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John No Ears’ (1853-1918) winter count does not have a pictograph (Greene and Thornton, 2007: 45). This typescript copy was apparently typed by State Historical Society of North Dakota museum curator Melvin R. Gilmore from the original written recorded by Major General Hugh L. Scott. Gilmore’s notes are signed M.R.G.
Though Scott’s interpretation is not as thorough as Beede’s, this count has the advantage of having the Dakota words printed along with the English translation. Many events signifying Lakota history in No Ears’ count can be corroborated with High Dog’s winter count. The editor has made no changes to this typescript.
SHSND Mss 20167
(Download pdf version of John No Ears' winter count)
B167
HISTORY OF OG-LALA SIOUX Winter Count of John No-ears.
From original in possession of Maj.-Gen. Hugh L. Scott.
1759 Broke camp in winter. Wicableca han he waniyetu.
1760 Were killed where they were fishing. Hokuwa wica ktopi.
1761 Killed while trapping eagles. Wanbli kuwawica kte pi.
1?62 Swam toward the Buffaloes. Pte Anu wanpi.
1763 Knives not known. Mila wanica.
1764. Ant (Little Ant) was killed. Tajuskala (Tazuskala) kte pi.
1765 Shooting Pines was killed. Waze kute la ahi kte pi.
1766 Bag was killed. Walagala kte pi.
1767 Help on both sides. Anub ob iyeyipi.
1768 Fought among themselves. Iyeska kicizapi.
1769 Wears-a- mask was killed. Ite han kiton kte pi.
1770 God in a rage. Wakantanka knaskiye.
1771 Set fire on Mandans. Miwatani oqu wicayapi.
1772 Three were killed while after wood. Canquin yamni wica kte pi.
1773 Even dogs got snowblind. Sunka ko ista niyapi.
1774 Acted as a Clown was killed. Heyoka Kagala kte pi.
1775 Killed two that went to a knoll. Pahata nonpa wica kte pi.
1776 Just-went came on a visit. Kiglela hi.
1777 The Assiniboine came. Hone ahi.
1778 Killed a man that had a club. Canaksayuha kte pi.
1779 Forgot the place they camped for the winter. Tukte el wani tipi
tain ani.
1780 Contest between two medicine men. While playing Indian game, callraka, a dispute arose over the game. Through supernatural power Slukala was put to death. Slukala raka icto. (raka=liaka)
1781 Horses came charging into camp. Sunkawakan natan ahi.
1782 Time of measles. Nawicasli
1783 Killed a man wearing a red blanket. Sina luta in wan kte pi. 1784. A soldier froze to death. Akicita cuwitata.
1785 Oglalas took a cedar. Oglala kin hante wan icupi,1786 Packs ornament on head and go into camp for war. Peici maza zuya ti.
1787 Shades father was killed. Ohanzi atkuka kte pi.
1783 Two Clowns were killed. Heyoka kaga nonp wicakepi.
1789 Many crows perished. Kangi ota tapi.
1790 Two Mandans killed in the center of the ice.
Miwatani nonp car cokan wica ktepi.
1791 They went around the continent with a flag.
Wowapi wan make kawinh yuka hiyayapi.
1792 Saw a white woman. Winyan wan aka wayakapi.
1793 They went into camp with the Mandans. Miwatani awica tipi.
1794 They killed a man with a small face. Ite ciqa wan kte pi.
1795 Killed a man that had long hair. Pshin han kaska wan kte pi.
(Pehin hanska wan kte pi?)
1796 They killed a man who was standing with a water bag.
Mnini yaye yuha wan kte pi.
1797 Killed a man with his war bonnet on. Wapahi ki ton wan kte pi.
1798 They found a God woman. Wakantanka winyan wan eye yapi.
1799 Many women about to become mothers died in general.
Winyan iklusake ota tapi.
1800 One that doesn't eat heart did supernatural act.
Tacata yu te sni wan waccon.
1801 They had measles. Nawicasli.
1802 A good white man came. Wasicun wan waste hi.
1803 They brought in shod horses. Sake maza awicakli pi.
1804 They brought in curly horses. Sungugula. awicakli pi.
1805 They sung medicine song over each other with horse tail.
Tasinte on akicilowapi.
