Click on drum to see opposite side.
Sitting Bull's Drum

Sitting Bull is depicted or mentioned in the Hunkpapa winter count for the years 1851, 1857, 1858, 1864, 1876, and 1890.

Loretta writes:

Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota tribal and spiritual leader.

Sitting Bull was born in 1831. In his lifetime he became chief of the Mandan Sioux Band. He was a warrior of great renown, and a man revered of his wisdom by thousands of Plains Indians. By the time of the Little Big Horn battle he was no longer a leader of his band. There he had a vision of white soliders falling into the Indian camp as a sign of victory to come.

After the battle, Sitting Bull led his people into Canada, but in 1881 they surrendered to US troops. Befor Sitting Bull surrendered, he came back from Canada into the US to gave himself up to the American Army authorties. The American Goverment had kept him prisoner for two years before returning him to Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota. By then his exploits had made him a legendary figure across America.

For, a brief time he joined the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show that toured throughout Europe. Despite the various changes in Sitting Bulls life. Many, Lakota still regard him as their chief and principal spokesman.

In 1890, some Lakota began to adopt the new Ghost Dance religion, a movement that promised its followers deliverance from white people. Sitting Bull permitted Ghost Dance at his camp. The white people feared that Sitting Bull's influence might inspire an uprising, so the Indian Bureau agent ordered Sitting Bull's arrest and dispatched Indian police to bring him in.

At daybreak of December 15th, 1890, the agents stormed into his cabin and pulled him from his bed. Sitting Bull 's supporters were all outside of his cabin and a fight ensued. When the fighting stopped, Sitting Bull layed in his cabin dead.

In his lifetime he has exhibited a rare quality of leadership. He was and continues to be admired for his devout spirituality and his stead fast courage, strength and determination to live according to his beliefs and the ways of his people.

Reference:

Debo, Angie. A History Of The Idians Of The United States. 1978. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. 1970.