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Title: The Dakota or Sioux in Minnesota As They Were in 1834 (Borealis Books) by Samuel W. Pond ISBN: 0-87351-193-X Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press Pub. Date: 01 May, 1986 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.95

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Average Customer Rating: 5 (3 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: "...what they have been and will never be again."
Comment: On Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis there is a large rock with a heavily patinated plaque imbedded in it right under an impressive gold-domed church. The plaque is extremely weathered and greenish, and looks as if it has been reset more than once into the rock. It says that, above the rock on the hill, where the present day church now stands, is the original site of the first dwelling built in Minneapolis in 1834 by Samuel and Gideon Pond. I've walked by this historic marker for years while circling the lake, so when I came across Samuel Pond's work on the Dakota in Minnesota (including those that lived on Lake Calhoun), I had to read it.

Obviously, the salient thing about Lake Calhoun is the complete absence or even a tiny minute speck of evidence that it was once inhabited by Native Americans. They are simply gone without a trace. High rises and expensive homes now line the lake, and ice fishers speckle its icy surface from approximately October to February. From the viewpoint of today, it's almost impossible to believe Lake Calhoun was any different. That's only one thing that makes this book so great. It makes the reader aware of what was happening before the europeans arrived (or invaded as some people see it) in Minnesota.

The book was written by a missionary; Samuel Pond's sole purpose in habitating with the Dakota was to save souls. The somewhat happy and possibly unforeseen outcome of this was that Pond had to get to know these people incredibly unbelievably well to "save" them. So, as good missionaries will do, he literally shacked up with them. He hunted with them, observed rituals, went on long journeys with them, spoke their language fluently, and, most importantly, talked with them. This guy was there, he wasn't a journalist or a muckraker. He was literally on a mission.

The book, almost paradoxically, does not mention whether or not Pond was successful in "converting" or "saving" the Dakota. There is almost no mention whatsoever of his missionary work, so this is not a self-gratuitous work that shouts "look what I did!" What it is is an observance, a capturing of a people before that people completely disappeared (i.e., as they have today).

It is important to note that the book was not written while Pond lived with the Dakota. It was written some thirty or forty years after. Why? When Pond lived with the Dakota, there was no indication that within the next fifty years Native American culture would be more or less wiped out. As Pond observed this phenomenon, he found it best to write down his recollections of his life with the Dakota, since the culture no longer existed as it was in the 1830s. Pond wrote after what is now known as the Dakota Conflict of 1862, which radically changed the relations between whites and Dakota in the Upper Midwest, and resulted in the largest mass execution in United States History (in Mankato, Minnesota; Reconciliation Square now marks the spot where 38 Dakota were simultaneously hung by the neck for their supposed part in the events of 1862).

Pond is mostly very fair to the Dakota. He passionately defends them against what were the then mainstream accusations of laziness, uncleanliness, gluttony, and barbarity. Pond was overall very impressed by the Dakotas, and obviously had a lot of respect for them as a people. He is, however, not fair to the Dakota's religious practices - this is the one topic where Pond's ulterior motives really show - calling them "ridiculous superstitions".

All in all, Pond's descriptions and retelling of events are priceless for anyone curious about Dakota life before the overwhelming influence of european settlers set in. There are so many amazing stories winding throughout this text that picking one or two out as examples would be unjust to the rest. Pond also draws parallels between the life of european settlers of the time and of the Dakota. These are always fascinating, and Pond's intent seems to be making europeans think hard about their prejudices.

Why this book is not more widely read or talked about I'm at a loss to explain. Perhaps the missionary twist scares people off? Whatever the reason this book is vitally important in that it attempts to capture the culture that was completely destroyed in the 19th century. It is timely, of course, in that the Dakota are often referred to as "savages" or "heathens", but that adds a historical interest to the text, albeit a somewhat now sad one. One must prepare oneself for a 19th century read when dipping into this book. It is well worth the effort.

Lastly, this book has been reissued as "Dakota Life in the Upper Midwest" which is somewhat strange since the author intended the title to emphasize that the work focused on "how they were" in 1834. The title change is likely attributable to the word "Sioux" which is a derogatory word that translates as "Snake". Nonetheless, the new title detracts from the work, and removes a certain historicity from it. The original title should be restored for historical accuracy and perspective.

Rating: 5
Summary: Samuel Pond's The Dakotas in Minnesota in 1834
Comment: (...)BR>I found this book to be an invaluable aid in understanding Amerindian life and conditions in the early 19th century in the upper Midwest. The book is very well written and engaging, not a common praise for authors of that time. The introduction explains that the author spent a great deal of time learning the language of the Dakotas, and was the leading expert in the region at that time. He actually lived and traveled for months with the various bands along the Minnesota river, making his accounts clearly first hand and vivid.

The book is filled with interesting stories and anecdotes, often favorably comparing Dakotas with white soldiers and traders in the same territory. (There were no settlers yet in 1834 in that region). One example is a story about a small company of soldiers marching over the prairie "panting like over-driven oxen" led by an Indian twice their age walking with "apparently with no great exertion."

What is remarkable is that this was written at a time when remarking on the positive attributes of the native inhabitants of Minnesota was generally strongly discouraged and often roundly criticized. Yet time after time this New Englander takes a common aspect of Indian life and finds a way to critique the European culture of that same time putting things on an even ground.

Pond even weighs in on the frequent comment made by Europeans that native men were lazy and let their wives do all the work. His detailed descriptions of the work and hardships faced by men clearly neutralizes this argument. Pond was very well read for his day, making references to the ancient European authors Homer, Virgil and Caesar. You likely expand your knowledge of the English language reading this book through Pond's use of interesting old words such as signalized, calumny, contumely, and opprobrious.

Fascinating for those interested in natural history are the accounts of deer and muskrat hunts. Those who think bison were common in the region during this time might be surprised to find the Native Americans around the Mississippi in Minnesota hunted almost entirely deer, with only a very few elk being taken. Muskrat hunts were of prime importance for use in the fur trade, beaver not being at all common on the prairies. There are interesting accounts of the Dakota uses of native plants as well, primarily as food sources.

The number of subjects covered by Pond were surprisingly high, making this book thorough and detailed, yet not ever getting bogged down. The cover and binding of are of reasonable quality and the book is a valuable addition to any Midwesterner's library.

Rating: 5
Summary: A tribute the the real Native Amrtican
Comment: For many years, I, like so many others, have labored under the assumption that the Native American 'story' was somewhat like the depictions we had all seen and read.

The voice of the current Native Americans speak to the atrocities perpetrated upon them by the insensitive advancement of land hungry europeans.

This book, written by Samuel Pond, simply describes how the Lakota Sioux actually 'were' in Minnesota in 1834.

Samuel and his brother Gideon Pond were missionaries to the Sioux and, among other exceptional work, compiled a comprehensive lexicon of the Sioux language, subsequently translating the Bible into Sioux.

For those of you who would like to gain an unbiased view of the true Native American, this book is a 'must'.

It is also possible that after learning about Samuel and Gideon Pond, you will develop a deep appreciation of the dedication and hardships suffered by, and the good intentions and pioneering spirit of the missionaries who wanted to enrich the souls of Native Americans.

Samuel and Gideon Pond were truely 'unsung heros' of our American heritage. Their efforts have been annotated in this book, however, and so their exploits still live in the minds of the reader.

Even if you choose not to purchase this book, it would be well worth your time to 'surf' their names in the internet. You will be rather surprised at the results.