Odd Indian Names 01

Waupaca Record

December 31, 1908

ODD INDIAN NAMES

Some Samples Revealed by a List of Crow Heirs

One of the most remarkable realty sales in the history of the country will soon be held in Billings – that of lands inherited by Indians within the Crow reservation, says a Helena (Mont.) dispatch to the New York Tribune.

Existing laws provide for the sale and an advertisement in a Billings paper, placed under instructions from the Interior Department, contains a remarkable collection of Indian nomenclature. Light Colored Man leads the list and he has eighty acres to his credit, his heirs being Martha Lightman and Bad Baby. Other allotments range as follows, the deceased Indian’s name being given first and those of the heirs following:

Back of the Ear – Grandmother’s Knife. Evidently Back of the Ear was a rich buck, for his estate has 320 acres to his credit, with only one heir.

Bib Neck – Robert Spotted Army Bull Insight, Old Dog, Strikes Back of the Head, dirty Food and Finds All.

Bird Head – Shows Going. Bird Head was one of the richest Indians on the reservation, as 640 acres are advertised as his holdings.

Rock – Luke Rock and Mary U. Rock, Stands on Top, Charles Yarlot, and Peter Stands on Top.

The Twins – Medicine Porcupine and Bull That Shows.

Ties Knot on Top of Head – Josh Buffalo

Knot Between Eyes – Bird Above

Black Woman – Big Ox

Gets Down First – Walks with Wolf, Comes to See Buffalo, and Cut.

Plenty Red Plume – Cut, Walks with Wolf and Comes to See Buffalo

Brings Pretty Horses – People That Shows

Strikes the Top – comes to See the Buffalo

Stays with her Medicine Rock – Charles Record and Olive Record

Bear Goes to Take Hold – The Eagle

Big Woman – Gets One Horn and Plain Face

Point of Shoulder Blade – Charles Record and Olive Record

Sits with Alligator – Bank

Spotted Arrow – Takes a Gun

Plenty Butterfly – Two Horses

Slow Rabbit – Big Medicine and Strikes One That Kills

White Tail – Takes a Gun

Medicine Horse – Hears Fire, Kills Close to Camp and Martha Long Neck

Deaf Hears Fire – Kills Close to Camp, Martha Long Neck and Old Lodge Pole

Surrounds the Enemy – The Arapahoe

Crazy Sister-in-Law – Carries Gold, Pretty Shield and Mrs. Davis Yarlot

Kettle That Boils – Takes a Gun, Swamp Flag

Wrinkle Face – Fights the Enemy Good

Yellow Whiteman – Walks Pretty

Little Antelope – Walks Pretty, Bad Heart and Does Things Together.