Sunday, October 03, 2010

Tene'-angopte's Dilemma



















The questions recently posed in English and Hindi by an Indian DJ come to play in this story.

1) Why do people trouble each other in this life?

2) What is the soul thirsty for?


After the American Civil War, Kiowa (Kaui-gu) leader Kicking Bird (Tene'-angopte) recognized the impossibility of (permanently) fending off the settlers and military forces of the United States, of maintaining the established way of life. He chose to attempt peace, with hope of some modified future for the Kiowa.

But Tene'-angopte was caught in an existential dilemma: in order to give peace a chance, he must show to doubting Thomases and men who would be king that he was also a brave warrior. So he formed a war party and engaged a detachment of the Sixth United States Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Wichita on July 12, 1870. Kicking Bird led the attack and killed a trooper personally with his lance. Having literally proven his point, it was time to end the conflict.



















But making peace is more controversial than making war, and after a time, on May 3, 1875, Tene'-angopte became sick, apparently poisoned, dying the next day.


















I visited the vast grounds of Fort Sill, where tribesmen, cavalrymen and family members are all buried together in a "Town of the Deads." This headstone reads "CHIEF KICKING BIRD / "TENE-ANGOPTE" / KIOWA TRIBE / MEDICINE LODGE TREATY SIGNER / MAY 4 1870."

Also spoke with many living members of the Kiowa Tribe. The Kiowa Casino is located just north of the Red River. On their website at http://www.kiowacasino.com/ there is a brief history and other information about their culture.  I heard one estimate that puts Kiowa numbers at about 12,000 today, many living in the southwest part of okla humma (Oklahoma).

Today's Rune: Harvest.   

5 comments:

外遇 said...

Keep the faith, my Internet friend. You are a first-class writer and deserve to be heard.

離婚 said...

Keep the faith, my Internet friend. You are a first-class writer and deserve to be heard.

the walking man said...

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Keep the faith, my Internet friend. You are a first-class writer and deserve to be heard.

Luma Rosa said...

I would love to have done a ride like this, I'm real curious about the period before American colonization with all reality and folklore. Remember my post about Leonar Peltier?

Erik Donald France said...

谢谢! Obrigado! TY!

Luma, I do remember on Leonard Peltier. He still needs to be released. Heis 66 and not up for parole again until 2024. President Barrack "Black Eagle" should pardon him before he leaves office.