Gros Ventre

Right.

Now, Welch was Blackfeet and Gros Ventre, and he sets this novel among the Pikuni in Montana in the eighteen seventies.

And what strikes me is that standard Western narratives, even the sympathetic ones, usually portray native tribes merely as obstacles to the protagonist's journey.

Or in modern iterations, they are just another negotiating partner sitting in a corporate boardroom.

Our young men presently received their sign, and for a few days all was hurry and excitement.

On the appointed morning we heard the songs of the warriors and the wailing of the women, by which they bade adieu to each other, and the eligible braves, headed by an experienced man, old Hotanka, or loud-voiced raven, set out for the Gros Ventre country.

Our older heads, to be sure, had expressed some disapproval of the undertaking, for the country in which we were roaming was not our own, and we were likely at any time to be taken to task by its rifle owners.

The plain truth of the matter was that we were intruders.

added the night was clear and pleasant the war-drum was answered by the howls of coyotes on the opposite side of the mouse river i was in the throng watching the braves who were about to go out in search of glory i wish i were old enough i would surely go with this party i thought my friend tatanka was to go he was several years older than i and a hero in my eyes i watched him as he danced with the rest until nearly midnight then i came back to our tepee and rolled myself in my buffalo robe and was soon lost in sleep suddenly i was aroused by loud war cries i jumped upon my feet snatched my bow and arrows and rushed out of the tepee frantically yelling as i went stop stop screamed uncheedah and caught me by my long hair by this time the grovant had encircled our camp sending volleys of arrows and bullets into our midst the women were digging ditches in which to put their children my uncle was foremost in the battle the sioux bravely withstood the assault although several of our men had already fallen Many of the enemy were killed in the field around our teepees.

The Sioux at last got their ponies and made a counter-charge, led by Oe Makasan, my uncle.

They cut the Gros Ventre party in two and drove them off.

My friend Titanka was killed.

Document number 9, Report of the Sub-Agent on the Upper Missouri River.

The tribes in this sub-agency are the Mandans, Gros Ventres, or Minotaries, Assiniboines, Crees, Gros Ventres of the Prairie, Crows, Arikarees, and Blackfeet.

These tribes occupy an extensive and important region of country and all rely principally upon the chase for substance.

None of them have villages or any fixed places of residence except the Mandans and Minotaries.

The big and little Mandan villages are beautifully situated immediately on the bank of the Missouri River, about 5 miles apart.

At the big village, the American Fur Company has a small fort for trading with tolerable buildings.

The Gros Ventres, or Minotaries, village is 5 miles above the little Mandan village and is about 1 mile from the Missouri River.

The situation is by no means commanding.