a Lakota translation request

[Jan Ullrich]

I cannot see every letter clearly enough on the image, but it seems that the
curators transcription is pretty close, especially because it makes sense
grammatically and probably also contextually. Here is what I can make of it:

Conquering Bear Mato Wayuhi lena wichohan tawa yelo.

 

If this rendition is correct then the Lakota text says the following:

 

"These are the (war) deeds of Conquering Bear."

 

The Lakota versions the chief's name was recorded (among other places) in
Buechel's dictionary under the entry wayuhi. Mato Wayuhi or "Conquering
Bear",  was  a Brule Lakota chief who signed the Fort Laramie Treaty (1851).
He was killed in 1854 when troops from Fort Laramie entered his encampment
to arrest a Sioux who had shot a calf belonging to the Mormons.

 

 

The standard phonemic transcription of the sentence is in the attached PDF
file.

 

Jan

 

Jan Ullrich, Linguistic Director

Lakota Language Consortium

www.lakhota.org

e-mail: jfu at lakhota.org

 

 

 

From: Siouan Linguistics [mailto:SIOUAN at listserv.unl.edu] On Behalf Of Mark
J Awakuni-Swetland
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 8:16 PM
To: SIOUAN at listserv.unl.edu
Subject: a Lakota translation request

 

Aloha all, 
I am forwarding a recent request for a Lakota translation for your
consideration. 

"....The Center for Great Plains Studies is working on a new exhibition to
coincide with the 1862 Symposium, and I've encountered an excellent painted
muslin depicting the Conquering Bear incident. There are some Lakota words
at the top, and the Nebraska State Museum doesn't have them translated yet.
Can anyone assist? The text at the top reads: Conquering Bear Mato Wayonhi
Lena wi coran Tan wan ajelo (maybe ayelo?) ..." 

The image that was attached was poorly positioned to see the letters
face-on. 
However I suspect the curator's rendering is fairly close. 
Because some LIST members may have servers that do not allow attachments I
have cropped the relevant part of the image and tried enhancing contrast and
brightness. 

I am thinking the final word is 'yelo' with the cursive beginning of the y
appearing to the curator as an ay... 

Any thoughts? 

Thanks 
Mark 

Mark Awakuni-Swetland, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology & Ethnic Studies 
Native American Studies Program Liaison
University of Nebraska
Department of Anthropology
841 Oldfather Hall 
Lincoln, NE 68588-0368

 <http://omahalanguage.unl.edu/> http://omahalanguage.unl.edu
 <http://omahaponca.unl.edu/> http://omahaponca.unl.edu
Phone 402-472-3455
FAX: 402-472-9642

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