Hennepin & Dakota "Louis" = "Sun"

[Koontz John E]

I have confirmed the suggestion offered, that the source I recalled was
Hennepin.

I am not sure that this is the particular reference I recalled, but here
is one:

A Description of Louisiana by Louis Hennepin.  Translated by John Gilmary
Shea.  Ann Arbor.  University Microfilms, Inc.  1966.

p. 45:

Hennepin is certainly the first who gave Dakota words:  and he gives them
accurately as will be seen by the reference to Riggs' Dakota Dictionary.
Parkman who lived for some weeks in a Sioux lodge says that a variety of
trivial incidents mentioned by Hennepin are perfectly in accordance with
usage.  In regard to Hennepin's Dakota terms he says:  "These words as far
as my information reaches, are in every instance correct."  Even the word
Louis, which Hennepin says signifies the sun, is no invention.  "The
Yankton band of this people, however, call the sun oouee," which, it is
evident, represents the French pronunciation of Louis, omitting the
initial letter.

p. 215-6

The father in a doleful voice, broken with sighs and sobs, with his whole
body bathed in tears, sometimes addressed the warriors, sometimes came to
me, and put his hands on my head, doing the same to our two Frenchmen,
sometimes he raised his eyes to heaven and often uttered the word Louis,
which means sun, complaining to that great luminary of the death of his
son.

JEK