Dakota Bible History (3)

**List: Dakota Ministry the Bible ( the Bible ) Dakota... DACOTA, OR SIOUX. "THE Sioux race, comprising upwards of 50,000 individuals, is divided into four distinct nations, namely, the Winebagos, the Dacotas or Sioux Proper, the Assiniboins, and the Osages, with the Iowas and other kindred tribes; all of whom reside west of the Mississippi.   The only languages of this family into which the Scriptures have been translated are those of the Sioux Proper and of the Iowas. The former call themselves Dacotas, and sometimes Ochente Shakoans, or Seven Fires, probably because they are divided into seven tribes.   They dwell on the Upper Mississippi, and on the St. Peter's River, and some are found as far west as the Missouri.   In number they have been estimated at 20,000.   They do not cultivate the soil; but, although erratic in their habits and addicted to warfare, they are less sanguinary and ferocious than the Indian nations east of the Mississippi.   A marked difference in this respect is said, in fact, to exist between the tribes dwelling east and west of that river,--all the nations of the western prairie being less fierce and cruel in their practices than the rest of their countrymen.   Prisoners taken in war are put to death by all savages, but the revolting custom of subjecting them for whole days to excruciating tortures does not prevail among any people west of the Mississippi.    The Dacota differs from its cognate languages chiefly in its peculiar method of forming the plural, which process consists simply in affixing the termination pee; e. g. watah, a canoe, watahpee, canoes. A whole sentence in the singular number would be rendered plural throughout by affixing this termi- nation to the last word, whether noun, pronoun, or adjective.    No edition of any portions of the Scriptures in this language was printed till 1839; but during that year the following editions were published at Cincinnati, Ohio, at the expense of the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions:--1. A volume of Old Testament Extracts, chiefly selected from the book of Genesis and the Psalms, translated from the French version of the Bible, by Joseph Renville, and prepared for the press by Dr. Williamson.   2. The History of Joseph and his Brethren, extracted and translated from the book of Genesis, by S. W. and G. H. Pond, educated natives.   3. The Gospel of St. Mark, translated orally by J. Renville, and written at his dictation by Dr. Williamson.   Three years after the issue of these editions, a complete version of Genesis, with some of the Psalms, was printed at Cincinnati for the American Board; this translation had been drawn immediately from the Hebrew by the mies. of the American Board and Mr. J. Renville. The Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of St. John, and the book of Revelation, were translated about the same period, from the Greek, by Stephen R. Riggs, A. M.: this version was printed in one volume, at Cincinnati, in 1843, for the American Bible Society.   The translation of the New Testament into Dacota does not appear to be yet completed."--The Bible of Every Land. (1860, Second Edition)   Samuel Bagster   [Info only] DACOTA, OR SIOUX.--1860   S. Bagster   [Info only: n.d. John 1:1-14 unknown.]

[Christian Helps Ministry (USA)] [Christian Home Bible Course]