Silas Fills the Pipe Winter Count
from papers of Fr. Eugene Buechel, S.J.
St. Francis Mission
Translation © 2004 by Linea Sundstrom
Translator’s notes. The first line is as recorded in manuscript. The second line is my translation. My notes appear on the third line of each entry. The translations given in the first line appear to be Buechel’s first attempts at translating the winter count, and are not particularly helpful. The original transcriptions contain many errors. No attempt has been made here to correct these or to put them into standard Lakota orthography. Translations were done with the aid of numerous other winter counts; if a translation seems not to match the original transcription, it is because the other winter counts indicated mistakes in the transcription.
1762 Pte ano wanpi. Buffalo swim [?] the River. Missouri or Mont?
They swam after buffalo.
1763 Tunkimilayapi (Toki mila gakan). First time they have a knife.
They used shells for knives.
1764 Tajuskala ecigapi wan ta. Little Battle (name) died.
Little Ant was made to die.
1765 Walaġala ktepi. Inside of ___ (a man’s name).
Bag (or Pouch or Bladder) was killed.
1766 Wazikute wanyaka jugapi. Captured pine-shooter.
Shooting Pine was captured while scouting.
1767 Iyeska kicizapi. Indians fight among themselves (not ½ )
They fought among themselves.
1768 An og om iyepi. Among Anolayapi. Arrived in among them against?
They were on both sides.
1769 Ite hankiton ta. Wears-a-Mask man died.
Wears Mask died.
1770 Wakansica blezesni. The Devil is crazy. (A man in the north.)
A bad spirit was agitated.
1771 Miwatani okyu wicayapi woman ( Mandan )
They set fire to the Mandans.
1772 Canqin yamni wicaktepi. Three wood choppers got killed.
Three were killed when gathering wood.
1773 Hohe Kaga ta. A tribe in Northwest died (one man only).
Assiniboin Impersonator died.
Note: the year name probably should be Heyokakaga ta. A thunder dreamer, contrary, or Acts as a Contrary died.
1774 Pahata inum ahiktepi. A man (a sent going to on hill got killed)
Two were killed in battle while on a hill (i.e. on a vision quest or scouting).
1775 Hohe ob kicizapi. With Hohe (tribe) war.
They fought together with the Assiniboines.
1776 Tuktel wani tipi tanin sni awetupi. found no place to live until spring
They forgot the place of the winter camp until spring.
1777 Slukela ġaka iwotogapi. ( ) In playing game got killed.
They used [the corpse of] Masturbator as the goal in a game of haka.
1778 Caneska yuha ahiktepi. Man, Owns Club, got killed.
Owns Club was killed in battle.
1779 Wicahahan. Smallpox.
Smallpox.
1780 Cuwita wicala. Frozen to death.
A man froze to death.
1781 Sina luta iwan ahiktepi. Red Blanket got killed.
Red Blanket was killed in battle.
1782 Topa wakte agli. Four Hills time wins the battle.
They killed four and came back.
1783 Isnala wicayuya ta. Catching or Holding all. Catcher died.
Lone Man died when they went to war.
1784 Heoka wan ktepi. A clown died.
A heyoka or contrary was killed, or could be “Hehoka wan ktepi,” Elk was killed.
1785 Kagin ota tapi. Many crows died (birds).
Many crows died.
1786 Hewatokta winyan wan hi. A woman first came.
A Hidatsa woman arrived.
1787 Wowapi makokg wing ahigagapi. Buckskin ___ for flag shown to people, a sign that
They went around the country with a flag.
1788 Hewaktokta okinju. Make peace or join together.
They united with the Hidatsas.
1789 Aki awicatipi. Surrounding, fighting again.
Again they had a truce.
1790 Ite ciga ktepi. Small face killed.
Small Face was killed.
1791 Pehinanskaska ktepi. Long Hair killed.
Long Hair or a man with extraordinarily long hair was killed.
1792 Miniyaye yuha najin. Waterbag man stand.
They stood up the [dead] waterbag carrier.
1793 (Wapaha kitonla) ta. Warbonnet died.
Different Warbonnet died.
