Sitting Bull: A Biography of a Lakota Chief

The chosen subject for Gary C. Anderson's biography was Sitting Bull, a chief of the Hunkpapa Lakota tribe. Anderson's book was published by Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers in 1996, despite the majority of Sitting Bull's history occurring in the 1800s. The biography focuses on the history of Sitting Bull and the native Indians' battle with the "white man" for land.

The first chapter provides historical context and introduces the story and setting. In the eighteenth century, Americans began to migrate west of the Mississippi River, leading to conflicts with Sitting Bull and his Lakota or Sioux people who considered the land their homeland.

While the Indians relied on hunting and buffalo for their livelihood, the Americans rapidly expanded westward, building a railway and searching for gold. The increasing presence of Americans and their disruptions to the buffalo population posed challenges for the Indians, as buffalo served as their primary source of food, clothing, and shelter.

After the discovery of gold in the Black Hills, there were conflicts between Indians and Americans over the land.

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Many tribes considered this land sacred, especially the Lakota tribe who claimed ownership of it. To address the growing violence, the government established The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1968 which prohibited white settlers from accessing these areas. However, despite this restriction, many prospectors still headed west. The government attempted to buy the Black Hills, but their efforts failed. As a result, the commissioner of Indian Affairs declared that any Lakota not living on a reservation by January 31, 1876 would be labeled as hostile.

While some easily relocated to reservation camps and embraced farming, Sitting Bull and his followers refused to surrender their claim on the land.

In the second chapter, we gain insight specifically into the life and training of Sitting Bull (Tatanka- Iyotanka), who would later become the esteemed leader and chief of the Lakota tribe. Born as Hunkesni, meaning slow, around 1831 on the Grand River in present day South Dakota, Sitting Bull already displayed leadership qualities as a young boy. His uncles, Four Horns and Looks-For-Him-In-A-Tent, were his primary role models. They taught him hunting and warfare skills and were influential Hunkpapa chiefs. They ensured Sitting Bull's proper upbringing, giving him status, guidance, and affectionately calling them Ate, his fathers.

The intensive training of the young boy commenced once he could mount a horse. Boys were taught how to tend to horse herds by the age of ten. Additionally, they were not only being trained themselves but also educated their horses on how to behave during buffalo hunts. The ultimate skill they learned was how to effectively shoot a weapon while riding a fast-moving horse.

Sitting Bull had a special connection with the Great Spirit and possessed sacred power, which he discovered at a young age. Throughout his life, he had numerous visions that often became reality. Despite not being a medicine man, many Hunkpapa sought Sitting Bull's advice. Additionally, he had the unique ability to communicate with animals, making him a skilled hunter among his people. As a result of this extraordinary ability, he was later given the name Sitting Bull.

Sitting Bull had multiple wives throughout his life, experiencing difficulties in his marriages for various reasons. Despite these challenges, Sitting Bull was a compassionate individual who showed care towards his wives and elders. Among his children, Sitting Bull had a first son named Crowfoot. Additionally, over time, Sitting Bull also welcomed other individuals, including "white men," into his family and treated them as his own children.

Among the Lakota's, the Sundance was a highly important religious ritual performed annually in June. It served as a unifying event, bringing the entire community together to create a collective village. During this ritual, the men would participate in dancing and gazing directly at the sun in search of divine visions. Sometime around his twentieth birthday, Sitting Bull took part in his inaugural Sundance.

Highly esteemed for his courage and wisdom, Sitting Bull emerged as a leading figure among the Lakota nation in approximately 1868. In Anderson's book, he addresses the endeavors of Sitting Bull and the other tribes in safeguarding the Lakota homeland against government interference. Sitting Bull vehemently refused to sell any land and effectively communicated this stance to the American authorities. The delineation of land boundaries became a major point of contention between the Americans and the Lakotas, as the former pressed the Indians to define their territories in order to facilitate land purchases.

The railroad not only disrupted hunting but also facilitated the transportation of military troops, their provisions, and supplies at a lower cost. The government hired troops to locate and relocate the Indians, who were urged to surrender their land. The Black Hills, a disputed territory between the government and the Indians, attracted settlers due to rumors of the presence of gold. Despite the 1868 treaty designating the Black Hills as Indian territory, new settlers invaded the area. The Indians approached the government to voice their grievances about the unwelcome guests. However, instead of being able to prevent Americans from entering, the government suggested that the Indians should relocate to reservation camps.

