The Capture of Almighty Voice

[Dave McGowan]

I've just finished writing a novel I call "Cattle Business" and sent it off to the editor.

As with most of my stories I have an Author's Note at the end which includes some historical information. One of those notes concerns the capture of Almighty Voice and I've posted it on my blog.

Almighty Voice, a Swampy Cree mentioned in the story “Cattle Business” was born in Duck Lake, District of Saskatchewan, North West Territories in 1875. In the autumn of 1895 he married a young woman from a neighbouring reserve. During the preparations for that event he discovered a cow wandering on the prairie which he butchered to feed his guests.

          Ownership of the cow is a question that can not be answered at the date of this writing. It has been said that it was loaned to the reserve for breeding purposes and was the property ...

The rest of it can be seen at www.dmmcgowan.blogspot.com

[Margaret-Anne Moore]

The story of Almighty Voice also shows that stupidity is also not limited to any particular ethnic or racial group!

[Neil Waring]

What a story, too many times something small can become really big. Way too much time, energy and lives spent over ownership of a cow.

[Margaret-Anne Moore]

I believe the Sioux Wars were basically started because of the so-called stolen Mormon cow, which I understand was a sick cow that had been turned out by its owner and then reported as having been stolen by Indians.  I believe this led to the so-called Grattan Massacre in which an officer named Grattan an all of his command were killed by Indians after they had foolishly taken a howitzer or cannon to an Indian camps and killed a chief and several of his tribesmen.

[Neil Waring]

Grattan was overzealous, just posted in the west wanting to make a name for himself. A very foolish and costly mistake

[Margaret-Anne Moore]

He made a name for himself, all right!

[Dave McGowan]

As with many of these stories it often isn't about what can be easily seen. In the case of this cow (or these cows, as it happens) it isn't about the cow but about who is "in charge." Yes, the Cree were not about to tell the Mounties anything about their "cousin" but that doesn't mean they intended to mount a rebellion just because some young fool thought he could do whatever he wanted.

However, "We have to show these people who is in charge. Can't have this sort of thing, don't you know." And, of course, anytime there is no real purpose for something it's expensive.

[Russell R Hanks]

A film version of this story is available on DVD starring Donald Sutherland and Chief Dan George with Gordon Tootoosis as Mighty Wind . Its called Dan Candys Law, filmed in Duck Creek with the towns people as extras.