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Sacajawea By Elinor Ah-like-keeah. That’s a Shoshone greeting. My name is Sacajawea. which means “Bird Woman.” As I was born, a flock of swans flew overhead and that’s how I got my name. I am from the Shoshone tribe and I am a Shoshone Princess. I was born in 1786 in the Shining Mountains, which are now called the Rocky Mountains. My people got our food by hunting and fishing. We were known best by having beautiful horses. When I was a child I learned from my father how to hunt buffalo. My mother taught me to set up buffalo skins and find good berries. My brother taught me to ride horseback. When I was 12 years old I was captured by a band of Hidatsas. They killed my family and took me far away to their village. A trader named Charbonneau came to the village and traded fur skins to have me as his wife. I had a son named Jean Baptiste, but his father called him Pompe, which means “Firstborn.” Now, let’s get to the main purpose of why I’m here today. I went on the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the plains and mountains on the other side of the country. President Jefferson wanted us to go on the expedition in order to learn about on the Indians who lived on the plains and in the mountains. The President also wanted maps to be made. He chose two men to lead the expedition. Maybe you’ve heard of them? William Clark and Meriwether Lewis. I traveled with them from 1805 until 1806. The men and I discovered the Pacific Northwest. We learned about the plants and animals. We had to ride on horses and travel in boats. On the expedition, we got horses and food along the way. I became famous because of my important role in helping Lewis and Clark on their expedition and because I am a brave and knowledgeable person. I was honored by having a river, a mountain peak, and a mountain pass named after me. I was also honored by having a U.S. dollar coin commemorating me. I died from a fever on December 20, 1812 near the Missouri River. |
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47 Whiting Lane |
