Chief soaring eagle biography

The Sun Dance is a Lakota religious ceremony. He must endure the greatest physical pain to ensure that his prayers would be answered. These prayers were to prevent tribal famine or the death of a dear one, or that could bring fortitude in facing immense odds in impending battle or help on behalf of a friend deemed more valuable than himself. It was his way of offering all he had, his own body.

After being fastened to the Sun Dance pole by long leather thongs that passed through the flesh of his chest, the participant danced for three or four days without food, water or sleep. A commemorative marker of five rocks was placed at the ceremonial grounds at the foot of Beaver Mountain in northwestern Nebraska, dedicated to War Chief Crazy Horse.

The rocks were also intended as a permanent memorial to the devotion of the five tribes of the Lakota represented at the ceremony and the five warrior cousins who sacrificed on behalf of Crazy Horse. Wild Westing was very popular with the Lakota people and beneficial to their families and communities, and offered a path of opportunity and hope during time when people believed Native Americans were a vanishing race whose only hope for survival was rapid cultural transformation.

Buffalo Bill Cody used his influence with U. Chief Flying Hawk was used to royal receptions in Europe and in America had been entertained by most of the dignitaries of the country. Alongside of him, mounted on a pinto pony, rode Flying Hawk in full regal style, carrying his feathered guidon erect and fluttering in the breeze, while his eagle-quill bonnet not only made a fitting crown but dangled below the stirrups of his saddle.

Scalp locks decorated his buckskin war-shirt, and beaded moccasins adorned his feet, for this was the becoming dress for, and carried out the dignity of his high office of Chief on gala day affairs. Each of the veteran Wild Westers placed a Buffalo nickel on the imposing stone as a symbol of the Indian, the buffalo, and the scout, figures since the s that were symbolic of the early history of the American West.

Chief Flying Hawk was probably the longest standing Wild Wester, traveling for over 30 years throughout the United States and Europe from about to about Her memories of affection and respect for the Lakota people inspired her to send a letter to Buffalo Bill requesting permission to photograph Sioux traveling with the show in her studio. Other Indians were able to relax, smile or do a "noble pose.

Chief Flying Hawk regularly circulated show grounds in full regalia and sold his "cast card" picture postcards for a penny to supplement promote the show and supplement his income. Surprise visits, parties and gala celebrations were common at The Wigwam. Iron Tail is notable in American history for his distinctive profile on the Buffalo nickel or Indian Head nickel of to He had fulfilled his social obligations when he had submitted to an hour of incessant hand-shaking, as he could talk in English, further crowd mixing did not appeal to him.

He preferred to relax and smoke his redstone pipe and wait his call to the big dining room. There he re-appeared in the place of honor and partook of the good things in the best of grace and gentlemanly deportment. His courteous behavior, here and at all places and occasions when in company of the writer, was worthy of emulation by the most exalted white man or woman!

He spread the woolly robe on the grass, sat down upon it and lit his pipe, as if to say, "I've done my social duty, now I wish to enjoy myself. Chief Flying Hawk long remembered the gala festivities. This, he remembered, was a good time, and they talked about it for a long time together, but now, his good friend had left him and was in the Sand Hills.

The Wigwam was part of 1, acre estate with heavily forested lands and was once the Eastern home of Oglala Lakota "Oskate Wicasa" Wild Westers, and a retreat for Progressive Era politicians, businessmen, journalists and adventurers. Du Bois, a northcentral railroad hub on the Eastern Continental divide, had two active passenger rail stations, and was always a welcome rest stop for weary travelers.

Wild Westers needed a place to relax, and The Wigwam was a warm and welcome home where Indians could be Indians, sleep in buffalo skins and tipis, walk in the woods, have a hearty breakfast, smoke their pipes and tell of their stories and deeds. Legendary Crow Chief Plenty Coups was also a welcome visitor. Show touring schedules were grueling, each spring through fall, with performances twice daily.

