Archie
D. Fool Bear
My name is Archie D. Fool Bear, my mother is
Agatha Ireland my fathers name is Charles Fool
Bear, my mothers father is Francis Ireland(Many
Wounds) her mother is Martha Ashley Kopena..
Francis' mother is Mary Mocassin and his father
was a Many Wounds.. Mary's mother and father
are from the upper Sioux dakota people. Her
fathers name is Oyate Tawa / His Nation.
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 were taught the 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 Relatves 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.
Hecito, Kokipesni emachiyapi