1806 Eight were killed. Sakilogan ahi wica kte pi.
1807 They killed the eagle trappers. Wanbli kuwa eya wie akte pi.
1808. They killed a man wearing a red shirt, he was intercepted and killed. Okle luta on wan itkop ahi kte pi.
1809 Blue-blanket's father was killed. Sina to atkuku Palani ahi kte pi.
1810 Little Beaver's lodge burned. Capa Ciqa ti ile.
1811 They brought in horses with ornaments on their tails
Sinte waksupi awicakli pi.
1812 Big Roads father was killed by Arikaras. Caku Tank atkuku Palani kte pi. [this entry is crossed out]
1812 They killed four Arikaras. Palani top wicakte pi.
1813 Big Road's father was billed by Arikara's.
Canku Tanka atkuku Palani kte pi.1814 A Kiowa was clubbed to death. Wita potu wan kogug pi.
1815 They Have-no-bows lived in a big lodge. Itazicola titanka otipi.
1816. Still living in a big lodge. Ake oktipi.
1817 Build a place out of dried limbs. Can seca on ticaga pi.
1818 They had measles. Nawicasli.
1819 Build places with yellow timber. Canzi can on ticagapi.
1820 Two Arrows had a fastener of medicine attached. Wanublala wicicaske kicaga pi.
1821 Echo of a sounding star. Wicahpi wan hoton hiya yacl.
1822 Peeling froze his leg. Waskula hu span.
1823 Much bad corn. Wakeze ota sica.
1824 Thrower was killed by a supernatural trick. Yeyela hun kte pi.
1825 People drowned. Mini wicate.
1826 Kaiwa came back and died. Kaiwa klita.
1827 They cook cat-tails that grow in swamps. Psachanpi. This seems to be incorrectly translated, Psa = bulrush; cat-tail = wihuta-hu, and the word for cook is ohan or spanyan, Bulrushes, i.e. the base of the stalk, which is sweet and tender, are used for food, cat-tails are not so used. M.R.G.
1828 Many Mandans killed. Miwatani ota wica kte pi.
1829 Spotted Face killed a man and would not leave the corpse.
Ite Klega wa akaija.
1830. Killed many white buffaloes. Pte san ota, wica kte pi.
1831 Burning of lake livid (sic). Ble stan hu kawaga. This translation seems to me doubtful, M.R.G.
1832 Lone Horn broke his leg. He wanjica hu kawega.
1833 Shooting of the stars. Wicarpi (Wicahpi) okicanma
1834 A Cheyenne was killed on his way home. Sabiyela ti kle wan kte pi.
1835 Shooting of a fat buffalo. Tatanka wan cepa opi.
1836 Throwing ice on one another. Canra (Canha) akicinpi.
1837 Man that had half his face painted red was murdered. Ite hapisakiya tiapa kte.
1838 Killing of mad pup. Sunknaskinya cinca wan kte pi.
1839 While in condition of starvation they went on to attack. Wicaakiran (Wicaakihan) watakpe a i.
1840 Little Thunder killed two of his brothers. Wakiyan ciqa sunkaku
nonp wica kte.
1841 Shot arrows into abunch of brown ear horses.
Sunknapogi ota to wicayapi.
1842 Feather Ear-ring killed a horse herder while he was with the horses. Wiyaka Owin sunkyuha najin wan kte.
1843 Brought in the captives. Wayaka aklipi.
1844 He Crow was killed. Kangi bloke (bloka?) ahi kte pi.
1845 Measles broke out. Nawicasli.
1846 A white S was killed. Susa aka wan kte pi.
1847 Crow Eagle was stabbed. Kangi wanbli capapi.
1848 A half woman (hermaphrodite?) was killed. Winkte wan kte pi.
1849 They had cramps (Asiatic cholera?). Nawica tipa.
1850 Small-pox. Wicaranran (sic) Wicahanhan.
1851 Big issue of annuities. Wakpamni tanka.
1852 Deep snow winter. Wasma waniyetu.
1853 Bear stole a virgin. Mate wan win-san manu.
1854 Killing of Conqueror Bear. Mate Wayuhi kte pi.
1855 Hornet killed a man and would not leave him. Wicayajipa waskaija.
1856 Meeting the Crows in peace. Kangi-wicasa oki ju.
1857 Killed ten Crows. Kangi-wicasa wicemna wica kte pi.
1858 His-yellow-blanket was killed. Tasinazi kte pi.
1859 Big-crow was killed. Kangi-tanka kte pi.
1860 General infant mortality. Hoksicala ota tapi.
1861 Spotted-horse was killed. Sunkleska kte pi.
1862 A boy was scalped. Hoksila wan waspa pi .
???? Four Crows killed. Psa top wica kte pi.
