I Didn't Cry at All Last Night
Chapter 3

Copyright© 2016 by Lapi

One scene I saw was very disturbing.

It was back around the time of the battle of Wounded Knee (29 December, 1890). Two Lakota warriors and followers of Wovoka, Kicking Bear and Short Bull believed that Ghost Shirts would protect the wearer from harm. The shirts did not work as hoped, and 153 Lakota died, with 50 wounded and another 150 missing. There was no such thing as an old, bold and brave ‘Brave’.

The most likely source of the belief that ghost shirts could repel bullets, was that the Mormon temple garment was believed by the Mormons to protect the pious wearer from evil ... though not bullets. Scholars believe that in 1890, chief Kicking Bear introduced the concept of the shirts being ‘Magic’ to the Lakota.

Chief Wovoka thought the ‘Whites’ would just be punished for what they were doing, and did not believe in the ‘Ghost Shirts.’ He ended up not very popular with the Sioux, and if fate had not intervened, there would not be much to the retelling of this story.

While on a hunt, something happened ... several things, actually. The Chief found himself near death, and alone in the woods. Some say it was an animal; but the best indication, based on the type of wounds, is that some people did it.

One white haired old man appeared out of a mist and approached the other old man, offering him what might be deemed either a curse or a blessing. To Chief Wovoka (named ‘Jack Wilson’ to the Whites), long life in the world as it was for the Lakota, was not something he wanted. He did want revenge, though some might call it justice. He was willing to give the man his most precious possession, instead.

A prick on a finger, a drop of blood to the Chief’s lips and he began to heal. The very tall white haired man lifted him up into his arms, and carried him back to the village as though he weighed no more than a feather. Upon entering the camp itself, the Chief walked in on his own, seemingly none the worse for wear. This caused more of a stir than seeing the tall ‘White man’ who was beside him.

There were loud calls and shouts, wanting to know how this was possible, as the village had been told the old chief was dead and a new Chief was to be elected. He stepped forward.

Now the old man was not stupid. He did not get to be a Chief by purposely making enemies; but, in this case, the three braves ‘who would be Chief’ were the same ones who had tried to do him in. In his own way the Chief told the tribe that tales of his demise had been greatly exaggerated, just like the promises of the ‘Ghost Shirt’ had led to so many of ‘His’ people being killed.

 
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