Sacagewea

Sacagawea was born in 1788 in a small Shoshone Village, in present-day Idaho. Her father gave her the name Boinaiv, which means “Grass Maiden.” She was born to Chief No Retreat and Fragrant Herbs. Her parents worked very hard to take of Sacagawea, Never Walks, Spotted Bear, and Rain Girl. Sacagewea As the expedition was heading for St. Louis, she recognized her old Shoshone Village. Her brother, now Chief Never Walks, greeted them immediately. He gave them horses and weapons, and a magnificent feast. Sacagawea stayed for a few days and celebrated, and reunited with her brother

Soon after the wedding she became pregnant. While preparing for the baby, the Lewis and Clark expedition camped nearby. The village was so happy a meeting was scheduled. She hen joined the explorers as an interpreter for Native American tribes.

At age 10, though, she was camping with a band of her tribe between the Butte and Bozeman, Montana, in Three Forks Valley. One night while the men were out on a hunt for buffalo, she started picking berries next to her mom. Then, an enemy tribe, the Hidatsa’s, attacked. Some people fled on horseback, but others weren’t as lucky. Bodies were everywhere. Sadly, as Sacagawea was trying to escape, a mounted warrior grabbed her. She was headed for the Hidatsa village.

On February 11, 1805, Sacagawea went into labor. She was instructed to swallow a rattlesnake’s rattle, so the baby would come sooner. Sure enough, a few minutes later Jean Baptiste was born. All though William Clark gave him the nickname, “ Pomp.”

After the celebrations, the group returned to St. Louis where Sacagawea was honored with a medal from President Jefferson. She left her son with Clark, and set off for the Hidatsa Village, to see her husband. She died from fever on December 20, 1812. It was never recorded if she made the journey or not.

After a few years, she was sold as a second wife to a Canadian/ French fur trader named Toussain Charbonneau. The villagers referred to him as, “ Bumbling, slow-witted, white man.” Charbonneau treated her well, but was extremely dull.