Mr. Smoke talks about his family's experience in the aftermath of the U.S.-Dakota War.
Isan tanka
Audio Chapters
DL: Did you ever hear of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War during your growing up years?
CS: I don’t know what the word was; Grandpa said they ran away when they were small. He said he was around, well those two brothers, John and George were 11 and 9 years old or something like that; they ran away from- they came across a line or something like that.
DL: Grandpa ran away from where?
CS: Well, their parents. They brought them across from the States.
DL: Oh my. So your grandfather, that would be your great-grandfather and your great-grandmother took the little children from where to where?
CS: I really don’t know where, which state it was, but they ran away from soldiers, I guess, so Isan tanka, they call today- that’s the army.
DL: Ran from the Isan tanka.
CS: Yes. Men with long knives or swords, or something. That’s what they call them: Isan tanka.
DL: Did you ever hear of the 1862 U.S.-Dakota War during your growing up years?
CS: I don’t know what the word was; Grandpa said they ran away when they were small. He said he was around, well those two brothers, John and George were 11 and 9 years old or something like that; they ran away from- they came across a line or something like that.
DL: Grandpa ran away from where?
CS: Well, their parents. They brought them across from the States.
DL: Oh my. So your grandfather, that would be your great-grandfather and your great-grandmother took the little children from where to where?
CS: I really don’t know where, which state it was, but they ran away from soldiers, I guess, so isan tanka, they call today- that’s the army.
DL: Ran from the isan tanka.
CS: Yes. Men with long knives or swords, or something. That’s what they call them: isan tanka.
Citation: Minnesota Historical Society. U.S. - Dakota War of 1862. Isan tanka November 17, 2024. http://www.usdakotawar.org/node/1486
Viewpoints: All viewpoints expressed on this website are those of the contributors, and are not representative of the Minnesota Historical Society.