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"Sitting Bull observed how the Americans lacked respect for all, as they would kill women and children during combat and disregard sacred promises." Sitting Bull refused to relocate to reservations and vehemently opposed the presence of the white settlers, known as wasicuns, on their territory.

Despite the Indians acquiring new firearms with the ability to repeat fire, they were unprepared for the army's intended style of warfare.

The January 31st deadline to relocate all Indians onto reservation camps posed difficulties due to the winter season. Despite some Indians' willingness to move to the camps, the military troops faced challenges in apprehending them, often leading to battles. In some cases, the Indians escaped while the troops seized their horses and burned their lodges. The Indians suffered the loss of their homes and food rations during harsh winter conditions. Occasionally, Indians surrendered willingly and went to reservations. However, Sitting Bull and his tribe chose to resist and fight against being forced into reservations and adopting "white man" customs.

The military deployed multiple troops across the western region, with one force reportedly consisting of thirteen hundred men. The war chiefs advised the Indians to exercise caution and patience, hopeful that negotiations would occur prior to any fighting. In combat, the Indians held a significant advantage over the Americans as they were able to fight while mounted on horses. This afforded them both speed and a form of protection, as they would aim their shots below the horses' necks, presenting the Americans with a smaller target.

On June 25th 1876, the Indians and the Americans engaged in their largest battle. Colonel George Armstrong Custer, a civil war veteran, led his 750 men in a surprise attack against the Indians early in the morning. Custer divided his group into two, directing one half to the west to assault the southern end of the Indian villages. Unaware of the troops approaching, the Sioux village was taken by surprise when gunfire erupted. In the chaos, children and mothers sought each other's company and protection. Young men began singing their war songs and ventured onto the battlefields. Notably, Sitting Bull, who was around fifty years old and had impaired vision from Sundances, did not participate in the fighting alongside the men.

The Lakotas and Cheyennes outmaneuvered and defeated the tired soldiers at every encounter. For every Indian casualty, ten soldiers fell. As the day wore on, the American troops became powerless and gathered together in fear, with some contemplating suicide. When the battle came to a close, the Indians looted the dead soldiers' saddlebags and discovered that many guns had been scarcely used. They also identified Colonel Custer's lifeless body. The combined casualties of the Lakotas and Cheyennes were fewer than thirty men. Following their glorious triumph and as evening approached, the immense Indian encampment erupted with an impromptu mix of mourning and celebration.

The fourth chapter details the Indians' escape to Canada following a significant battle. The Americans exerted increasing pressure on the Indians to surrender and relocate to reservations. The Indians were assured of food supplies and were informed that the hunting bands would still be allowed to have a reservation south of Missouri if they surrendered to the camps. However, these promises couldn't be fulfilled. Sitting Bull and his people hesitated to move to the reservations as they sensed the army troops were preparing for further conflict. The Lakotas faced ammunition shortage and dreaded the American soldiers. Consequently, during the summer of 1877, the Indians crossed the border into Canada, attracted by an abundance of buffalo and easily available ammunition at the trade stores. Major Walsh of Canada sympathized with the suffering of the Indians and sought to alleviate their plight.

Walsh assured the Indians that the Queen's government would protect them. The Canadian government informed the Americans that they would not tolerate invasion and urged them to be more lenient in their surrender terms. The Canadians specifically requested that the Indians be allowed to keep their firearms and ponies when transitioning to the reservations. The Indians resorted to crossing the border repeatedly to evade American troops. On occasion, they were captured and, lacking sufficient ammunition to retaliate, they surrendered and relocated to the reservation camps. A few managed to escape and joined Sitting Bull's camp.

Around 1879, Walsh persuaded Sitting Bull to release his people. Eventually, the chief agreed and informed his people that they could leave if they wished. Many chose to depart for the reservation camps. Following an unfruitful hunting season and a harsh winter, the Indians found themselves in a situation where surrendering to the Americans was their only choice. In July 1881, when the troops arrived, they easily apprehended the families without encountering any resistance. Sitting Bull and his people suffered from inadequate food and insufficient clothing to protect them from the cold.

