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Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees

by Sarah F. Wakefield

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523491,984 (3.31)5
The Dakota War (1862) was a searing event in Minnesota history as well as a signal event in the lives of Dakota people. Sarah F. Wakefield was caught up in this revolt. A young doctor's wife and the mother of two small children, Wakefield published her unusual account of the war and her captivity shortly after the hanging of thirty-eight Dakotas accused of participation in the "Sioux uprising." Among those hanged were Chaska (We-Chank-Wash-ta-don-pee), a Mdewakanton Dakota who had protected her and her children during the upheaval. In a distinctive and compelling voice, Wakefield blames the government for the war and then relates her and her family's ordeal, as well as Chaska's and his family's help and ultimate sacrifice. This is the first fully annotated modern edition of Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees. June Namias's extensive introduction and notes describe the historical and ethnographic background of Dakota-white relations in Minnesota and place Wakefield's narrative in the context of other captivity narratives.… (more)
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Showing 3 of 3
OK historical acct. King of boring though. ( )
  kslade | Oct 9, 2023 |
An amazing account by a woman held captive during an outbreak of ethnic cleansing. I read it in one sitting. I can’t believe it’s not been filmed.

The story is interesting enough, but it’s also a fascinating record of Native American culture as it’s being destroyed. Also interesting is the light it throws on mob mentality. I saw a documentary about chimpanzees many years ago and apparently when a female joins a new troupe, the males will always kill her first child to ensure they don’t have an outsider in their midst. In her treatment by the other colonists after her release, and in their murder of Chaska, the Dakota man who saved her life, I wonder if we’re seeing something similar.

A word about editions. I have the 2004 TwoDot edition. I knew nothing about the time and place where this happened. Wakefield assumes you do and I found it disorientating, as, handsome paperback though it is, it’s just the text and a brief editor’s note. There’s another edition edited by June Namias. I downloaded the sample from Amazon and there was enough of the introduction to help me make sense of things. If you’re in a similar position of ignorance I think I might suggest you try that one. ( )
  Lukerik | Nov 2, 2021 |
Very interesting narrative of a woman taken by Native Americans. The end...Native Americans 1, Americans 0. ( )
  catsinstacks | Feb 24, 2013 |
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The Dakota War (1862) was a searing event in Minnesota history as well as a signal event in the lives of Dakota people. Sarah F. Wakefield was caught up in this revolt. A young doctor's wife and the mother of two small children, Wakefield published her unusual account of the war and her captivity shortly after the hanging of thirty-eight Dakotas accused of participation in the "Sioux uprising." Among those hanged were Chaska (We-Chank-Wash-ta-don-pee), a Mdewakanton Dakota who had protected her and her children during the upheaval. In a distinctive and compelling voice, Wakefield blames the government for the war and then relates her and her family's ordeal, as well as Chaska's and his family's help and ultimate sacrifice. This is the first fully annotated modern edition of Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees. June Namias's extensive introduction and notes describe the historical and ethnographic background of Dakota-white relations in Minnesota and place Wakefield's narrative in the context of other captivity narratives.

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