Inkpaduta
Inkpaduta, meaning "scarlet point" in Sioux, was a prominent figure among the Wahpekute Santee Sioux during the 19th century. Following the murder of his father, Wamdesapa, who killed the principal chief Tasagi, Inkpaduta emerged as a leader of renegade warriors by 1848. His leadership was marked by violence, including a significant raid in 1849 that resulted in the deaths of the Wahpekutes' leader and several others. Following personal tragedy with the loss of his brother to a white liquor dealer, Inkpaduta became increasingly hostile towards settlers, culminating in the Spirit Lake Uprising of 1856-1857, where his forces killed numerous colonists and kidnapped women.
Inkpaduta's conflicts were not limited to settlers; he also faced opposition from other Native American groups, notably engaging in skirmishes with the Mdewakanton Sioux. His involvement in the larger context of the Sioux Uprising of 1862-1863 is noted, although his role appears to have been minor. Later, reports suggest that he allied with Sioux and Cheyenne forces during the Battle of the Little Bighorn, eventually seeking refuge in Canada after the conflict. Historical accounts suggest that Inkpaduta's life came to an end sometime between 1878 and 1882. His story reflects the complexities and tumultuous interactions between Native American tribes and European settlers during this pivotal era in American history.
Subject Terms
Inkpaduta
- Born: c. 1815
- Birthplace: South Dakota
- Died: c. 1878
- Place of death: Manitoba, Canada
Tribal affiliation: Wahpekute Sioux
Significance: Inkpaduta was the Sioux leader of a bloody outbreak in Iowa in 1856-1857, during a time of increasing settlement by whites
Inkpaduta (Sioux for “scarlet point”) was among the Wahpekute Santee Sioux cast out about 1828 after his father, Wamdesapa, killed principal chief Tasagi. Inkpaduta became the leader of the renegades in 1848, after his father’s death. In 1849, he led a raid on the Wahpekutes’ principal village, killing their leader Wamundeyakapi and seventeen others.
After his brother was murdered by a white liquor dealer, Inkpaduta turned his rage on settlers; during the Spirit Lake (Iowa) Uprising of 1856 and 1857, warriors under Inkpaduta’s leadership killed forty-seven colonists and kidnapped four women, only one of whom was later released. Inkpaduta also engaged in skirmishes with other Indians, notably with the Mdewakanton Sioux Little Crow, who killed three of his warriors in a battle at Lake Thompson.
Inkpaduta may have played a minor role in the Sioux Uprising of 1862-1863 in Minnesota, after which reports indicate that he and a few supporters moved westward. Inkpaduta was reported to have allied with the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, after which he fled to Canada with Sitting Bull’s people. Various accounts place his death between 1878 and 1882.