Traveling, pony riding, war dances and inclement weather weighed on Chief Flying Hawk's health. Here he could rise with the morning sun for a walk in the forest, enjoy a breakfast of bacon and eggs, with fruit and coffee, smoke his redstone pipe and have a glass of sherry before retiring. Chief Flying Hawk preferred to sleep on the enclosed sun porch at The Wigwam with his robes and blankets and could not be induced to sleep on a white man's mattress and springs.

He refused to be sent to a bedroom, and asked to have the buffalo robes and blankets. With them he chief soaring eagle biography his couch on the chief soaring eagle biography veranda floor, where he retired in the moonlight. McCreight was impressed with Chief Flying Hawk's grace and dignity: "The Chief was engaged in taking down his long hair-plaits in which were woven strips of otter fur.

From his kit sack he took his comb and bottle of bear's oil and carefully combed and oiled his hair, made up new plaits, then applied a little paint to his cheeks, looked into a small hand-mirror, and was ready to answer questions. His hair, now still reaching to his waist, was streaked with grey. In reply to how Indians were able to retain their hair in such perfect condition, he said they did always retain it, sometimes they got scalped, but they prided themselves in caring for their bodies.

He said that long ago Indians often had hair that reached the ground. Even in the relaxed atmosphere of The Wigwam, there was a formality to the visits. Of importance, Flying Hawk was an Oglala Lakota Chief and it was his duty to display his beautiful eagle feather "Chief's Wand" during visits. Breakfast was delayed. Presently he was seen coming from the forest which nearly surrounds The Wigwam.

In his hand he carried a green switch six feet in length. From his traveling bag he took a bundle which he carefully unfolded and laid out, a beautiful eagle feather streamer which he attached to the pole at either end. After testing it in the breeze he handed it to his friend with gentle admonishment to keep it in a place where it could always been seen.

It was the Chief's "wand," and he said it must always be kept where it could be seen, else people would not know who was Chief. Having disposed of this, to him, important duty, the Chief was ready for breakfast. Chief Flying Hawk took the responsibilities of being a chief seriously and always thought about the best way to do things for his people.

Flying Hawk wanted to talk about making over the white man's history so that the young people would know the truth. The white man's books about Indians did not tell the truth. Together, they collaborated to write a Native American's view of U. Chief Flying Hawk was interested in current affairs and an advocate for Native American rights, and requested that his commentaries include a discussion of the status of United States v.

Sioux Nation of Indians and the cheating of the Osages in Oklahoma. On Chief Flying Hawk's many visits to The Wigwam, these two friends, with the aid of an interpreter, would invariably light up their pipes and begin long discourses on Native American history and current affairs. On each occasion, McCreight would carefully transcribe notes in hope of some day assembling the commentaries for publication.

McCreight maintained an extensive library on U. The library was consulted during the work sessions, and Chief Flying Hawk would often ask that reference materials from the library be translated for him. Through the years, Chief Flying Hawk and McCreight agreed on a formal protocol for recording the commentaries and great care was in assembling the material.

McCreight was impressed with Chief Flying Hawk's passionate oration in his native Lakota emphasized by expert sign language to prove his points. Finally, Flying Hawk would sign or mark the pages in ink with his thumbprint, hand them to McCreight, nod his head and declare the paper-talk "Washta" good. September 14, was a memorable occasion and one of Chief Flying Hawk's last visits to The Wigwam.

The Chief was 76 years of age and extremely ill. He believed that he was nearing the end of his life and wished to review the old notes recorded through the years of visits and add new materials in hope that they would be published. The young people had learned to read and should know the truth about history. The Chief slowly regained his strength, and he was able to finish his final work sessions with the notes and manuscripts before returning to the Black Hills.

Although McCreight was persistent, the book market at this time was saturated with Wild West stories and the publishing houses showed no interest. Thereafter, McCreight dedicated his life to telling the Old Chief's story. History was released in when McCreight was 82 years old. This book contains additional commentary not appearing in Chief Flying Hawk's Tales.

Undoubtedly the latter have suffered a terrible injustice at our hands. Both men had personal contacts with President Roosevelt. Garfield and liked Theodore Roosevelt the best; McCreight was the father of President Roosevelt's conservation policy on public and youth education. Europeans came to America to escape injustices, and were met by the original proprietors with a handshake and furnished food and shelter.

