Native Americans


    Turning Bear (Mato-ayuwi) and Wife. He was a Chief of the Ogalalla Sioux, and was a signatory of the 1876 treaty. He was one leader who led about 1700 people (300 lodges) from Rosebud to Pine Ridge. The soldiers cut off their route, so they headed into the "badlands" of South Dakota. They were rounded up there, and on the return to Pine Ridge, were massacred at Wounded Knee. Turning Bear survived. There were 1891 accounts of the massacre, by Turning Hawk, Spotted Horse, and Spider (Crazy Horses father, nicknamed American Horse)

    Another reference to Turning Bears life comes from an interview done with Red Feather in 1930. His sister was married to Crazy Horse.

    A group of scouts was sent out to talk Crazy Horse into coming to the reservation. Finally they succeed. When he arrived, they put him in a little house. Red Feather and White Calf sneaked around back and looked in the window. There was an excited discussion, and one of the scouts came out shouting that the house was actually was the jail. Crazy Horse drew his knife and ran outside. Little Big Man grabbed him, and held his hands behind his back. The soldier guarding him bayonetted him in the kidneys, and he died later that evening with his father, Spider, by his side.

    Turning Bear was one of the Rosebud group that had convinced Crazy Horse to come there, so Red Feather asked him why he and the others didn't stay with him, indirectly blaming him and the others for the death of Crazy Horse. Jim Bates Collection, #98-1-2

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