The collection consists of Richard Sanderville's translations of Blackfeet materials held by the Bureau of American Ethnology. The translations were dictated by Sanderville and written down by John G. Carter between June 13 and June 18, 1934. Most of the translated material is held by the NAA in other collections. The collection includes translations of:
Sitting Bull's Autobiographies (see MS 1929-a and MS 1929-b)
Wind River petroglyphs (see Bureau of American Ethnology Annual Report 10, Figure 97)
Madison River grave writings (unknown; no longer in NAA collections);
Roman Nose drawings (see MS 1303);
Cloud Shield and American Horse winter counts (see MS 2372, Series 3.4);
Petroglyphs in Black Hills (in this collection; 7 photographs and drawings).
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Biographical Note:
Richard Sanderville (1866-1951), also known as Chief Bull, Bull Head, and Richard Sandoval, was born about 1866 in Fort Benton, Montana. He graduated from the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. Sanderville worked for the Blackfeet agency as a farmer, carpenter, and translator. In the summer of 1934, Sanderville visited the Bureau of American Ethnology and provided translations and other information about collection materials relating to the Blackfeet.
John Galen Carter was an attorney who worked with cases mainly involving the government and Indian Affairs.
Local Numbers:
NAA MS 4444
Related Materials:
The National Anthropological Archives holds other material created by Richard Sanderville at the BAE in the summer of 1934 in MS 3359, MS 4076, MS 4078, and MS 4080.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Rights:
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Genre/Form:
Works of art
Drawings
Photographs
Pictographs
Citation:
Guide to MS 4444 Blackfoot picture writings translated by Richard Sanderville, 1934, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
