Pease
note there are really large graphics on this page that may take
a while to come in properly. Please be patient. After the 1862 retaliation by the Dakota people, also called "The Minnesota Uprising" over 300 men were rounded up and charged with whatever the government could come up with short hearings or makeshift hearings were held, all were found guilty, the list of those charged was eventually brought down to 40 that were to be executed.. a date was set for December 19th, when the December 19th deadline came the excuse was not enough rope, so the date was moved to December 26th, His Nation/ Oyate Tawa was one of the 38 executed, it was after the executions our great grandmother and her mother fled west, first to the Sisseton Wahpeton area then to be with relatives in the White Stone area. In the fall of 1863 the Band of Upper Yanktonai Dakota were near white stone hill area the camp as told was a fall hunt camp and a hunt had recently taken place. After the execution of the 38 from what we were taught the Government made a policy that was to get rid of the Dakota People hindering the wasicu's progess across this nation. On Sept 3 1863 General Sully and troops 1500 strong attacked the White Stone encampment killing many of the Dakota Sioux people, one estimate was 300 another was 200 to 300 people were killed. Old men old women, children were all killed. As many as 150 prisoners were taken down to Ft Thompson. Our grandparents lived in the area known as Big Lake in the district of Cannon Ball ND. I attached a picture of the residents of Big Lake at the turn of the century, not all of the Big Lake residents are in the photo, but some of our Dakota Relatives may remember some of the names, or be related to those in the picture.
This picture was taken outside the Big Lake congregational meeting hall, early 1909. In this picture are three of my grandfathers/Unkonnas, Thomas (Kopena) Ashley, Francis (Many Wounds) Ireland and Charles(Itetahankte) Fool Bear Sr. Back in 2008 my brother and I met a young councilman and an employee from the Crow Creek Lower brule area, I dont have their names, but both were really friendly and informative about the ride. We as descendants of Oyate Tawa were invited to go down and participate.. well we missed it that year, and it seems like each year we have been tied up in some issue, the latest is the Protest that happened on our northern border. Prior to the inception of the 1934 IRA act, Big Lake had established a governing method and drew up their own constitution. You said leave some information. So here it is. Oh, I am going to make the trip down on the 26th to see who we are related to.
Dakota
Commemorative March - November 2014 Prisoners
Names - 1862, |
