Native American Biography: Brown Woman of the Blackfeet aka Running Eagle,

 Running Eagle (Pitamaka) was oldest among her siblings.  Her father taught her how to hunt against the wishes of her mother.  She was born in southern Alberta Canada to the Piikáni Piegan Tribe of the Blackfeet.  She preferred boy's games to girl's.  At age twelve she began wearing boys clothes.  She started going on buffalo hunts with her father.  On a hunting expedition with her father they were attacked by Assiniboine. Her father's horse was shot from under him and Running Eagle rode back and  was able to save him.  She was celebrated with a dance.

Her mother and father both passed away shorty after, leaving Running Eagle as the head of the family.  She went with the warriors on a raid of a Crow camp.  She was told to go back by the leader of the read, but she refused.  She was able to steal eleven horses on the raid.  She then kept watch and was able to take care of two Crow who tried to steal back the things they had taken.  She was again celebrated by the tribe.  

She still met with significant push back and it was suggested she do a vision quest.  She was promised success in battle as long as she never slept with a man.  After this she was accepted as a warrior and even lead battles.  She did however eventually meet her end on the battle field.  

Pitamakan lake in Montana was named for her.  She is a woman who followed what she wanted to do instead of society's norms.  It was rumored she slept with a man which resulted in her death.  However the Flatheads targeted her knowing she was leading the battle.  

Omaha Burlington Station

 Burlington Station opened July 4, 1898 to welcome people to the Omaha world's fair, the Trans-Mississippi Exposition.  It had columns made from Indiana granite.  It was reodeled in the 1930s and the columns were removed.  That remodel was for a more modern look.  In 1974 the station closed.  In 2015 it reopened as a television station for channel 7.

I took pictures from the Union Pacific Durham Museum.

Magazine Article Review: Fonda Family and the Omaha Community Players

 Fonda Family and the Omaha Community Players, by Leo Adam Biga, Nebraska History Magazine, volume 105 number 2 Summer 2024.

2024 marked the 100th year of the Omaha Community Players.  The Fonda family, as well as the Brando family were with them from their earliest days.  Henry Fonda first did plays as a young man.  In their turn his children also performer, Peter Fonda and Jane Fonda.  Henry Fonda came back to the community players from time to tim, to perform or to reminisce.  He and his children went on to have successful theater and movie careers.  Henry Fonda's last movie was with his daughter Jane, "On Golden Pond."  

This article lists many actors from Nebraska.  In addition to the Fondas there are Marlon Brando, Fred Astaire, Dorothy McGuire, Nick Nolte and many more.

Omaha Indian Dr. Susan LaFlesche Picotte from Durham History Museum

 Omaha Indian Dr Susan Laflesche Picotte was the first Native American woman to graduate from medical school.  She was the daughter of Omaha chief Joseph LaFlesche, "Iron Eye."  She graduated first in her class from the Women's Medical College in Pennsylvania.  She moved back to the Omaha Resefrvation where she became the reservation doctor.

Florence Mill/Winter Quarters Mill

 The Florence Mill was first built while members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints occupied Winter Quarters in 1846 as they waited to continue their journey to the West.  Brigham Young ordered it be built.  Other people ran the mill after the Mormons abandoned the area.

Native American Biography: James Luna, Artist, performance artist, Luiseño

 James Luna challenges Native American stereotypes.  He does this through museum displays, where he often inserts himself into the display.  "Take a picture with a real Indian."  He had been part of over 100 museum exhibitions, group and individual.  He lived at the La Jolla reservation of the Luiseño people.  He is part Mexican.  His displays can be jarring such as a Native American medicine man giving away sacred relics such as a wet dream catcher.  He taught art at three California Universities including San Diego, Davis and Irvine.  He was also a counsellor at a community college.  His art and exhibits have ben displayed in Los Angeles, New York, Canada, Santa Fe etc.  He received an honorary doctorate from the Institute of American Arts, Santa Fe.  

Half Mexican, Half Indian

Native American Biography: Po'pay, Tewa Religious Leader, Pueblo Revolt

 The DSpanish began to rule over th Pueblo people in 1598.  Despite there being as many as 80,000 Publo Indians, their independent rule, each town had its own rule, they could not counter the Spanish weapons and coordination.  The Spanish rule was tyrannical, and they insisted that the Pueblo not practice their traditional ways.  In 1675 Po'pay was one of 47 Pueblo people who were arrested for witchcraft for practicing their traditional ways.  Three were executed, one committed suicide.  He had the others beaten and they were set to be sold as slaves.  70 Pueblo warriors showed up at the governor's house and demanded their release.  The governor complied fearing a revolt.  He already was having problems with Apache and Navajo.  

Po'pay had a dynamic personality and commanded respect.  He retired to Taos where he began planning a revolt.  In the past coordination was an issue.  They decided on a particular day and had runners visit each community.  They were not allowed horses.  They used a rope with knots to count the days to th revolt.  When the Spanish discovered their plans, they again sent runners to move the timing forward two days.  In that way they maintained the element of surprise.  With all the communities rising up together they were able to defeat the Spanish.  This is the first time and indigenous people was able to throw off the yolk of a foreign overlord.  

The revolt cost many livees on both sides.  Many Catholic priests were killed.  The Spanish were forced to go south.  The Pueble were able to practice the traditions.  The Pueblo and Spanish then became allies against the Navajo, Apache, Ute and Comanche.  The priests allowed the practice of Pueblo ways as long as they showed the outward signs of practicing Catholicism.  

There is a statue of Po'pay in the capitol rotunda in Washington.  The statue shows Po'pay with a scarred back back from the beating and holding a knotted rope.