Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-06-02
Indians Names.

Wins Hldce tnS people OF the country
familiar with many Indian names. some
of which sounded strangely ludicrous.
Sitting Bulls name was already well
known, and so were the names of Red
Cloud and Rain-in-the-face, two other
famous Sioux; but the public in gen
eral had not before made the acouaint-
ance OF Kicking Bear, Two Strike,
Turning Bear, Bull Head. and many
other big men" of the Dakota ma
ton. These names are. for the most
part, mystery 10 the American pco-
PIE, but the explanation of them is
simple.
The names are taken by the Indians
themselves in early life, after a period
of fasting and SecluSion, which is a part
Of their medicine" or religion With
some, the first animal seen, with others.
the first thing seen by the Indian af-
ter rising from this period of seclu-
sion becomes his totem, or guardian
spirit, and also his name.
IL is therefore to be supposed that
because a red cloud was the first thing
which fell upon his vision after he
came out OF his first fasting. Another
famous chief had groteSque name te-
cause he saw, or fanced he saw, bui,
falo bull in a recumbcnt or sitting posi-
tion when he looked about for his
totem.
The result Of this practice is that
Sioux names. perhaps withou. ex
ception, are borrowed from natural OBJ
jccts OF some kind, and do not relate
TO qualities of mind or 10 bodily char
acteristics.
Some illustrations o! This practice
among the Sioux are the names OF the
chiefs Big Foot, Short Bull. Gray
Eagle, White Swan, Big Turkey. High
Pine, Big Bad Horse, Spotted Horse.
Bull Dog, White Hawk, Crazy Horse,
Wounded Buffalo, American Horse
and Running Antelope.
Very often these names are imrer-
fectly translated by the interpreters.
and lost much Of their significance
, The name OF the Sioux Indian Hole
in-the-Day once caused a great deal OF
, merriment among white people.
, The name was really romantic one,
for the term which the Interpreters,
, translating literally. made "hole in the
day" was the Dakota word for eclipse.
This Indians emergence from his fast
ing period had been signalized BY an
eclipse OF the sun, and this circum-
stance. commemorated in his name,
probably helped to give him his i'm
portance among his fellows.
Fast Thunder, another Sioux, and
stanch friend of the whites. would
probably be called Chain Lightning il
his name had been more freely trans
lated. He took his totem, no doubt,
in the midst of prairie storm, as did
also Rain-in-the- Face.
One Sioux, who has been much
heard of, is named Low Dog. This
name is not so uncompIimentary in
the Dakota language as it is in
English. The word Glow" refers to-
the stature Of the animal, and not 20
its character. and as accident forced
the Indian to take this animal for his
totem, it is not fair to assume thar the
name is descriptive OF the Indian him
self.
Man Afraid of His Horse, another
famous Indian, doubtless owes his
very singular name to the same prac-
tice. The Indians names, indeed, Of
ten bear strong testimony 70 the
vicious character OF the native horses.
which were their most frequent ami
nal companions. 1t is said by some
authorities that, instead of Man-Afraid-
; of-His-Horse, this Indians name
: should be translated Man-Afraid-for-
His-Horse. This would take the sug-
gestion Of cowardice out Of the name.
and turn it into suggestion Of solicit
, tude.
, Indian names are not alone in
| meaning something" Animals sur
names are really not uncommon among
Americans, though they are inherited,
and not freshly assumed. To say moth
ing Of such names as Fox, Wolf Hogg,
and others derived directly from arr
mails, we have names whose original
significance is quite lost-as, for in
stance, Owen, a lamb, Griffith, dra-
gon, Arthur, bear, and Everett and
Evarts, both derived from a Celtic
word meaning swine.
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