Abstract
The history of the Sand Creek massacre (29, 30 November and 1 December 1864) needs no embellishment to create an indelible picture of betrayal and horror or its lasting impact upon U.S.-Indian relations. An accurate account of any history, in fiction or nonfiction, provides us with a foundation for our own assessment of the truth. Chriss Enss and Howard Kazanjian have woven an uncorroborated tale about a massacre survivor, the strong Cheyenne (Dzi’tsiístäs) woman warrior Mo-chis, often called Mochi or Moqui (translated as Buffalo Calf or Buffalo Calf Woman), wife of fellow survivor and notable Cheyenne warrior Medicine Water (Mi-huh-yeu-i-mup). Although they include the credible secondary source War Dance at Fort Marion (2006) by Brad D. Lookingbill, the authors lead with a source—Patrick Mendoza (God rest his soul)—who I visited with at Sand Creek in 2005–2007, who told me point-blank, “I’m no historian. I don’t pretend to be. I’m a poet and storyteller.” Their sources are thin and rely on inaccurate period newspapers often notorious for political subjectivity, plagiarism, fabrications, and misconceptions. The authors emanate from the film industry, which has painted wholly inaccurate portraits of the tragedy of Sand Creek.
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