1794 (Ptecigala) ptesan wan ob. Little Bull shot Wite buffalo.
Little Buffalo or Little Cow shot a white cow (with an arrow).
1795 Wiglusake ota tapi. Many women with child died.
Many pregnant women died.
1796 Sunkmanitu paha tonhu api. ??
One was wounded in Wolf Mountains.
1797 Itela cehuhu toka nump wicakte.
Charred Face killed two enemies.
1800 Wicahanhan. Smallpox.
Smallpox.
1801 Sakemaza eya awicagli. Shot horses got back.
They came back with shod horses.
1802 Sun huhila awicagli. Horses with twisted hair=curly.
They brought back curly-haired horses.
1803 Tasinte un akicilowanpi.
They sang over each other (alowanpi ceremony) with animal tails.
1804 Wakconeye ahiwicahpi. Buffalo scouts killed.
Those scouting for buffalo were killed.
1805 Wanbli kuwa wan ktepi. Eagle hunter was killed.
An eagle trapper was killed.
1806 Ogle luta wan ahiktepi.
Red Shirt (or a redcoat) was killed in battle.
1807 Huwecan wan ungan glepi. Broke leg scouting returning.
They lost the one with the broken leg while coming back.
1808 Capa ciga ti ilegapi. Little Beaver town burned.
Little Beaver’s house burned.
1809 Winyan akinicapi makakan wicaktepi.
The women were made afraid [when] they killed the [root] diggers.
Note: This may actually be two separate events/year names.
1810 Maton cigila hpi.
The little shaggy bear. [They killed] Little Cross Bear.
1811 Palani sakpe wicaktepi.
Six Pawnees or Arikaras were murdered.
1812 Witapahatu wan kahuhuapi =
They crushed the Kiowa’s skull.
1813 Itasipco (=no arrows) ti tanka okitipi. Builds a house.
The Sans Arcs (Itazipco) band lived in a large house.
1814 Ake okitipi. and came back to make house.
Again they [the Sans Arcs] lived there.
1815 Hiltke ktepi. (Hitika) (ohetika).
They killed Brave.
1816 Wicahanhan.
Smallpox.
1817 Cose can punpun un ticapa.
Joseph built a house of rotten wood.
1818 Wicasli a ta.
They died from measles.
1819 Wicahpi wan hotan hiyaye.
A star flew by crying out.
1820 Wasicun om watakpe ai.
They fought together with the whites who came.
1821 Wakmeza sica ota.
Much bad corn, or much dried corn.
1822 Hehewan san yanpi.
They painted a buffalo skull or horn white.
1823 Mni wicata.
A killing flood.
1824 Jo ota tapa.
Many died from a whistle.
1825 Pso hanpi un wan na sapi.
They went about on snowshoes.
1826 Miwatani ota wicaktepi. 1828-29
They killed many Mandans.
1827 Wata sagyapi. 1828-29
A dry boat went, or Dry Boat went.
1828 Kangi wicasa ota ktepi. 1829-30
They killed many Crow people. 1830-31
1830 Ite gleska tiwicaktepi. 1831-32
Spotted Face killed one on his own household.
1831 Ti tanka obleca. 1832-33
Big rectangular house or fort.
1832 Wicahpi okicamna. 1833-34
A storm of stars.
1833 Wakan huta ktepi. 1834-1835
Holy Root was killed.
1834 Tahca kin (ake) ste wan blusloka. 1835-36
Lame Deer pulled out his own arrow repeatedly.
1835 Caga ki cin inpi. 1836-37
They fought over the ice.
1836 Unpan otapi. 1837-38
Many female elk.
1837 Cuwila unyan klipi. 1838-39
They lost those who froze to death returning.
1838 Peji icikte.
Grass committed suicide.
1839 Hohe ota wicaktepi.
They killed many Assiniboines.
1840 Sungleska awicaklepi.
They brought back spotted horses.
1841 Wiyaka wangi wacikiye. 1842-43
One Feather prayed.
1842 Pte pa wan tizoknakapi. 1843-44
They kept a buffalo head in a tipi.
