Oyekanpeska

[travellingwoman]

Does this name translate to Shell Track?

[hermin1]

it depends on whether it is dakota or lakota or nakota.

[Vicky]

I will be interested to learn this translation also.

Oye= track. That one's easy.
kampeska/ kanpeska is a mystery to me. In the Riggs dictionary, kanpeska (with an "n") is a round, white medal, slightly curved, worn around the neck, china ware, or a tree fungus. Kampeska (with an "m") in Rigg's dictionary means "china ware" in the Titonwan dialect.
On the Sisseton work list of 1877 "kampeska" is translated as "tree fungus".
Shell= ha

I hope someone can clear this up for us! Louie! Big Jon, someone....We need you! :-)

[BIG JON]

You are correct!
Kampeska is White saucer or White Shell. I think just Shell also.
Oye is Track. It would also have been used as a word for tree fungus, which looks like a saucer, as these words are descriptive terms. Tree fungus look like saucers.

Hupa is an elbow. Hu is a bone. Pa describes what part of the bone (the end or top). Hupahu is an arm. (bone-end-bone)

Inkpa is hill. Hunkpati is 'our Brothers at the end of the horns'

Oye Kampeska is Shell Track. Lakota used the sounds. In English we use the words and letters. An 'm' can be equal to an 'n' (not as a rule, but an exception)

Ha is an outer covering. Ha can be a shell. It can also be hair. It may be used with hin meaning 'with hair on'.

Hinhan (say 'heen-hong') is a word we use to say owl. I believe it is a descriptive term to describe the furry appearance of owls in winter. (correct me if I am mistaken)

I have an ancestor named Makahahin (Maka=dirt--Ma'ka with an accent on the first syllable is skunk.) hahin(say ha-heeng) means skin/hide with the fur on. This translates Makahahin as Skunk Hide or Makanshina (his other name) which is Skunk Robe. He was a Lower Yanktonnai. They tried to call him Makahain.

[Vicky]

Bless your heart, Big Jon. I just heard back from Louie and he writes- kampeska is a mussell SHELL.
You guys sure are smarter than that Riggs dude! :-)

[heartofabear]

Happy New Year to everyone! I just came across this post and could not help but notice the similarity to a name I have been looking for on my GGG-Grandmother's probate. Her name was Emily LeClair. On her probate as father was Canpeska and as mother was Kakakewin. Her sister was Yaruzewin. I was wondering if someone could help me with these translations. I was told that Canpeska was Ponca and the others Santee. We are looking for LeClairs, Rouse's, and Primeau lines starting mainly in the Niabrara and Yankton area. Thank you for any assistance you may be able to give.