Category Archives: Bull Bear

Believing in the Past: Part 2

Posted on November 26, 2012 by

My last blog shared Francis Parkman’s loving memories of my forebear Henri Chatillon, who served as Parkman’s guide on The Oregon Trail. Chatillon embodied many fine qualities I hope one day to inherit. His wife, my great-great-great grandmother Bear Robe, … Continue reading →

Posted in american indian, authenticity, Bull Bear, Family, framing, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Lakota, native american, Native Science, Oglala, science communication, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Sequester the Evidence

Posted on November 7, 2012 by

No photographs or images of my ancestor Bear Robe have emerged from the Oglala, Osage or French sides of my family. With one exception. A rolled-up canvas, tucked in the rafters of the family home in St. Louis, was discovered … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, Family, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Lakota, Native Science, Oglala, Osage | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Our Ancestors’ Tales: Rude and Fierce

Posted on November 7, 2012 by

For the month of November I’m writing a blog a day in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. So, in keeping with the sense of heritage, I’m sharing stories about my ancestors, including Henri Chatillon, who served as Francis Parkman’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Bull Bear, ethics, Family, Henri Chatillion, Indian, Lakota, Oglala, science | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Medicine Month

Posted on April 5, 2012 by

When I lived in Georgia a fellow academic cautioned me about planning anything on Wednesday evening. Some folks go to church, he said. And when I lived in Teheran, we went to the American School Monday through Thursday, and on … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, community, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Indian, medicine | 1 Comment

Deciphering the Real Indian

Posted on November 2, 2011 by

American Indians face a double whammy when it comes to authenticity: how do you know what is real? As a die-hard empiricist, I never thought I would turn to critical theorists to illuminate American Indian authenticity. But here I am.

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, cinema, Francis Parkman | Tagged | 2 Comments

When Names Aren’t What They Seem

Posted on September 9, 2011 by

I discovered that family names can be invented, forgotten and even lost in the branches of the family tree.

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, Family, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Indian, Lakota, Oglala | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Bear People

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

A recent radio story talked about how a man approached a wild bear because he wanted take a photo with him and the bear.

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, community, framing, Francis Parkman, journalism, Oglala, Osage | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Odd Names, Weird Spellings

Posted on August 19, 2011 by

How odd that my grandmother’s name was Mary Leticia Grove, and that some of the documents list her family name as “Groves.” When I asked my mother why the difference, she just shrugged.

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, film, framing, Henri Chatillion, Indian, Oglala, Osage | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A Frontier Marriage

Posted on August 18, 2011 by

Bear Robe and Henri’s daughter Emilie was raised by relatives but Henri resumed his paternal duties when Emilie was about 16, bringing her to St. Louis to meet her future husband, a French-Osage-Kanza man named Benjamin Lessert.

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, Family, Henri Chatillion, Indian, Lakota, Oglala, Osage | Tagged | 2 Comments

How Do Historians Do It?

Posted on August 17, 2011 by

I don’t know how historians do it: how do they cleave fiction from fact? As I dig through the stories of Francis Parkman’s French scout, the fierce Oglala chief Bull Bear and the Lesserts, Revards and Herridges of Osage tales, … Continue reading →

Posted in authenticity, Bull Bear, Family, Francis Parkman, Henri Chatillion, Indian, Lakota, Native Science, Oglala, Osage, science, science communication | Tagged , | Leave a comment