For nearly three centuries, white settlers responded to these benefactors with a relentless campaign of extermination of Native Americans. Treaty upon treaty was broken as American settlement expanded westward to the Pacific. Armed resistance and retaliation by Native American leaders was bloody and fierce, but in the end futile.

Eventually, Indian removal became a national policy and the Eastern tribes were forcibly relocated west of the Mississippi River. The Western tribes also fought their wars with the Government. Food was the ultimate weapon in the final conquest, and the power of the Chiefs and the tribes was broken. Tribal lands were annexed and the Indians were confined to reservations on arid lands not suited to agriculture.

With the buffalo slaughtered and traditional hunting lands gone, Native Americans became totally dependent on food distribution by the government and churches. In the 19th and 20th century, various policies of the United States federal and state governments attacked Indian cultural identity and attempted to force assimilation. Policies included banning traditional religious ceremonies, mandatory boarding schools for children and restricted freedom of travel and speech.

This old Chief lived through the serious times that befell our people following the gold discovery in the Black Hills. He was a nephew of Sitting Bull, his mother and Sitting's Bull's wife being sisters. His full brother, Kicking Bear, was a leader of the Ghost Dances. He had taken part as a lad in tribal wars with the Crows and the Piegans and he had fought alongside the Great Chief Crazy Horse when Custer was defeated on the Little Big Horn in Chief Flying Hawk was used to extravagant receptions.

In Europe he had rounds of them from royalty, and in America had been entertained by most of the dignitaries in the country. He cited William Penn as a man who wished to see fair play, good faith and honesty extended to the Indians. Flying Hawk said if Penn had been obeyed by his officials and followers, there would have been no Indian wars in the Pennsylvania.

But when they began to steal Indian land like was done in the Walking Purchaseand cheating them in every trade by getting them drunk, then the Indians retaliated. For half a century the Indians killed white settlers, burned their homes and crops and took their women and children prisoners. The Indians liked the French best because they did not take their land, but only wanted furs.

But the English cut down their forests, killed their game and treated them as they did wild animals, wanting only to drive them back so that they could possess their country. McCreight told Flying Hawk how Indians had killed his great-grandfather in How an Indian had hidden behind a log on the river bank and shot him through the groin while steering a houseboat on the Kiskiminetas River but a few miles from The Wigwam.

He asked the Chief how he would explain such a wholly uncalled-for criminal act. Slow to reply, the Chief wanted to ask if this man was a soldier. Told that he had been a captain in the Revolution, the old man said that either the Indian knew the white man, or was drunk when he did the shooting. Investigation of the affair showed that the Indian had been in Pittsburgh and had been drinking that day.

But, as the captain shot the Indian, both assailant and victim were dead and nothing was done or could be done about it. Chief Flying Hawk appreciated that youth education was essential to preserve Lakota culture. During his travels, he frequently visited public schools for presentations, and wanted to talk about making over the white man's history so that the young people would know the truth.

Flying Hawk wanted school history programs to tell the stories of Native American warriors and statesmen who fought to protect their families, defend the invasion of their lands and preserve their culture. He wished to put something in his commentaries to show his regard for them. When McCreight informed Flying Hawk that Cornplanter's father was white and was raised by his Seneca mother, "The Chief said with a smile, That is why he amounted to something.

He knew him well and wished to talk about him. He was a good politician. White politicians are only 'medicine men' for their people are most time crazy. There was no need to arrest him, he was not doing wrong. He was celebrating the coming of the new Christ who was to restore the buffalo so that his people could once more have peace and plenty, instead of then persecution, hunger, disease and death that confronted them.

They were afraid of my cousin Crazy Horse, so they killed him. These were the acts of cowards. It was murder. We were starving. We only wanted food. Did you ever hear of Indians burning their neighbors alive because they would not worship a God they did not believe in when priest and parson could not agree? But you know the whites murdered Sitting Bull because he was holding religious ceremonies with the ghost dancers, the same religion that the white man's priest had taught them to follow!

