Sitting Bull photo

[grahamew]

Anyone got a copy of (or a link to) the alleged phot of Sitting Bull at the 'funeral' of his son?

Thanks.

[Dietmar]

Here´s the photo:



The question is, if this indeed is a photograph of the funeral of Sitting Bull´s son Patala.

[grahamew]

Thanks, Dietmar; where did you find it?

[gocav76]

Very nice photo.

[Diane Merkel]

I've got the jpeg version on the server if you want to see it full-sized. It's a large file, but it may show as normal sized until you click on it (if your browser supports that).

www.littlebighorn.info/messageboards/sittingbullburialpatala1884.jpg

[grahamew]

Thanks for posting that. You know, what you can see of his face doesn't look that much like him, does it? In all the other SB photos, even those from some distance like the one taken on the steps in Washington, it's unmistakenly him, but this one...

[Dietmar]

Grahame,

well, you can´t see his face exactly, but I think it could be him from the look of the lower part of his face and his stature.

I sent the photo to Brock a while ago and he doubted that the photo shows the funeral of SB´s son, perhaps he could explain further...

The photograph is from Dr. Robert Pickering´s book about Sitting Bull´s pipe (Tatanka Press).
www.tatankapress.com

[grahamew]

To me, the mouth doesn't look right; I also wonder if, for 1884, his dress would be apt.

I understand that no son of SB was known to have died in 1884.

I also wonder who the photographer would be that he would allow him to photograph such an intimate event.

[brock]

Dietmar and Grahame,

I got my information from Ernie Lapointe, who says this is not Sitting Bull.

In favor of it being Sitting Bull, according to Ernie's family tree he did lose a son named Sitting Eagle in 1884. Sitting Eagle was four years old at the time.

In favor of it not being Sitting Bull, according to Ernie allowing the burial of his son to be turned into a photo op very much went against his beliefs and spirituality. Also for the technical buffs who aren't big on oral history, Sitting Bull received his trademark hat from Buffalo Bill Cody near the end of his tour in 1885. Thus he did not own his trademark hat the year his son died. This leads me to believe that the fact that the face is tough to make out, it was an opportunity for the photographer to mislabel it and garner a bigger paycheck for his work.

Later....

[Dietmar]

Thanks brock,

I´ve hoped you would answer my call

[grahamew]

Thanks.

[crawdaddo]

I was inclined to believe it was Sitting Bull because he can look so different in various photos I have seen. Then again,given his beliefs and attitude I don't think he would have posed beside his deceased son for the waschicus camera. I think its a very poignant photo but just doesn't ring true.

[crawdaddo]

By the way doesn't "patala or petala" mean like "little fire"?

[grahamew]

Feast at Ghost Dance, Grand River, 1890.

... or this is how the photo is labelled, anyhow...

See www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4578410?from=web-cla

Sitting Bull is supposedly standing at the centre of a group of seated men in the background of the photo.

Not a 'new' discovery by any means, but until lately I hadn't seen it for myself.

Whether it's him or not ... who knows?