Young Man Afraid of His Horse, 1836-1893

The name MAN AFRAID OF HIS HORSES is the inaccurate translation of the Teton phrase "Tasunka Kokipapi," which means, “the man of whose horse we are afraid.” It also has been translated to "They Fear Even His Horse." This name was given to Young Man's father, Old Man, and passed down to him. The name implied that the man was so fierce in battle that just the sight of his horse brought fear to others.

Old Man Afraid of His Horses was the head chief of the Oglala in 1854 and the leader of the Hunkpatila band. After Red Cloud took the Head Chief’s position, Old Man was called PAYABA, “Pushed Aside.” He refused to sign the 1865 treaty but knew the power of the white men and wanted peace if it could be obtained on terms favorable to the Indians. It was Old Man’s peaceful inclination that led the Oglalas to flock to Red Cloud who led them in war against the whites. Old Man signed the 1869 treaty but joined in the opposition to the sale of the Black Hills.

Young Man Afraid of His Horses became an active leader of the Oglala even while his father was still alive. Young Man was considered a progressive who opposed the traditional way of life and aided Agent McGillycuddy in attempting to dispose of Red Cloud’s power. However, Young Man sided with the older chiefs and refused to sign the Treaty of 1889 that would break up the Great Sioux Reservation. During the height of the Ghost Dance craze Young Man left Pine Ridge on an extended hunt in Wyoming because he wanted no part of the dangerous situation.

Young Man returned after the Wounded Knee disaster and immediately began to work for a peaceful settlement of the whole affair. He advised the Oglala not to avenge the deaths at Wounded Knee, for if they did, the soldiers would kill them all. He visited Ghost Dance camps and encouraged the people to surrender to General Miles and assured them that they would be kindly treated if they gave themselves up.

After the peace in 1868, Young Man Afraid of His Horse lived at the Oglala Agency in Pine Ridge. Here, he served as president of the Pine Ridge Indian Council. As president, he made several trips to Washington to help negotiate peace and better treatment of the Sioux. He died at the age of 70 and was buried at Makansan Presbyterian Cemetery, near Oglala, South Dakota.

Young Man Afraid of His Horse was one of the few Teton whose spirit was not broken by the disaster at Wounded Knee. Both he and his father had long known that the white men were fickle in keeping their word, but they also knew that the Sioux could never again become powerful enough to drive them away. This was the only way that Young Man could see would provide peace and survival for the Indians.