From the Archives: Interview AIRP 0095

Hospital at Old Cheyenne River Agency

The AIRP [American Indian Research Project] tape 0095 was "collected during the summer of 1968 on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation."  Anything in "" comes directly from the interview transcript. Unlike many of the interviews contained in the South Dakota Oral History Center, AIRP 0095, involved the informant telling his oral history through the usage of photographs, which were included in the interview packet. So, presented here are the photographs and some pieces of the transcript from AIRP 0095.  If you have any additional information on this interview that may be helpful to the SDOHC, please contact us. 

Sawmill at Old Cheyenne River Agency

"A. [...] Ruth Last Man. [...] And this is a colored woman. She's a musician. [...]"

"[...] A. This is, uh, Paul...uh...Crow Eagle...Paul Crow Eagle's Wife. And this one here...uh, she'd...I think she's Mrs. Blacksmith.
Q. How come she's wearing a chief's...or is she just dressed up to get...uh.
A. No, some of them wear them"

Yankton Agency, Early 1900s.

"Q. Now, let's see. Now who is he?...
A. This is George Sheridan Banks.
Q. George Sheridan Banks?
A. Yes. And his name was given to him by, ah, General Sheridan Banks.
Q. By the United States Army?
A. Yes.
Q. And what did he, uh, ...
A. He was twelve years old when they picked him up and they trained him to be a scout. So he was a scout for many years, many years. Indians ... why, a lot of them they call them scouts not soldiers. __________________ Indian Scouts.
Q. What band was he from, do you remember? What would he be?
A. That's one thing that I didn't ask. But he really originated from Fort Thompson.
Q. From Fort Thompson?
A. Uh, huh. Then he's, uh, .... after he quit why being a scout, I, uh, guess, uh, he turned to a cop."
[...]

"Q. [...] This man, who is he?
A. This is his son. George II."
[...]

School Picture Including His Brothers

"Q. [...] Are these the types of wagons they used?
A. Yes.
Q. Is that the government issue?
A. Yes. Issued wagons.
Q. What did they have people call those in Indian, those wagons?
A. This? Wakpamini chanpa gemeyampi. Wakpamini means issue and chanpa gemeyampi that means wagon."
[...]

Church at Old Cheyenne River Agency

-Jennifer McIntyre, SDOHC Digitizer/Curator

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