1843 Wazi ican kaskapi. 1844-45
They took Pine prisoner then, or they made a pine fort.
1844 Psehtin owawicaseca. 1845-46
They were ill at Ash Point.
1845 Hekton ahiktepi. 1846-47
Crooked Horn was killed in battle, or they killed Hidatsas [Hewakto] in battle.
1846 Optaye nonpa ongaklipi.
They came home without Two Herds.
1848 Wamaseta natanahi.
They were attacked while hunting buffalo.
1849 Winuhca lowanpi.
They sang over Poker (Poker’s alonwanpi ceremony) or they sang about an old woman.
Note: This seems to refer to when they found an old woman in the womb of a buffalo they shot. It probably should be Winuhcala wanopi, they shot an old woman with an arrow—this is a reference to the mystical event.
1850 Wakpamnipi tanka.
A big distribution.
1851 Kangi wicasu okiju.
They joined with the Crows.
1852 Jo Hewoptahi.
Joe came with bundles.
1853 Maton ohitika ktepi.
Charging Bear was killed.
1854 Putinhin ska waaksija.
Gray beard held theirs.
1855 Na ake kangi wicasa okiju.
Again, they joined with the Crows.
1856 Kangi wicasa wikcemna wicaktepi.
They killed ten Crows.
1857 Wahicanka luta ptesan waste o.
Red Shield [shot] a good white buffalo cow.
1858 Kangin tanka ahi ktepi.
Big Crow was killed in battle.
1859 Wata kpe ai.
They went to attack.
1860 Nahaha ahiktepi.
Careful, or Walks Easy, was killed in battle.
1861 Ziyuha wan ktepi.
Moon Owner was killed.
1862 Saglohan (8) ahiwicaktepi.
Eight were killed in battle.
1863 Kangi wicasa topa ahiwicaktepi.
Four Crows were killed in battle.
1864 Les awicaya?
They could not stop urinating.
1865 Wasicun 100 wicaktepi.
They killed 100 white men.
1866 Winyan huwanegapi.
A woman’s leg was broken.
1867 Ite zimpco ake zaptan awiciktepi.
Fifteen Sans Arcs were killed in battle.
1868 Winuhca wan canka ta.
An old woman was killed by a falling tree.
1869 Kangi wiyaka ta.
Crow Feather died.
1870 Ite yehan skala ahiktepi.
Long Face was killed in battle.
1871 Sunkmanonumpa wicaktepi.
Two horse thieves were murdered.
1872 Cigala tawicu kici ta.
Kettle and his wife died together.
1873 Napewicaspan.
They froze their hands.
1874 He wanjica ta.
One Horn died.
1875 Ptehinhanska ktepi.
Long Hair (Custer) was killed.
1876 Oklesa kaju.
A meeting with the red coats.
1877 Cetan iyanki ktepi.
Running Hawk was killed.
1878 Matokute wayankapi ktepi.
Shoots Bear Running was killed.
1879 Taceji wakpa el toka akli.
The strangers from Tongue River returned.
1880 Inyan woslahe el akli.
They returned to Standing Rock.
1881 Cante witko ta.
Crazy Heart died.
1882 Cahaha keskaskapi.
Buffalo Hump was made a prisoner.
1883 Cekpa numpa tapi.
Two twins died.
1884 Kinyanhiza ta.
Flying By died.
1885 Waniyetu wasma.
Deep snow winter.
1886 Ite wegahan ta.
Broken Face died.
1887 Wicahanhan.
Smallpox.
1888 Wicahpi yamni makayupi.
Three Stars (General Crook) divided the land.
1889 Tatanka Iyotake ktepi.
Sitting Bull was killed.
1890 Owakpamni el wanmunompi ota.
Many things were taken from the agency.
1891 Cannumpa yuha tiapa ktepi.
Has Two Sticks killed them at home.
1892 Owaunspe Kize tanka kin ile O.B.S.
The big school burned at O.B.S. ( Oglala Boarding School).
1893 Cannaksa yuha wan ktepi.
War Club Owner was killed. (Probably, the hanging of Has Two Sticks for murder.)