Winter Counts, their Pictographic Histories

Winter Counts, their Pictographic Histories

 This post contains images and stories of 6 Winter Counts.    Winter Counts are a pictorial representation of the tribes oral calendar.    Each year is depicted by one significant event in the life of that tribe.   This section starts with a newspaper article documenting a talk that A.B. Welch gave the Rotarians of Bismarck N.D.    

Welch Speaks to Rotarians, 

Explains “Winter Counts” of Sioux Nation Since 1785.

 pg 1 welch explains winter counts

INDEX    

Blue Thunder’s Winter Count.    

American Horse’s Winter Count.    

A Hunkpapa Winter Count.    

Jaws’ Winter Count.   

Lone Dog’s Winter Count.    

No Two Horns’ Winter Count.    

 

Blue Thunder’s Winter Count – 1784 to 1913. 

 

Photo of Blue Thunder, 1925. 

pg 8 little blue thunder

 

Photo of Blue Thunder’s winter count hanging in Col. Welch’s basement.

pg 2 blue thunder count in den

pg 7 medicine lodge

Image of Blue Thunder’s Winter Count – Right side enlarged (top). 

Image of Blue Thunders’ Winter Count – Left side enlarged (bottom). 

pg 3 blue thunder winter count enlarged

 

Image of Blue Thunder Standing in Front of His Tipi. 1925.

pg 20 blue thunder

pg 9 bt count 1

pg 17 count years 20-27

pg 10 bt count 2

pg 11 bt count 3

pg 12 bt count 4

pg 13 bt count 5

Expanded image of Blue Thunder’s count years 1888-1895.

pg 18 count years 88-95

pg 14 bt count 6

pg 15 bt count 7

pg 16 bt count 8

 

American Horse’s Winter Count – 1775 to 1879. 

 This winter count is by American Horse, an Oglala.  

pg 26 little american horse

 

pg 20 ah count 1

 

pg 21 ah count 2

 

pg 22 ah count 3 pg 23 ah count 4

 

pg 24 ah count 5

 

pg 25 ah count 6

 

A  Hunkpapa Winter Count

 

pg 27 hunkpapa count 1

 

pg 28 hunkpapa count 2

 

Jaw’s Winter Count – Hunkpapa.

pg 29 jaws count

 

Lone Dog’s Winter Count – Yanktonais.

 

pg 30 dog count 1pg 31 dog count 2

 

pg 32 dog count 3

 

pg 33 dog count 4

 

pg 34 dog count 5

 

No Two Horns’ Winter Count

 Photo of No Two Horns, 1925.

pg 40 no two horns photo

 

PG 35 NO TWO COUNT 1

 

PG 36 NO TWO COUNT 2

 

PG 37 NO TWO COUNT 3

 

PG 38 NO TWO COUNT 4

 

pg 35 no two count 5

 Image of Joe Jordan in France, 1918.