchman.”
Tukan Shinan, “my grandfather.”
Tukan Shinan Unyanpi, “he whom we have for grandfather,” the president of the United States.
Miniwancha washichon tukan shinan unyanpi, “our grandfather of France.”
They see everything perish on earth except stone. They
believe, therefore, that the oldest object merits their veneration,
having a spirit. They name stone Tukan, “grandfather”; in the
style of their religion, they invoke it to succeed in their enterprises; tby it] they make their oathls].
The ceremony Okshiwinan chekitti is thus called when the
girl is a virgin. But when it is any other woman, not a virgin, it is
called Wiyanka chekitti-^’ths pure woman makes her fire,” the
faithful one, who is not an adulteress, etc. For a young male
virgin they say Wim’nanshni chekitti, “he who has not touched
women makes his fire.” The form of oath is: Tukan wichawaka,
“grandfather, I speak the truth”; Wichawakeshni kisian rnanki
unikte. “If I do not speak the truth, may I be crippled,” etc.
They make this ceremony for a young girl whose virginity
has been accused [and] who wishes to justify herself; a married
woman accused of adultry; a young man accused of having cut
lodges (to get girls], stolen a horse, lor] one having a coup in
war for which another wants to claim merit, etc.
Copyright © 1975 by the South Dakota State Historical Society. All Rights Reserved.
Joseph N. Nicollet 359
The herb of perfume, Wachanra, coming from Waehanram’nan, “good odor,” (issuing from whatever object).
Institution of the creation of Honkas. or creation of famihes
of distinction.
The ceremony is called Honka odowan, “singing of nobility.” The song is De Honka 1,1 Wakan iyankechi Honka. “it is
the noble, there is the noble who sits elevated (higher than the
others).”
While they sing this the dancer who holds the calumet
makes graceful movements imitating the flight of the kiliu, the
noble bird, the eagle, and the court imitates with whistles, the
whistles of this bird. These graceful movements are made with
tenderness, as if to carress. Blow the coolness with the feathers
of the calumet as with a fan. The child who is seated in an
elevated place will be received as Honka. This is the preparatory
ceremony, the first day.
The second day the ceremony begins at daybreak. The
children, who are well dressed, are put in a particular lodge.
They remain undisturbed, innocent of what will happen, like a
sleeping village that does not expect to see the enemy. The
sponsor arrives with his following, spies out the lodge like an
enemy, and comes back to say that those who are inside do not
expect anything, repeating this four times. The order to charge
is given, the war cry follows, they charge, each trying to be the
first to capture the most richly dressed child, whom he carries
away on his shoulders. It is a coup, or strike at the stake, etc.
They carry the children to the continuation of the ceremony.
They dance the calumet, that is to say, chandi hupa kozapi, “he
shakes the calumet,” etc.