Chief Red Cloud defeated the U. Army in battle, and The Treaty of Fort Laramie was a great victory. The U. Army Powder River Country forts were abandoned and the hunting grounds of the Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho had been protected. Red Cloud knew what was best for his people and had tried to keep peace with the whites, but it was no use. The whites would not stay out of the Indian's country, and came and took their gold and killed off all their game.

Thus started the trouble and the long bloody war when the soldiers came. After the massacre at Wounded Knee, Red Cloud made a speech. Flying Hawk asked to have the speech read to him, and McCreight brought a volume from the library containing the speech, and it was carefully translated to him by Thunder Bull to refresh his memory. The Chief directed that it be included in his commentaries to tell why they killed Custer and his troopers, and about the Ghost Dance.

White men who contended with him and knew him well, spoke of him in the highest terms. His word was not called into question by either white men or red. He was honored by his own people and respected by his enemies. Though they hunted and persecuted him, they murdered him because they could not conquer him. He grew to manhood, when it was said of him that he was 'uncommonly handsome, of imposing stature and an Apollo in symmetry, a splendid example of refinement and grace, modest and courteous always, and born leader of men.

His name derived from a personality like a high-spirited and uncontrolled horse, hence crazy or wild horse. He was an expert horseman. When sixteen years old, he was taken along with a war-party headed by Hump, a famed Sioux Chief, on a campaign against the Gros Ventres. In the fight which came, the Chief's horse was shot. The enemy rushed in to scalp him while struggling for release from the fallen animal, when Crazy Horse drove his pony alongside and rescued Hump, both escaping on the boy's horse.

These were all taken with bow and arrows. Crazy Horse spoke this story to Flying Hawk: 'I was chief soaring eagle biography on a hill or rise, and something touched me on the head. I felt for it and found it was a bit of grass. I took it to look at. There was a trail nearby and I followed it. It led to water. I went into the water.

There the trail ended and I sat down in the water. I was nearly out of breath. I started to rise out of the water, and when I came out I was born by my mother. When I was born I could know and see and understand for a time, but afterwards went back to it as a baby. Then I grew up naturally. At the age of seven I began to learn, and when twelve began to fight enemies.

That was the reason I always refused to wear any war-dress. Only a bit of grass in the hair. That was why I always was successful in battles. The first fight was with the Shoshones. The Shoshones were chasing the Sioux. I, with my younger brother riding double. Two of the Shoshones came for us. We started to meet them. I killed one of them and took his horse.

We jumped on him, my brother and I double, and escaped. They were chief soaring eagle biography some trouble with the Indians there. When Crazy Horse learned that his brother was killed he took his wife with him and went away but told no one where he was going. He was gone for a long time. He went to the place where his brother was killed and camped in the woods where he could see the settlement.

He stayed there nine days. Every day he would look around and when he saw someone he would shoot him. He killed enough to satisfy and then he came home. He was always the first in a fight, and the soldiers could not beat him in a fight. He won every fight with the whites. He was much alone. He never told stories and never took a scalp from his enemies when he killed them.

He was the bravest Chief we ever had. He was the leader and the first at the front of the Custer fight. He never talked but always acted first. He was my friend and we went in the Custer fight together. He struck the body with a switch - coupstick- to show that he neither cared for their weapons, nor cared to waste his. He never dressed in gaudy regalia, feathers and paint a beads; never took part in public demonstrations or dances.

He was not an orator and was never known to make a speech. He never sat for a photograph. Yet as a War Chief, he won every battler that he undertook. Once he was attacked in camp when he had his woman and children with them, yet he was able to extricate them with great credit and little loss. Crazy Horse was quiet and not inclined to associate with others; he was in the front of every battle; he was the greatest leader of our tribe.

Spotted Tail, then Chief of the Tetons, and Red Cloud, with other leaders, decided there must be a stand made or they would be annihilated in the grand rush of white hordes who were building roads and railroads into their hunting grounds. At a Grand Council in it was decided to fight, and when the government built Fort Phil Kearny in the heart of the buffalo range, Crazy Horse took the lead to drive out the invaders.

