A Western Pocahontas: Myth, Reality, and Memorialization for Spotted Tail's Daughter, Mni-Akuwin.

This article focuses on the story and memorialization of Mni-Akuwin (Brings Water Woman), the seventeen- or eighteen-year-old daughter of Sicangu (Brulé) Lakota chief Spotted Tail, who died in 1866 and was buried at Fort Laramie with a unique scaffold burial combining Lakota, Christian, and military rites. Her story has been retold as a tragic romance and symbol of Native-White reconciliation, often paralleling the mythologized narrative of Pocahontas, reflecting broader themes of Indian princess mythology that have served to justify settler colonialism and obscure Native agency. The article also examines the discovery and contested provenance of an ankle bone believed to be hers, its repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and the 2005 dedication of a memorial at Fort Laramie that honors her memory while acknowledging uncertainties about the exact burial site and remains. The narrative highlights the complexities and challenges in separating historical fact from myth in Native American histories shaped by settler perspectives.