Shoshone-Bannock Subsistence and SocietyMurphy, Robert F. (Robert Francis)
History
Shoshone-Bannock Subsistence and Society
Murphy, Robert F. (Robert Francis)
Bannock Indians; Shoshoni Indians
One remarked that the Snake chief, Pah-da-hewak um da was
becoming very unpopular and it was the opinion of the Snakes in
general that Moh-woom-hah, his brother, would be at the head of
affairs before twelve months, as his village already amounted
to more than three hundred lodges, and, moreover, he was
supported by the bravest men in the nation, among whom were
Ink-a-tosh-a-pop, Fibe-bo-un-to-wat-see and Who-sha-kik, who
were the pillars of the nation and at whose names the Blackfeet
quaked with fear.
The death of the first two brothers in 1842 and 1843 resulted in
considerable disorganization, according to Russell, and "the tribe
scattered in smaller villages over the country in consequence of
having no chief who could control and keep them together" (pp.
145-146).
Washakie is next mentioned in Hamilton's journal as a Shoshone chief
encountered on Wind River (Hamilton, 1905, p. 63). In 1849, Agent
Wilson listed him among the chiefs of the mounted Shoshone (J. Wilson,
1849, p. 1002).
The principal chiefs of the Sho-sho-nies are Mono, about
forty-five years old, so called from a wound in the face or
cheek, from a ball that disfigures him; Wiskin, Cut-hair;
Washikick, Gourd-rattle, (with whom I have had an interview;)
and Oapichi, Big Man. Of the Sho-sho-nees Augatsira is the most
noted.
Washakie maintained good relations with the whites and in 1852
appeared in Salt Lake City to arrange peaceful trade with the Mormons.
Also in 1852, Brigham Young's peace conference between the Ute and
Shoshone included "Anker-howhitch (Arrow-pine being sick) and
thirty-four lodges; on the part of the Shoshones, Wah-sho-kig,
To-ter-mitch, Watchenamp, Ter-ret-e-ma, Pershe-go, and twenty-six
lodges...." (Young, 1852, p. 437). Of these five Shoshone chiefs, only
Washakie is subsequently mentioned in the literature. Brigham Young
apparently recognized Washakie as the leader of the Eastern Shoshone,
for in or about 1854 he sent a Mormon, Bill Hickman, to establish
contact with Washakie in the Green River country (Hickman, 1872, p.
105). Superintendent Forney reported of the Shoshone in 1859 (1860_a_,
p. 731):
One of these [the fourteen bands listed by Forney], by common
consent, is denominated a tribe, and is under the complete
control of Chief Was-a-kee, assisted by four to six sub-chiefs.
These number, at least, twelve hundred.
If this census is accurate, this number must have included most of the
Eastern Shoshone population.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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