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Lakota Sioux Shaman Medicine Man Stick Fool Bull

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:7,500.00 - 25,000.00 USD
Lakota Sioux Shaman Medicine Man Stick Fool Bull
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The lot features an incredibly scarce and important historic Shaman Medicine Stick from the Brule Lakota Sioux Native American Indian, Fool Bull. The piece shows a carved “Spirit Chaser (head)” with the name Fool Bull and his signature mark carved/signed in Togia Language. The Shaman Stick has been examined and authenticated by renowned historian and Togia language expert, Wendell Grangaard of The Guns of History, Inc. The Medicine stick was used by Fool Bull as a Spirit Chaser in conjunction with the war shield currently on display at the Lakota Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Spirit Chaser symbol is found on both the war shield and this medicine stick. Fool Bull, a Brule Lakota Sioux of the Chokatowela Band was born in 1844. Like his father, Fool Bull was a great medicine man and belonged to the Kit Fox Society. He married Red Crane and later married a second wife, Gettign Around at the Rosebud Reservation. Fool Bull had two sons: Richard Fool Bull, born in 1877 and John Fool Bull, born in 1889. Fool Bull was present and fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana Territory circa 1876, otherwise known as Custer’s Last Stand. Below is the testimony of Fool Bull given by him to his family and told by his great grandson, Willard Fool Bull and told to Wendell Grangaard: “We rode into battle with War Chief Buffalo Horse with Hollow Horn Bear in the lead. We started toward the fighting (Reno’s group) but Hollow Horn Bear and Tow Eagles saw soldiers riding down from the Northeast ridge, so we turned East and crossed the Greasy Grass River at Cedar Coulee ford, and followed the coulee to cut off the soldiers. We went down the Medicine Tail Coulee, crossed a high ridge and rode into a group of soldiers. We had the Cheyenne (Lame White Man’s group) to our left and Crazy Horse’s Oglala to our right. No one shot, it was quiet. Then the Cheyenne charged. We all started shooting into the soldiers. I watched as a man with a horn, still on his horse blow his horn many times. Most of the horse soldiers on the ground were dead. I wanted the horn, so War Chief Buffalo Horse and I rode straight for him. The man with the horn was stilling blowing the horn when I killed him with my stone war club. I took the horn and soldier’s belt with ammunition and his revolver. Chief Buffalo Horse took the soldier’s horse that still had his carbine on it.” It is believed that the trumpeter from this story was Frederick Walsh, Company L, US 7th Cavalry. The revolver, an 1873 Colt Single Action Army 45 with serial number 3587 still has a “W” for Walsh on the left grip and the horn is still in the Fool Bull family. After the wars Fool Bull and his family settled on the Upper Cut Meat Creek West of Parmlee, South Dakota on present day Highway 63. The Spirit Chaser or Medicine Man Shaman Stick was used by the Medicine Man, Fool Bull, to ward off evil spirits and heal the sick and wounded. Authentic examples such as this typically shows a solid wood long haft with a worn smooth patina. The correct worn patina occurred from Fool Bull placing his hand near the Spirit Chaser Head carving and run his hand down the haft wiping off the evil spirits. The piece shows the correct manufacture, material, and patina typical of early authentic pieces and is truly a historic piece of the Lakota Sioux culture and history as Medicine Man Shaman items are very scarce and immensely important. The piece measures overall 28”L with the head being 3”x3.5”. The shaman stick comes with the signed letter describing the piece’s history from Wendell Grangaard along with detailed illustrations showing the markings he has translated. Wendell Grangaard is the foremost knowledge on the Togia language along with the Battle of the Little Bighorn as he is the author of the book, “Documenting the Weapons Used at Little Bighorn” 2015. Wendell was also intricate in the authentication and examination of the historic George Armstrong Custer Captured Sharps Carbine from Chief Black Kettle that sold at auction for $127,000. Comes with documentation including a detailed description authenticating the piece signed by Wendell, along with illustrations showing the togia language carvings.