Yankton Sioux Elders told a story of a group of these Potawatomi (Potawanami) and Miami, who made their way west to find new land. The Potawatomi tried to claim the hills and great spring of the hills for their own, but the Yankton were a proud warrior people and would not allow their territory to be taken without a fight. Near the sight of the Big Spring, a great and terrible battle ensued. The Potawatomi were led by a war chief with a legendary name, Little Turtle. Chief Little Turtle may have wielded the pistols and sword personally gifted to his family by George Washington into the battle. But the Yanktons were great warriors, fighting on their own land, and in the end, the Potawatomi were defeated. Little Turtle died bravely and was honored by the Yankton. They buried him on the highest nearby point overlooking the land Little Turtle had hoped would be a new promised land for his people. The Yankton marked his grave with two stone turtle mosaics on the ground.
On this episode, we tell the story of a place where pioneers tell stories about terrible killings and forgotten lore. Where horse thieves and night riders ruled cast a shadow over the entire eastern half of Dakota Territory and legendary Deadwood lawmen fear to tread. A place called the Wessington Hills.
This episode features an interview with Dr. Armik Mirzayan Associate Professor of
Modern Languages and Linguistics at the University of South Dakota. An expert on American Indian languages.
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