Quote:
Originally Posted by Iggy
When I was a kid, I talked to an old Injun who's white man name was Dewey Beard. He and a bunch of Ogallas always came to Cheyenne Frontier days and I would visit with him. I din't know until about 10 years ago that his Injun name was Wooden Leg and he was there.  |
Iggy, I am sure ya know Dewey Beard lived to almost 100 (he passed around 1955) and was the last survivor of the dust-up at the Greasy Grass. You are fortunate to have met him.
It is an interesting custom among the Lakhota that people acquire different names at different times in their lives. This may have to do with an event, a waking vision, or a dream. So, Big Foot, the leader of the Minneconju band that Dewey was with at Wounded Knee, was also known as Spotted Elk. So too, with Dewey, he was known as Iron Hail. By the way, although he lived among the Ogallalas on Pine Ridge and then in Rapid most of his life, he was from Cheyenne River, as are most Minneconjus. He was one of the guys who modeled for the old Indian head nickels, proving that even old guys with big noses can have a certain rock-star quality.
There's hope fer us old guys yet!.
Bullseye