Post by Robert Braun on Oct 29, 2002 12:13:39 GMT -5
We often see the name of the "British Band's" No. 1 civil cheif spelled "Neapope." In fact most people today pronounce his name literally as spelled: "nee-a-pope."
In Frank Steven's footnotes to the reprinted John Allen Wakefield BHW reminiscence, Stevens noted:
Note from page 39: 16. Editor's note -- This name is generally spelled Ne-a-pope, and is pronounced Naw-pope.
Because he wrote after the turn of the century, some persons today have dismissed Stevens generally, and Steven's assertion of Na-pope's name pronounciation specifically... simply on the basis that the pronounciation does not appear to match the spelling.
However, in reviewing letters written by George Catlin, the famous artist who actually met Na-pope and Black Hawk, we find:
Muk-a-tah-mish-o-kah-kaik (the black hawk) is the man to whom I have above alluded, as the leader of the "Black Hawk war," who was defeated by General Atkinson, and held a prisoner of war, and sent through Washington and other Eastern cities, with a number of others, to be gazed at.
This man, whose name has carried a sort of terror through the country where it has been sounded, has been distinguished as a speaker or councellor rather than as a warrior; and I believe it has been pretty generally admitted, that "Nah-pope" and the "Prophet" were, in fact, the instigators of the war; and either of them with much higher claims for the name of warrior than Black Hawk ever had.
Later, towards the end of the same letter, we again find:
The Treaty itself, in all its forms, was a scene of interest, and Kee-o-kuk was the principal speaker on the occasion, being recognized as the head chief of the tribe. He is a very subtle and dignified man, and well fitted to wield the destinies of his nation. The poor dethroned monarch, old Black Hawk, was present, and looked an object of pity. With an old frock coat and brown hat on, and a cane in his hand, he stood the whole time outside of the group, and in dumb and dismal silence, with his sons by the side of him, and also his quondam aide-de-camp, Nah-pope, and the prophet. They were not allowed to speak, nor even to sign the Treaty. Nah-pope rose, however, and commenced a very earnest speech on the subject of temperance! but Governor Dodge ordered him to sit down, (as being out of order), which probably saved him from a much more peremptory command from Kee-o-kuk, who was rising at that moment, with looks on his face that the Devil himself might have shrunk from. This Letter I must end here...
It would appear that Frank Stevens did his homework after all!
In Frank Steven's footnotes to the reprinted John Allen Wakefield BHW reminiscence, Stevens noted:
Note from page 39: 16. Editor's note -- This name is generally spelled Ne-a-pope, and is pronounced Naw-pope.
Because he wrote after the turn of the century, some persons today have dismissed Stevens generally, and Steven's assertion of Na-pope's name pronounciation specifically... simply on the basis that the pronounciation does not appear to match the spelling.
However, in reviewing letters written by George Catlin, the famous artist who actually met Na-pope and Black Hawk, we find:
Muk-a-tah-mish-o-kah-kaik (the black hawk) is the man to whom I have above alluded, as the leader of the "Black Hawk war," who was defeated by General Atkinson, and held a prisoner of war, and sent through Washington and other Eastern cities, with a number of others, to be gazed at.
This man, whose name has carried a sort of terror through the country where it has been sounded, has been distinguished as a speaker or councellor rather than as a warrior; and I believe it has been pretty generally admitted, that "Nah-pope" and the "Prophet" were, in fact, the instigators of the war; and either of them with much higher claims for the name of warrior than Black Hawk ever had.
Later, towards the end of the same letter, we again find:
The Treaty itself, in all its forms, was a scene of interest, and Kee-o-kuk was the principal speaker on the occasion, being recognized as the head chief of the tribe. He is a very subtle and dignified man, and well fitted to wield the destinies of his nation. The poor dethroned monarch, old Black Hawk, was present, and looked an object of pity. With an old frock coat and brown hat on, and a cane in his hand, he stood the whole time outside of the group, and in dumb and dismal silence, with his sons by the side of him, and also his quondam aide-de-camp, Nah-pope, and the prophet. They were not allowed to speak, nor even to sign the Treaty. Nah-pope rose, however, and commenced a very earnest speech on the subject of temperance! but Governor Dodge ordered him to sit down, (as being out of order), which probably saved him from a much more peremptory command from Kee-o-kuk, who was rising at that moment, with looks on his face that the Devil himself might have shrunk from. This Letter I must end here...
It would appear that Frank Stevens did his homework after all!
