Agencies organizations established by the U.S. Government to contain and control Indian life; at this point in American history, the term was used synonymously with "reservations".
bay a reddish-brown horse; the reddish-brown color of such a horse.
Blue Clouds the name Black Elk uses for the Arapahoe Indians.
Bozeman Trail the trail through Sioux country that was cleared by whites as a means of reaching goldmining operations in Montana.
buckskin a yellowish-grey horse; the yellowish-grey color of such a horse.
cache to store in a hidden place (from the French verb cacher, to hide).
chacun sha sha the bark of the red willow.
charger a horse ridden in battle or parade.
counting coup the Sioux ritual of striking an enemy who has fallen, wounded or dead; the first person to count coup is considered bravest of the group, almost as brave as the one who has brought the enemy down.
crier an official who shouts out announcements.
drouth a variant spelling of drought.
four-rayed having four branches or leaves radiating out from a central point.
fronters Indian warriors placed in the front line of battle.
Greasy Grass a translation of the Lakota term for the area around the Little Bighorn River.
Great Spirit in Sioux belief, the divine power that created the world, whose presence can be perceived in daily life; comparable to the Judeo-Christian idea of God.
Haho a prayer-like utterance.
Hetchetu aloh it is so indeed.
Heyoka a person who has been granted sacred power which he enacts in an entertaining and comic way.
hoka hey a Lakota phrase meaning "charge".
jubilee an anniversary, especially a fiftieth or twenty-fifth anniversary; a time for celebration and rejoicing.
Kill dance a ritual dance designed to intensify enthusiasm for battle.
Lakota one of three groups (the other two being Dakota and Nakota) that made up the Sioux tribe or nation; the Lakota and Dakota, both located west of the Missouri River, are together sometimes referred to as West Tetons.
lament/lamentation to feel or express deep sorrow or grief for; the expression of deep sorrow or grief.