His attack on the Fetterman party at the timber-cutting showed that he was a master of strategy. For years his band was followed in winter and in summer. The soldiers tracked them as they would trail wild animals to the lair, surrounded and struck them while asleep in their tepees. Every effort was exerted to capture or exterminate Crazy Horse and his people, but without success.

Crook to advance from the south at Fort Laramie into the Powder River country, Gibbon to come from the west and Custer's cavalry to join Terry's division on the Yellowstone, and all to close in on the allied tribes who were believed to be in the game country on the headwaters of the Rosebud and Big Horn Rivers. Crook had reached the head of Rosebud with his army mid-July when contact was made with the Indians.

Here Crazy Horse turned on him and gave him such a fight that he turned back and his army never made the junction with Terry, Gibbon and Custer as he set out to do. But this was not to be for in the meantime Terry had received Custer's troops and sent his cavalry division up the Rosebud Valley expecting to find the Indians somewhere near its head.

They crossed to the Little Big Horn and discovered their camps along its west side. The other divisions were not there to help and Custer decided to go it alone. Reno was ordered to open attack on the camp upstream, while Custer himself followed down the east side to attack them where villages were more concentrated. He was not aware that Crazy Horse had stopped his expected aid from Crook a week before and that he was now here and ready to lead his warriors to his own army's extermination.

We saw a dust but did not know what caused it. Some Indians said it was the soldiers coming. The Chief saw a flag on a pole on a hill. The soldiers made a long line and fired into out tepees among our women and children. That was the first we knew of any trouble. The women got their children by the hand and caught up their babies and ran in every direction.

Kicking Bear and Crazy Horse were in the lead. There was the thick timber and when they got out of the timber there was where the first of the fight was. Crazy Horse was ahead of all, and he killed a lot of them with his war-club. He pulled them off their horses when they tried to get across the river where the bank was steep. Kicking Bear was right beside him and killed many too in the water.

It was some of the Reno soldiers that came after us there. It was in the day just before dinner when the soldiers attacked us. When we went after them they tried to run into the timber and get over the water where they had left their wagons. The bank was about this high [twelve feet indicated] and steep, and they got off their horses and tried to climb out of the water on their hands and knees, but we killed nearly all of them when they were running through the woods and in the water.

The ones that got across the river and up the hill dug holes and stayed in them. It was the first intimation that these two Indians had that soldiers were in the vicinity. But as Reno had dug in and was willing to quit, the red folks decided to leave them there. They went to look after their women, children and old people who had not been killed in the first assault when no one was with them to defend them and packed up their belongings and left the bloody scene.

About this time all the Indians had got their horses and guns and bows and arrows and war-clubs and they charged the soldiers in the east and north on top of the hill. Custer was farther north than these soldiers were then. He was going to attack the lower end of the village. We drove nearly all that got away from us down the hill along the ridge where another lot of soldiers were trying to make a stand.

We came to a ravine, then we followed up the gulch to a place in the rear of the soldiers that were making the stand on the hill. Crazy Horse gave his horse to me to hold along with my horse. He crawled up the ravine to see where he could see the soldiers. He shot them as fast as he could load his gun. They fell off their horses as fast as he could shoot.

Here they tried to make another stand and fired some shots, but we rushed them along the ridge where Custer was. Then they made another stand the third and rallied a few minutes. Then they went along the ridge and got with Custer's men. We all kept after them until they got to where Custer was. There was only a few of them left then. By that time all the Indians in the village got their horses and guns and watched Custer.

When Custer got nearly to the lower end of the camp. They got off their horses and made a stand but it was no use. Their horses ran down the ravine right into the village. The squaws caught them as fast as they came. One of them was a sorrel with white stocking. Long time after some of our relatives told us that they had seen Custer on that kind of horse when he was on the way to the Big Horn.

There was so much dust we could not see much, but the Indians rode around and yelled the war-whoop and shot into the soldiers as fast as they could until they were all dead. One soldier was running away to the east but Crazy Horse saw him and jumped on his pony and went after him. Weetumuw School. Judicial Branch Home. About the Court. MWT Courts.