Something seems to be wrong with this translation. The word for Crow, the people, is Kangi-wicasa.
1863 Eight were killed. Saklogan ahi wica kte pi.
1864 See above
l865 The horses all died. Sunka ota pi. (This would mean not all horses but many horses)
1866 One hundred white men killed. wasicun opawinge wica kte pi.
1867 A Shoshone came into camp and was killed. Susuni tihi wan kte pi.
1868 Thunder-horn was discarded. Wakinyan-heton ihpeyapi.
It would seem that the translation ought to be Horned- thunder.
1869 A tree fell and killed an old woman. Winohcala wan can kate.
1870 Big-heart killed. Canku wakantu ya ahi kte pi.
1871 Canhahaka tain ani .
1872 Hole-on-both-sides-of-buttocks killed two Crows.
1873 Two Omahas killed. Omaha nonp wica kte pi.
1874 Last time they went across. Ehake ko wakan tan a i.
1875 Seven Loafer Indians killed. Wakluhe Sakewin ahi wica kte pi.
1876 Horse taken from Red-Cloud by military. Mahpiya-luta sunkipi.
1877 Crazy-horse killed. Ta-sunke-witke kte pi.
1878 Cheyenne medicine man killed by sword. sahila wakan wan kte pi.
1879 Susukle-ska killed. Susukle-ska wan kte pi.
1881 Spotted-tail killed. Sinte-kleska kte pi.
1882 Drum's son committed suicide. Cancega cince wan icikte.
1883 Burned-face broke his neck. Ite-canqugu tahu pawega.
1884 White-bull killed his wife. Tatanka-ska tawicu kikte.
1885 Council Fire man thrown off the Reservation.
Peta wicana wan ihpeyapi.
1886 Turn-over accidentally killed. Yupta-anyan wanu kte pi.
1887 Medicine accidentally killed. Wakan wanu kte pi.
1888 Undoing of a package. Wapahta yubleca pi.
1889 Red-shirt's sister committed suicide. Okle-sa tanksitku wan
Ice kte.
1890 Massacre of Big-foot. Si-tanka kte pi.
1891 Indian soldiers enlisted. Maka mani akicita wica kaga pi.
1892 Two-sticks killed some cowboys. Can-nonp pte-yuha eya wica kte.
1893 Boarding school burned. Owayawa tanka ile.
1894 Two-sticks hanged. Can-nonp yuna pa nakas yapi.
1895 Beginning of the council. Toka Omniciye tanka kaga pi.
1896 White-bird died. Zintkala-ska ta waniyetu.
1897 Slaughter house on White Clay Creek burned. Talo tipi ile yapi.
1898 Began building Reservation fence. Toka conkaska kaga pi.
1899 Gen. William P. Fire died. Peta ga ta waniyetu.
1900 Closing issue of annuities. Wakpanni natakapi. (nataka= fencing, fastening)
1901 Smallpox winter. Wicahanhan waniyetu.
1902 An old woman disappeared. Winohcala wan tain ani.
1903 Killing of the deer hunters.(in Wyoming) Tahca kute oya wica kte pi
1904 Beginning of allotments. Toka makiyutapi waniyetu.
1905 Frank Bissonette committed suicide. Wapaha-hota cinca wanicikte.
1906 Utes rounded up in Montana. Sapa-wicasa hiyuyapi amnicayuapapi.
1907 Wagons issued to allottees. Campagmigna wakpamni pi.
1908 American-horse died. Wasicun-ta-sunke te.
1909 Red-cloud died. Mahpiya-luta te.
1910 Captain George Sword died. Miwakan yuha te.
1911 No-nation died. Owica-yate ke sni ta.
1912 Afraid-of-bear died. Mato kokipapi ta.
1913 Raising of the flag. Wowapi pawanka ayapi.
1914 Thomas Tyon died. Cannupa Qupi ta.
1915
1916 Last-horse died, Ta-sunka eha ke gli, (Something seems to
be wrong with this translation or transcription or with both.)
1917 Flat-iron died. Maska-blaska ta-waniyetu. (Something seems wrong with this translation of both name and statement.)
1918 Collection of donations for the Red Cross. Can glakeya sa wanma yapi
1919
John No-ear died in the fall of 1918 at his home on White Clay Creek, Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota.
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