The Lakota Nationhood's demise occurred between 1881 and 1890. Upon relocating to reservation camps, Americans desired the Lakotas to adopt farming and Christianity, forsaking their traditional Lakota practices. Catholic and Protestant missionaries aimed to engage with the Indians by translating scripture into their language and distributing significant quantities of food to entice them. Although Sitting Bull had permission to visit other villages, he was prohibited from rejoining his former allies due to fears of rebellion. Roll call was conducted every morning at each camp as a means of monitoring the population. Despite residing on the reservation, Sitting Bull's determination remained unbroken as he frequently requested to be acknowledged as the chief, yet he was treated no differently than other Native Americans. The military exhibited preferential treatment toward those who attended church and school, while also aiming to halt dances, feasts, or any tribal gatherings that interfered with agricultural labor.

As America exerted increasing pressure on the indigenous population, many Native Americans felt compelled to sell their land. Despite possible misunderstandings and fears of reduced rations or withheld payment, numerous individuals signed these treaties.

After visiting Minneapolis and witnessing the large crowds that gathered to see Sitting Bull, he was approached regarding a show. He agreed to the deal after being promised the opportunity to visit major eastern cities and speak with the president. The performances, which cost fifty cents, attracted nearly six thousand attendees. Sitting Bull addressed the crowd at length, and his words were translated with great intrigue and embellishment. In June 1885, Sitting Bull agreed to partake in another show alongside Annie Oakley. He sold photographs and autographs and thoroughly enjoyed traveling to prominent American cities. However, the daily demands of this "circus" eventually wore him down, prompting his return to the camp in October.

During the summer of 1891, the Lakotas began performing a ghost dance, which was similar to the sundance ritual. Their objective was to bring back their ancestors from the afterlife and seek salvation. With great persistence, the Lakotas continued to partake in their dance and offer prayers. However, the American settlers frowned upon this practice as it resembled the traditional customs of the Lakotas, undermining their efforts in farming and conflicting with Christian ideology. Nevertheless, the Lakotas persisted in their dancing rituals, which extended until December.

On December 15th, Sitting Bull was arrested but hesitated to go with the Indian Police when his teenage son shouted at him, questioning his bravery for allowing himself to be taken. Suddenly, Catch-the-Bear shot the policeman, who retaliated by shooting Sitting Bull in the back. As a result, Sitting Bull tragically died in front of his cabin. Chaos ensued as a gun battle erupted and the policeman haphazardly fired into the crowd, causing the ghost dancers to flee westward.

The ghost dancing did not continue, and the deceased ancestors did not come back as they had promised. During the incident where Sitting Bull was killed, seven dancers also lost their lives. Unlike the fallen policeman, Sitting Bull did not receive any honors for his corpse. It was discovered that there were seven bullet holes in Sitting Bull's body. Following his death, people began to criticize him, claiming that he lacked support from the Hunkapapa people and was intellectually inadequate.

During the 1930s, the American government initiated a "New Deal" program for Native Americans, which effectively lifted the ban on dancing. Consequently, in the summer of 1936, after more than fifty years, Native Americans were finally able to partake in their traditional Sundance ceremony once more.

Anderson effectively presents a comprehensive and unbiased portrayal of history in this book, covering various fields. The amount of research put into it is apparent. As someone unfamiliar with Lakota history, it is difficult for me to judge its adequacy. However, Anderson ensures a clear distinction between the use of authentic diary accounts and oral tradition. As viewers, we can discern the truthfulness of a story based on whether it was passed down orally or documented without biases. Humans have a tendency to embellish, so this differentiation is crucial. Furthermore, I appreciate how Anderson incorporates Lakota vocabulary throughout the book. While initially confusing, it became enjoyable to learn a few Lakota words.

I highly recommend this book for those interested in learning about the Lakota people and Sitting Bull. It is not an easy read due to its extensive and challenging history. The numerous unfamiliar names of tribes and individuals make it difficult to remember all the information. Additionally, the descriptions of the land mentioned in the stories are now known by different names, making it hard to visualize the settings. However, I have learned a great deal from Anderson's book. Without being assigned to read it, I may not have chosen this book on my own. Nevertheless, I agree that it is an excellent history book that should be included in high school and college history classes.