Interview · South Dakota · Sidney Byrd · OSEU 5
Themes: Values & generosity, Listening & observation
Learn About questions
What does “wasicu” mean?
Why were the French fur traders known as “fat takers?”
Why were the first white men referred to as Minihunska – long knives?
Learn From questions
Have you ever been given a name or nickname from something you have a tendency to do? What caused it to become your name?
Are there groups of people you consider to be alike because of their behaviors? Do you name them?
Transcripts
Lakota Names for the White Man - Sidney Byrd - OSEU #5
Watch this interview on YouTubeA white man is called Wasicu and they told about the early French fur traders that came to an Indian camp and they went to the drying poles where the meat was and for some reason they took the fat and like the fat, the fat is Wasicu, Wasicu, take as a fat. The white man, the first European that we had contact with were the French fur traders. The Americans are called Minahuska, long knives.
The first Americans we encountered were soldiers and they carried sabers, so they were called long knives, Minahuska, that's what the Americans were called, soldiers, white men.
Resource text
Learn ABOUT Learn FROM
(deep listening, information) (deep sharing, transformation)
1. What does “wasicu” mean? 1. Have you ever been given a name
2. Why were the French fur traders or nickname from something you
known as the “fat takers?” have a tendency to do? What
3. Why were the first white men caused it to become your name?
referred to as Minihunska — long 2. Are there groups of people you
knives? consider to be alike because of
their behaviors? Do you name
them?
OSEU 5: INTERVIEW WITH SIDNEY BYRD
WoLakota Project
From the current WoLakota source page:
Lakota Name for the “White Man”
Sidney Byrd
Transcript
(deep listening, information)
(deep listening, transformation)
Some indexed text was extracted from scanned material. Check the original source for exact wording and spelling.
Source materials
Supplied transcript document. Text preserved as supplied; spellings and transcription uncertainties have not been corrected.
Additional source transcripts
Lakota Name for the “White Man”
Lakota Names for the White Man - Sidney Byrd - OSEU #5
A white man is called Washichu and they told about the early French fur traders that came to an Indian camp and they went to the drying poles where the meat was and for some reason they took the fat and like the fat, the fat is Wasicu, Wasicu, take as a fat. The white man, the first European that we had contact with were the French fur traders. The Americans are called Minahuska, long knives.
The first Americans we encountered were soldiers and they carried sabers, so they were called long knives, Minahuska, that's what the Americans were called, soldiers, white men.