Black Elk Speaks

Following the battle with Three Stars, the Lakota retreat to the valley of the Greasy Grass. The various Lakota bands form different camps along the stream that runs through the valley. Black Elk and several other boys assist in a healing ceremony for a man injured in battle by dressing up as bears. The next day, Black Elk is told by his father to watch over their horses. During his watch, Black Elk is overcome again with a “queer” feeling and is sure “something terrible [is] going to happen” (83). Soon after, the Hunkpapa camp crier yells out that soldiers are attacking the camp. Black Elk goes to the Hunkpapa camp to bring a gun to his brother for the ensuing battle. Afterwards, Black Elk follows his brother and observes the ensuing battle.

Though the soldiers cause chaos in the camp, the Lakota warriors begin calling out war cries and charge the soldiers. Black Elk watches as chaos ensues, and describes how the level of “dust and smoke” (84) makes it difficult to see what is happening. A Lakota tells Black Elk to kill and scalp an injured soldier. Black Elk takes the scalp and joins his mother and the other children on a hill, who are “singing and making the tremolo to cheer the men” (86).

As the battle continues, the Lakota successfully corner the soldiers onto a hill. Though the Lakota shoot at the soldiers, they are unable to overtake them, as the soldiers are using saddles as barricades. Groups of Lakota keep watch over the soldiers, hoping to starve them out. Black Elk and many of the other Lakota boys leave the women to ride through the battlefield and see the remnants of the battle. Amongst the Wasichus killed in the battle is Pahuska, or General Custer. The Lakota learn that another group of Wasichu soldiers is coming to attack, and the Lakota decide to retreat to the Bighorn Mountains and setup camp. A group of Lakota warriors surprises the Lakota by approaching them dressed up as soldiers. Afterwards, the Lakota celebrate the victorious battle, singing several “kill-songs” commemorating the killing of Pahuska (98).

Though the Lakotas are victorious in battle, they realize that it is only a matter of time before the Wasichus claim the Black Hills, as the Lakotas at Soldier’s Town intend to sell the land. Further, soldiers throughout the territory are planning to join together and further fight the Lakotas. The Lakota travel south along the Rosebud river, before each of the various bands breaks off and begins following its own path. The Ogalala and other Lakota travel eastward, and are pursued by Three Stars’ soldiers. They burn the grass as they travel, hoping to keep the soldiers’ horses from having a food source. However, the soldiers pursue them, and attack them on several occasions.

The Ogalala begin to starve amidst the harsh winter weather. They learn that the Black Hills and the rest of the Lakota territory have all been sold to the Wasichus, and that the various Lakota chiefs have all signed the treaty. Black Elk suspects that the chiefs only signed the treaty because “they were crazy from drinking the minne wakan (holy water, whiskey) the Wasichus gave them” (103). Throughout the winter, Black Elk describes how Crazy Horse begins acting “queerer than ever,” often spending time by himself away from the tribe (104). Late in the winter, the Ogalala are approached by the Lakota chief Spotted Tail, who has grown “fat with Wasichu food” and who hopes to convince Crazy Horse to surrender (105). Realizing that the rest of the Lakotas have given up on protecting the Black Hills, Crazy Horse leads his people to the Soldier’s Town and surrenders to the Wasichus. 

Crazy Horse’s tribe sets up camp outside of the Soldier’s Town, and spends the summer there. The Wasichus remove all of the Ogalala’s guns, as they are fearful that they will still attack the Wasichus. However, many Wasichus still suspect that Crazy Horse is planning to “make war,” and Crazy Horse tries to flee to his uncle, Spotted Tail (107). A group of soldiers brings Crazy Horse back to the Soldier’s Town, telling him that he is meant to have a meeting with the “Wasichu chief” (109). Black Elk observes Crazy Horse being brought into town, where he quickly becomes surrounded by soldiers and Lakota policemen. Crazy Horse realizes that the Wasichus intend to put him in jail, and he tries to resist arrest and grabs his knife. In the ensuing chaos, one of the soldiers stabs Crazy Horse with a bayonet, killing him. The Ogalala mourn Crazy Horse’s death. The Wasichus carry Crazy Horse’s corpse out of the Soldier’s Town in a coffin, and bury him somewhere in the countryside, although the Lakota do not know where exactly his corpse is buried. 

After Crazy Horse’s killing, the Wasichus inform the Lakota tribes that they must leave their camp and instead live on “agencies,” or reservations (112). Black Elk’s people instead decide to flee for the Powder River, where Crazy Horse had previously setup camp. Realizing that they would not be able to survive the river, the Ogalala instead go further north to Canada, referred to as Grandmother’s Land, where they can reside with their relatives Sitting Bull and Gall. Throughout the winter, Black Elk reflects on his prior vision, which showed Black Elk’s people suffering and Black Elk helping to heal them by mending his “nation’s hoop” and “[making] the holy tree to flower” (113). While the first part of the vision appears to have come true, Black Elk wonders how he can use his powers to help his people.

Throughout the winter, Black Elk is overcome with “queer” feelings several times, shortly after which Crow warriors attack the Lakota (113). The experiences make Black Elk believe that his powers are increasing. On another occasion, a coyote appears to Black Elk and tells him he will find a group of bison and two people in a nearby ridge. Black Elk and his father go to the ridge and find both the predicted bison and the people. The group hunt the bison and afterwards have a feast.