A Native American Oral History of Little Big Horn

Continuing with Native American Heritage Month, some oral history from two Lakota people

Hear some stories of Chief Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Little Big Horn from Lakota voices whose families passed them down.

On YouTube, Reechel Donohue has shared a film she produced of Chief Sitting Bull's great-grandson recounting an oral history as passed down by his people of the battle of Little Big Horn. He also explains some of the Lacota culture and sheds light on the circumstances surrounding Custer's attack on the Lakota people.

 

The site does not allow playback on other sites (such as this blog) but the 12-minute video can be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/u-3NIrXW92s

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Chief David Bald Eagle shares in this 18-minute video what his grandfathers told him about Crazy Horse and how his people would send scouts to see if the enemy (the U.S. Cavalry) was anywhere near. His grandfather told him that Crazy horse did not want to be a leader, that he was more spiritually inclined. When Crazy Horse came to their village, they could tell by the way he wore his feather whether the news was good or bad.  

Chief Bald Eagle was himself a WWII veteran (4th Cavalry, 82nd Airborne Division)He was also a musician, a cowboy, and an actor. He died at the age of 97 in 2016, the same year this film was produced.

 

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