The Sioux Beliefs, and George Washington

Just as we call ourselves Americans first and then specify "Texan" and then "Tyler-ites," the Sioux was a nation - a group of diverse people connected by heritage - that could be broken down into large groups named Dakota, Lakota, Nakota, and then into more specific groups:

Hunkpapa (Campers at the Horn)
Minneconju (Planters beside the Water)
Sihaspa (Blackfoot)
Oohenopa (Two Kettles)
Itazipcho (Those without Bows)
Sicangu (Burnt Thighs)
Oglala (They Scatter their Own.)

The Sioux, as did most if not ALL Native Americans, believe in the Great Spirit.  He is a big god, in all things, in all people, very present all the time and very involved in their lives.  The Sioux believe in Controllers - powerful good spirits and less powerful evil spirits.  The Sioux believe that through the power of the Great Spirit almost anything is possible.  His power comes to a few easily; to some with great difficulty; to many, never.  (Almost sounds like Christianity, huh?)


This may explain a re-telling by Indian chiefs of a George Washington encounter during the French and Indian War:


In this specific battle the Indians specifically targeted Washington because he was on horseback and appeared to be a leader of great importance.  And yet, Washington survived.  No big deal.  Unless you consider the fact that there were 1300 men fighting with Washington in that battle, and by the time the Indians rested every other officer on horseback was dead and only 30 Englishmen remained alive!



It was July 9, 1755 in the area of what we now know as Pittsburgh (Fort Duquesne then) at the Battle of Monongahela.  The English were fighting as they always had: in great long lines marching across open fields.  The French and their Indian allies fought guerrilla style like, well, Indians!  Washington was 23 years old, an officer, and in this battle, a messenger - which is why he was on horseback.

According to David Barton's book, "The Bulletproof George Washington," one Indian warrior testified that he had shot at Washington 17 times. The Indian exclaimed that "Washington was never born to be killed by a bullet!" Another Indian, Red Hawk (of the Delaware tribe I think), had shot and missed him 11 times. He had not missed a shot before, and became convinced that Washington was being supernaturally protected by the Great Spirit. In 1770, fifteen years after the battle, an old Indian told Washington in person that he had sought out to meet him. He had been fighting in the battle that day, and he had told all the Indians with him to shoot at him, and make sure that he died. When they all missed, he told them to stop. On that evening, he predicted that Washington would never die in battle, and would be "the founder of a mighty empire."

The old Indian was right. George Washington never was even wounded in the battles that he fought. During the American Revolution, Washington once again seemed to be supernaturally protected. In 1779, a British Major who happened to be the head of the British sharpshooters, was about ready to shoot an American officer at close range. He felt a strong impulse not to shoot. The officer that he failed to shoot was George Washington.

Perhaps the Indian god is, after all, our God, too!