Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-08-07
Early-Day Indian Chronology
Was Based on Winter Shows

Before the alphabet was invented
primitive people felt the need OF
having some way of representing
their thoughts ether than by speech.
Tradition was interesting, but not
reliable. Those WHO have played the
Old-fashi0ned game known as @gOs-
sip" and possibly by ether names,
viii readily understand how q story
can be completely altered In pas
sing IL from one TO another.
In the game mentioned, the particle
pants are seated in long line. One at
the head Of the line, whispers remark
to his nearest neighbor, who repeats
It to the next, and so on down the line.
The last recipient tells, for the edifica-
ton Of the others, the message as he
understood it, and this announcement
is generally so altered from the original
as to be unacceptable. Often It has
no meaning whatever
Indians had no other ways Of pre-
serving records OF events except through
tradition or by picture writing. This
latter took two forms: that Of fixed
nature, the petroglyphs inscribed on
stone, and the photographs, which could
be carried from place TO place. We have
several examples of the first form here
in Montana, as formerly noted, and
more recently William Banfils of Bill
lings has told of new discoveries along
this line of picture writing. Undoubt-
edly now the attention Of the reading
pupils has turned in this direction, more
of these stone paintings will be found
within our borders.
The photographs from their very ma
ture, were more varied In character
and the use to which they were put.
Often they adorned the outside of te-
PEGS belonging to the prominent men
of the tribe. Sometimes they repre-
sented natural objects, while In other
instances they we're employed to deS-
ignate the man who dwelt within, or
they told to the Indians who read them
the story of his proves. This was adj
vantageous to the individual, but it
did not give an account Of the princi-
pal events the tribe wished to COM
memorate.
It was then an inventive genius be-
thought himself of a plan that would
serve, as a record Of facts the old men
loved to narrate when night fell, and
the warriors grouped around the camp
fire. He would paint on a buffalo robe
or deer skin, figures which would call
TO mind certain years-the years when
some notable events happened. Such
records were known as winter counts"
They received this name on account
Of that being the method by which the
Indians Of the northwest, at least, deS- |
ignated the years. Possibly southern
Indians may have used some other no
In the north the winters we're long,
often lasting six months, and during /
his period its marked feature was the
fall Of snow. They did not say winter,
but SHOWS" which might designate q
longer period than we call winter. a
nan was said to have lived so many /
SHOWS. and these SHOWS overlapped the
md of one of our years and the begin
ming Of another.
The winter counts made no attempt
% give us tribal history as we should
nave written it. Often the figure de-
noting q certain snow, or year, was OF
little Importance from
,ur point of view; but 1t recalled the
year, furnishing at the same time OPP
for those with the longess
memory or the most vivid Imagination
n opportunity to fill in that particular
ear to suit their fancy.
Winter counts are apparently q SIOUX
reduction; one Of the first discovered
vas that Of Long Dog, or Shunka-lsn-
ala. a member Of the XanktoIliaS
and of Sioux. He was accustomed TO
Dam in the neighborhood Of Fort Peck.
Right here it should be explained that
ne proper name TOT TINS bIlpe - noO
sioux. as generally believed, but Da-
ota. The former appellation, accord
az to the bureau of ethnology, Is
either the last syllable or the last two
yllables, according to pronunciation,
'Nadowesioux,' which is the French
luraI of the Algonquin name for the
)akotas, sNadowessi," hated foe The
Diibwa called the Dakota 'Nadowessi,
hitch is their word meaning rattle
nake. or. as others translate, adder,
lila a contemptuous or diminutive
the plural is Nadowessi-
ak or Nadawessyak. The French gave
ae name their own form Of the plural {
nd the voyagers and trappers cut 1t |
own to Sioux I" The truth Of this
xplanation being granted, it Is not
nent and looks not upon the scenery ]
1 the Montana Central has failed to
- coma of the richest urandefIrg and l