Rain-in-the-Face

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VOICE ONE:

Now, the VOA Special English program, PEOPLE IN AMERICA.

I'm Steve Ember.

In the early days of the last century, an American doctor wrote
about the Native American people called the Lakota or Sioux. His
name was Charles Eastman. He was one of the few people to ever win
the trust of the old people. He could do this because he too was a
Lakota, Sioux. His Lakota name was Ohiyasa.

As a child he learned to ride a horse. He learned to hunt. And he
learned other skills that made the Sioux great.

When Ohiyasa was fifteen years old
he was sent to an American school for Indian children. He was given
the English name Charles Eastman. He did very well in school. He was
chosen to go on to college and then to medical school. He returned
to his tribe as their medical doctor.

In the early part of the past century, Charles Eastman saw that
many of the old people were dying. He feared their history and
culture would die with them. He talked to many of the very old
members of the Sioux. He put their words down on paper.

One of these stories was about a famous Indian fighter named
"Rain-in-the-Face." This is the story that Doctor Eastman wrote.

VOICE TWO:

About two months before the great Sioux warrior,
Rain-in-the-Face, died, I went to see him for the last time.
"Friend," I said, "at home when the old men were asked to tell the
brave things they had done, the tobacco pipe was passed. So come,
let us smoke now to the memory of the old days."

He took some of my tobacco and filled his long pipe. The old man
lay upon a small bed covered by a red blanket. He was all alone that
day, only an old dog lay silent by his feet. Finally he looked up
and began telling me about his long life.

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VOICE THREE:

"I was born near the Cheyenne River about seventy years ago. My
family were not great chiefs, but they were good warriors and great
hunters.

I was given the name "Rain-in-the-Face" as a young man. This was
after a great battle when we were on a warpath against the Gros
Ventres tribe.

I had painted my face with warpaint that day. I had wished my
face to represent the sun when partly covered with darkness. So I
painted it half-black, half red.

We fought all day in the rain and some of the war paint on my
face was washed away. Much of the black and red paint had run
together. So I was given the name "Rain-in-the-Face." We Sioux
considered it an honorable name.

VOICE TWO:

As he told his story old Rain seemed to come alive. He smiled as
he talked. He seemed younger and his eyes shined.

VOICE THREE:

One of the most daring attacks that we ever made was against the
army base called Fort Totten in North Dakota. The fight took place
in the summer of Eighteen-Sixty-Six. I had a special friend then.
His name was Wapaypay. He was known to the white men as Fearless
Bear. He was the bravest man among us.

In those days Wapaypay and I called each other "Brother -
Friend." This was a life and death promise among the Sioux. What one
does the other must do and that meant that I must be with him in the
attack. And, if he was killed, I must fight until I died also.

I prepared for death. I painted my
face with my special sign -- half red, half black. Now the signal
for the attack was given. My horse started even with Wapaypay, but
his horse was faster than mine.

This was bad for me. By the time I came close to the fort, the
soldiers had somewhat recovered from the surprise of our attack.
They were aiming their guns more carefully.

Their guns talked very loud but hit few of us. Their guns were
like an old dog with no teeth who makes much noise and becomes more
angry the more noise he makes. How much harm we did I do not know.
When the fight was finished I saw blood on my leg. Both my horse and
I were wounded.

VOICE TWO:

I knew that Rain-in-the-Face had taken part in two of the most
famous fights with white soldiers. One of these fights was near an
army fort named Fort Phil Kearny in Wyoming.

The other was the most famous battle between the Sioux and the
American Army. Rain-in- the-Face was in the battle against the
famous army general, George Armstrong Custer. That great battle took
place near the Little Big Horn River. I asked him to tell me about
these two great battles.

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VOICE THREE:

We attacked a fort west of the Black Hills. The white soldiers
called it Fort Phil Kearny. It was there we killed almost
one-hundred soldiers. They were commanded by a captain named
Fetterman.

It was a big fight. Many famous chiefs were there -- Crazy Horse,
Sitting Bull, Red Cloud. And many young warriors -- Sword, American
Horse, Crow King.

The plan for the battle was decided after many meetings. The main
group would stay hidden from view and a few of the bravest young men
were chosen to attack a group of white men. These men were cutting
wood for the fort. We were told not to kill these men, but to chase
them back to the fort and then ride slowly away.

We did this. A large group of soldiers commanded by Captain
Fetterman followed us. They thought we were only few in number. We
led them into the trap. It was a matter of a very few minutes before
every soldier lay dead.

The very next year we signed a peace treaty at Fort Rice in North
Dakota. Almost all the Sioux chiefs signed the treaty. The treaty
said all the country north of the Republican River in Nebraska,
including the Black Hills and the Big Horn Mountains, was to be
always Sioux country. No white man could go there without our
permission.

After the treaty was signed, the white men found the yellow metal
they call gold in our country. They came in great numbers. They
chased away all the animals we hunted for food. We had no choice, so
for the last time we took up arms against them. No one honored the
treaty.

VOICE TWO:

When the treaty failed, many
hundreds of Sioux families moved north to an area of what is now in
the State of Montana. Rain-in-the-Face described what happened then.

VOICE THREE:

In the Spring, the Sioux got together near the Tongue River. It
was one of the greatest camps of the Sioux that I ever saw. Some
Northern Cheyennes were with us. And there were Santee Sioux from
Canada.

We had decided to fight the white soldiers until no warrior
should be left. We crossed the Tongue River to the Little Big Horn.

I was eating my food one day when suddenly the Long-Haired
Soldier Chief called George Custer began to attack us. It was a
great surprise.

I heard a Sioux war cry. I saw a warrior riding his horse at top
speed giving the warning as he came. Then we heard the sound of
soldiers' guns. I seized my gun, my bow and arrows and my stone war
club. As I was about to go join the fight, I saw a group of soldiers
near us at the edge of a long line of cliffs across the small river.

We all got on our horses and immediately started toward those
soldiers. We quickly began to surround the soldiers. When the
soldiers were surrounded on two sides, with the river on the third,
the order came to attack.

The soldiers tried to ride the other way, but they could not
leave. They fired their guns at us as fast as they could. We mostly
used bows and arrows.

The soldiers fought very bravely until they were killed. I had
always thought that white men were not brave, but I had a great
respect for them after this day.

No one knows who killed the soldier chief Long-Hair Custer. Many
lies have been told about me. Some say I killed Custer or his
brother Tom Custer that day.

Why, in that fight the excitement was so great that we could not
recognize our nearest friends. Everything was done as fast as
lightning.

But that was long ago. I have lived in peace now for many, many
years. No one can say Rain-in-the-Face has broken the rules. I
fought for my people and my country.

When we lost, I remained silent, as a warrior should. My warrior
spirit died when I put down my weapons. Now, there is only my poor
body that has lived on. Now that too is almost ready to lie down for
the last time.

Ahhhhhh… It is well.

VOICE TWO:

Rain-in-the-Face, one of the last of the great Sioux warriors,
died at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota on September
Fourteenth, Nineteen-Oh-Five.

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VOICE ONE:

This Special English program was taken from the book "Indian
Heroes and Great Chieftains" by Doctor Charles Eastman. Doug Johnson
was the voice of Doctor Eastman; Shep O'Neal was the voice of
Rain-in- the-Face. Our program was produced by Caty Weaver. I'm
Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another PEOPLE IN AMERICA
program on the Voice of America.

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