Tag: sand creek massacre

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Chief Niwot Speaks to Donald L. Vasicek

Chief Niwot

Note:  I am sharing the following with each of you.
The reason why I am sharing this with each of you
is because it is In “Conversations with God”.
Author Neal Donald Walsch, said on Larry King,
that “God can be anything.”

The following came unexpectedly to me one day.  It was from Harry Strunk:

“I’m on a personal journey in my writing and am channeling Chief Niwot to bring Native American wisdom to our problems of today. It will be similar to “Conversations with God” (by  Neal Donald Walsch) in a question/answer format entitled “The Left Hand Journey to Wisdom: A walk with Chief Niwot.” (Niwot means left hand in Arapaho). Whether this materializes in a physical walk from Sand Creek to Gold Lake or merely a metaphysical walk – or combination of the two – has yet to be determined.

The Sand Creek massacre seems to be playing an important role in this project since it represents loss and separation…we all have our own personal Sand Creeks. It also represents the healing that we all face and the change in life we can’t control.

Here is a message from Chief Niwot…”

“Donald Vasicek,
Your walk is never more important as now. The blending of the four colors is just beginning – Obama is testament to that. This is why your project is not only timely, but of great importance to the collective healing that must take place.

Remember in your message…being stuck in victimization and hanging on to the wound is detrimental to this healing. Through the lessons of time, the teaching part is to let go of the past and embrace forgiveness, while still using that past as a history lesson.

The Great Spirit of the Southern Arapaho is the same for every man. It is telling us all and using these tragedies as a way to touch our hearts. The sadness must overcome the anger to stir the deep love we have for each other. Fear and hatred has no place in this process.

Move ahead with your project as the funds will come from the love and hearts of many.

Blessings and good medicine on your journey.”
Chief Niwot

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Sand Creek Massacre Shows Media Failings with Objective Journalism

Media and others fail to mention that Southern Cheyenne Chief Laird (Whistling Eagle) Cometsevah told this filmmaker that there were over 400 Cheyenne murdered at Sand Creek. To make it clear, most media and others say: “…At least 150 were killed at Sand Creek…” There were more than 150 murdered, not killed at Sand Creek. The reason for this is the same reason Germans would not publicly discuss the Holocaust. They were ashamed of it. All competent journalists and the like should always interview Cheyenne people before they write something about the Sand Creek Massacre. To do anything less is to show disrespect to the Cheyenne people, something that has been going on since the 1825 Friendship Treaty promoted and signed by the Cheyenne people.

And for all of you media people out there, remember this, the most powerful kind of journalism is objective journalism. Anything less than that is writing and broadcasting with a Hollywood mentality. Don’t forget that.

Let’s get this right, folks. It’s time.

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Witness Accounts

“Captain Silas S. Soule/Lt. Joseph Cramer Letters”
By Donald L. Vasicek

On November 29, 1864, about 700 Colorado 1st & 3rd Regiment troops and troops from New Mexico, slaughtered over 400 (Sand Creek Massacre Descendant and Southern Cheynne Chief Laird (Whistling Eagle) Cometsevah gave filmmaker, Donald L. Vasicek this figure, basing it on what has been passed through Chief Cometsevah’s family from his great-great grandfather who survived the Sand Creek Massacre)men, women, and children in the southeastern Colorado Territory. This act became known as the Sand Creek Massacre.

Lt,. Captain Silas S. Soule wrote a letter dated December 19, 1864 from Ft. Lyon, C. T., to Major Ed Wynkoop, his commanding officer. It reads in part what he witnessed at Sand Creek, “…hundreds of women and children were coming towards us and getting on their knees for mercy. Anthony shouted, ‘Kill the sons of bitches’ ”

The letter goes on to say in part, “…the massacre lasted six to eight hours…I tell you Ned it was hard to see little children on their knees have their brains beat out by men professing to be civilized. Some tried to escape on the Prairie, but most of them were run down by horsemen …They were all horribly mutilated. One women was cut open and child taken out of her, and scalped…”

In a letter dated, December 19, 1863, Fort Lyon, C.T.,Lt. Joseph Cramer wrote to Major Ed Wynkoop, his commanding officer a letter about what he witnessed at Sand Creek. It reads, in part, “…“Dear Major, This is the
first opportunity I have had of writing you since the great Indian Massacre, and for a start, I will acknowledge I am ashamed to own I was in it with my Co. Col. Chivington came here with the gallant third, known as Chivington Brigade, like a thief in the dark…marched all night up Sand, to the big bend in Sandy…and came to Black Kettle’s village of 103 lodges, containing not over 500 all told, 350 of which were women and children…We lost 40 men wounded, and 10 killed. Not over 250 Indians mostly women and children, and I think not over 200 killed, and not over 75 bucks. With proper management they could all have been killed and not lost over 10 men. After the fight there was a sight I hope I may never see again…Bucks, women and children, were scalped, fingers cut off to get the rings…a squaw ripped open and a child taken from her, little children shot, while begging for their lives (and
all the indignities shown their bodies that ever was heard of)(women shot while on their knees, with their arms around soldiers a begging for their lives)…Most of the Indians yielded 4 or 5 scalps…”

The letter continues in part, “…Black Kettle said when he saw us coming, that he was glad, for it was Major Wynkoop coming to make peace. Left Hand stood with his hands folded across his breast, until he was shot saying, ‘Soldiers no hurt me – soldiers my friends.’

About 130 years after the Sand Creek Massacre, the 1990’s, Florence Blunt (1894-1969)was going through two stored trunks of a family member who was a rancher who was in the habit of taking supplies to Fort Lyon before and after the Sand Creek Massacre. She found Captain Silas S. Soule and Lt. Joseph Cramer’s letters. The lady’s daughter, Linda Rebek of Evergreen, Colorado, retains possession of the letters. She is seeking someone to appraise the letters to see what they are worth. The American Indian Genocide Museum needs help in locating an appraiser and funding to pay for the appraiser and acquisition of the letters to place in the museum.“