Voices of Wounded Knee
Spotted Elk
after his death
we must use this photograph for identification purposes but we prefer to use photographs we have found of him while he was still alive.
This photograph was mislabeled "BigFoot: Chief of the Brules"
Since that time, the name Big Foot (SiTanka) stuck with him and it has caused a great deal of confusion in the public.
TMiniconjou chief Spotted Elk (aka. Bigfoot) lies dead in the snow after massacre at Wounded Knee. Dead Bigfoot Lakotas leader Spotted Elk, (called by soldiers Bigfoot), after the massacre of Wounded Knee (photo of January 1, 1891). Carl Smith described him as January 7, 1891 in the "Chicago Inter-Ocean ': Big Foot lay as if in dignified seclusion ... Clad in civilian clothes decent, his head wrapped in a shawl. He wore a woolen underwear and pointed to the overall look of someone fairly well cared. He had several gunshot wounds, and if he could realize what hurt him, the signs have quite disappeared. Itinerant photographer propped the old man, and when he lay helpless, his portrait done ... But he spared the usual treatment for a nice appearance.
The Wounded Knee Massacre
December 29, 1890 — A Tragedy That Echoes Through Generations
What Happened at Wounded Knee?
On the freezing morning of December 29, 1890, over 250 Lakota men, women, and children were massacred by the U.S. 7th Cavalry at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. Among them was Chief Spotted Elk (Heȟáka Glešká), a respected Minneconjou Lakota leader who had led his band in search of peace—not war. The majority of those killed were unarmed civilians.
The Lakota had been fleeing escalating military threats and brutal winter conditions, hoping to find safety under Chief Red Cloud at Pine Ridge. They were intercepted by the 7th Cavalry and taken to a camp at Wounded Knee Creek. The next morning, soldiers attempted to disarm the group. A shot rang out, and chaos erupted. The soldiers opened fire with rifles and four Hotchkiss cannons, slaughtering indiscriminately.
Bodies of women and children were later found scattered across the snowy ravine where they had tried to flee. Survivors were hunted down or died from exposure in the days that followed.
Why It Matters
The Wounded Knee Massacre was not an isolated incident—it was the culmination of decades of broken treaties, forced removals, starvation policies, and military aggression. It marked a turning point: the last major violent clash between the U.S. Army and Native peoples during the so-called "Indian Wars."
Twenty Medals of Honor were awarded to the soldiers who carried out the massacre—an act that remains deeply offensive to Lakota descendants and a stain on the moral conscience of the United States.
For the Spotted Elk Tiospaye and many others, Wounded Knee is not just history—it is lived memory. Its impact continues to shape families, land rights, cultural survival, and the fight for justice.
Our Ongoing Work
We, the descendants of Chief Spotted Elk and other victims and survivors, are working to:
Advocate for the rescinding of the Medals of Honor given for the massacre.
Correct public misconceptions, including the mistaken identity of Chief Spotted Elk with another man nicknamed "Big Foot."
Preserve and teach our language, history, and spiritual traditions that were targeted for destruction.
Build a proper memorial that honors the names and lives of every individual lost.
Wounded Knee is not a chapter that has closed - it is a truth we carry forward. We invite others to learn, to reflect, and to walk with us in solidarity.
They called it a battle but it is well-documented it was a massacre. The truth matters. and must not be erased. Not after what happened to our people and to Native Americans across this whole country. We urge you to help us preserve the true history.
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