Waheenee: An Indian Girl's Story

"Waheenee: An Indian Girl's Story" told by Waheenee and Gilbert Livingstone Wilson is a semi-autobiographical account written in the early 20th century. The narrative offers a glimpse into the life of Waheenee, a young Hidatsa girl, detailing her experiences in a Native American community along the Missouri River. The work combines elements of personal history and cultural education, showcasing the customs, beliefs, and daily life of the Hidatsa people. At the start of the story, Waheenee introduces herself and provides a vivid background of her early life in an earth lodge near the Knife River in what is now North Dakota. She recounts her birth shortly after a devastating smallpox epidemic that ravaged her community and shares anecdotes about her family, particularly the significant role of her mothers and grandmother in her upbringing. With rich detail, Waheenee describes the customs surrounding naming, the construction of earth lodges, and the emphasis on communal living and storytelling, all of which frame the tender and challenging moments of her childhood. This opening sets the tone for a greater exploration of her life in an indigenous society where tradition and resilience are central themes. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Waheenee, also referred to as the Buffalo Bird Woman was a traditional Hidatsa woman who lived on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. Her Hidatsa name was Waheenee, though she was also called Maaxiiriwia. She was known for maintaining the traditional lifestyle of the Hidatsa, including gardening, cooking, and household tasks. She passed on the traditional ways of her culture and oral tradition through interviews with Gilbert Wilson, in which she described her own experience and the lives and work of Hidatsa women.