Meet the Judges. Elders Judiciary Committee. Guides, Forms, and Fees. Court Bulletins. Law and Policies.

Chief soaring eagle biography

Pending Cases. Sovereign Immunity. Tribal Court Library. Prosecutor Office. Public Defender. Police Department. Security Department. Victim Service Program. Powwow Princess. Tribal Chief. Past Leaders. Johnundated A few transcripts. Harriet, Ruth No transcripts. Harris, Ann No transcripts. Haywood, Stan No transcripts. Ethnic background unknown.

Hemauer, Rev. Gilbert F. Father GilO. Hiwalker, George Undated No transcripts. William, Mrs. Bill Undated No transcripts. Honahni, Danundated No transcripts. Rufus Undated At least one transcript. Kindell, Alice No transcripts. Roseundated At least one transcript. Rudolphundated At least one transcript. Latimar [first name unidentified], Mr.

Limpy, Josephine Josie, Old Woman Head Swift Headswift,undated Exceptionally rich and illuminating narratives within several transcripts, re Cheyenne religious beliefs and practices; daughter of a Sacred Hat Bundle keeper who learned the duties from her father; served as its temporary keeper, ca. Harry ? She also conducted interviews for several recordings.

Daughter of Ernest King and step-daughter of Gladys Bird. Harriett Mrs. James or Mrs. Jimmy At least one transcript; some recordings with audibility problems. James "Jimmy"undated At least one transcript. Little Coyote - - Henry At least one transcript. Joeundated At least a few transcripts. Also conducted several interviews. Served as the Sacred Hat bundle keeper, ca.

Lucyundated No transcripts. Little Head - - Paul Undated At least one transcript. Paul Undated At least one transcript; some recordings with audibility problems. Little Whiteman, Mary Undated At chief soaring eagle biography one transcript; some recordings with audibility problems. McManus [first name unidentified], Mr. Medicine Bird, James "Jim"undated Exceptionally rich and illuminating narratives within several transcripts.

Never married. Medicine Elk - - Cecelia No transcripts. John, Sr. Rose Mrs. Johnundated No transcripts. Morris [Morrison? David Undated No transcripts. Night Walker Nightwalker - - Gladys Mrs. Roy At least one transcript; some recordings with audibility problems. Daughter of Alex Spotted Elk. Roy A few transcripts; a Southern Cheyenne Indian.

One Bear, Margaret Undated No transcripts. Perea, Jake Undated No transcripts; ethnic background unknown. Pine Daniel At least one transcript. Leroy At least one transcript. Platt, Bob No transcripts; a non-Indian. Red Bird, Mary At least one transcript; a few recordings have audibility problems. Red Eagle - - Clara Mrs. Willisundated At least one transcript; identified as both a Southern Cheyenne and an Indian of Crow and Northern Cheyenne ancestry.

Red Fox, Robertundated At least one transcript. Lucy At least one transcript, some recordings with audibility problems; a Southern Cheyenne from Oklahoma. Jasper No transcripts; a Southern Cheyenne from Oklahoma. Red Woman - - Eugeneundated A few transcripts. Frank No transcripts. George No transcripts. Maryundated No transcripts. Rising Sun Risingsun - - Harryundated A few transcripts.

Tedundated A few transcripts. Round Stone, Richard No transcripts. Russell - - Francesundated No transcripts. Patricia "Pat" Mrs. Frances No transcripts. Germaine, Dr. Seminole - - Danundatedundated Exceptionally rich and illuminating narratives within several transcripts. A mixed-race Cheyenne Indian who served as a ranch hand and a police officer.

John At least one transcript. Mary ? Shoulder Blade ShoulderbladeWendell No transcripts. Sitting Man, Charles, Jr. Sooktis - - Joann Undated No transcripts. Josephine Josie, Mrs. Charles Undated At least one transcript; some recordings with audibility problems. Her husband, Charles, served as a Sacred Hat bundle keeper and was a close friend of Rev.

Emmett Hoffmann.