the narrator (Tale 71)

Family: Arikara · Role: first-person narrator · First appears: Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 1

When the narrator was fourteen winters old, his father died. After a man took the shield, his mother recovered its frame; the narrator made a new cover and completed it, then hung it up.

In Part 2, the narrator gave many scalps to the narrator's grandfather (Tale 71). His grandfather took a Sioux scalp to the holy bundle lodge, where the offering ceremony was performed. Afterward, the narrator was made a chief and invited to sit among the great chiefs; an old man placed a buckskin shirt on him and called him a young chief. Another time, his grandfather brought him into the sun dance lodge for the back-cutting ceremony. After he hung there for one day and one night, Bloody-Knife cut the strips of skin and he fell to the ground. A few days later, when the Sioux attacked the village, he counted coup and struck an enemy.

Relationship record

Life events

• The narrator's father died.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 1)
  • With: the narrator's father (Tale 71)
  • “I was fourteen winters old when my father died.”
• The narrator's mother recovered the shield frame from the man who had taken it.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 1)
  • With: the narrator's mother (Tale 71)
  • “The frame of the shield was given up by the man to me.”
• The narrator made a new cover and completed the shield.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 1)
  • “The shield was made, and I hung it up.”
• The narrator's grandfather took the Sioux's scalp to the holy bundle lodge, where the offering ceremony was performed.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 2 · 📍 the lodge of the holy bundle)
  • With: the narrator's grandfather (Tale 71)
  • “This I took to my grandfather, who took the scalp to the lodge of the holy bundle. The ceremony of offering the scalp to the gods was performed.”
• The narrator was made a chief and invited to sit among the great chiefs.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 2)
  • “After this ceremony the chiefs had their ceremony, and I was made a chief. I was invited to sit among the great chiefs.”
• An old man placed a buckskin shirt on the narrator, declaring him a young chief.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 2)
  • With: the old man who gave the buckskin shirt (Tale 71)
  • “An old man arose and, taking up a buckskin shirt, called me to him. He put the buckskin shirt upon me. He said: “My son, I put upon you a dress that is white; there are no marks upon the shirt.”
• The narrator's grandfather brought him into the sun dance lodge for the back-cutting ceremony.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 2 · 📍 this lodge)
  • With: the narrator's grandfather (Tale 71)
  • “My grandfather took me in and placed me upon the ground. He spoke to the old warriors, and said: “Medicine-men and warriors, I bring this young man into this lodge.”
• Bloody-Knife cut the narrator down from the suspended position, ending his sun dance ordeal.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 2 · 📍 the lodge)
  • With: Bloody-Knife
  • “A warrior arose and came where I hung. He told of fighting a duel with a Sioux and how he had cut him up with a knife. This man’s name was Bloody-Knife. He cut the strips of skin, and I fell to the ground.”
• The narrator counted coup and struck an enemy when the Sioux attacked his village.(Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 2 · 📍 our village)
  • “A few days after, the Sioux attacked our village and again I counted coup and also struck the enemy.”

Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 1

• parent: the narrator's father (Tale 71) “I was fourteen winters old when my father died.”
• parent: the narrator's mother (Tale 71) “I told them who had it, and my mother went to the lodge of the man, who said, ‘Yes, I took it, but I threw the cover away, for I intended to make a new cover for it.’”

Tale 71 · The Medicine Bear Shield · Part 2

• elder kin: the narrator's grandfather (Tale 71) “I gave many scalps to my grandfather.”
• parent: the narrator's mother (Tale 71) “I want you, medicine-men, to paint him and place this lariat rope upon the pole, and cut upon his back so that he will swing. Warriors, in cutting upon his back, tell of your great deeds, so that my grandson will overtake your great deeds in his life and become a great man. I have many ponies to give you, and his mother and relatives will give you presents.”

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Extracted from the original text of Traditions of the Arikara. Made with Rho MD.