... Sundown's life spanned
one of the most turbulent eras of Pacific Northwest History in the
struggle between the white man and the red man. His father was a member
of Chief Tu Eka's band in eastern Oregon. This was Old Joseph
whose son was Young Joseph of 1877 fame. Five bands of his people
of the Nez Perce nation left Ft. Fizzle in Idaho, after having a verbal
treaty with white settlers. They took the Lolo Pass into Montana.
There were two incidents on the way, but Chief Looking Glass reprimanded
the men and the problem corrected. They traded with merchants for
what they needed in Stevensville, and continued at a comfortable pace.
They had no worries.
General O. O. Howard and
his Army launched a surprise attack and set fire to his peoples villages
early in the morning at Big Hole. He had the help of some of the
white settlers to attack with them promising them horses and spoils of
the camp as payment. These were some of the same who verbally
promised a treaty with the Nez Perce so they could go peacefully.
This was known as the Battle of Big Hole. The boys escaped from
the surprised sleeping village on August 9, 1877, they hid under Buffalo
robes until they could make their escape. At this time Jackson was
11, and he carried with him the memories of Buffalo Hunts and superb
horsemanship, besides this unspeakable act at what was Battle OF the Big
Hole.
The tribe fled onward
north to Canada to join up with Chief Sitting Bull. On September 30, at
Bear Paw, Army troops attached the suffering people. He escaped by
hanging onto the saddle and side of his horse, so the solders thought it
was a rider less horse. Slightly wounded, with no blankets and no
food, he rode north and eventually reached the safely of Sitting Bulls
Camp across the boarder. He remained the Canada for about two
years. About 1900, he moved to Culdesac and took a land allotment,
built a cabin and married a Nez Perce widow with two sons. At the
Culdesac Roundup, top riders refused to sign a contract to compete with
Sundown and said they stood no chance, he was better then they were.
So he was hired for $50.00/day to give special demonstration rides
during that three day event. The crowds had never seen such
horsemanship.
He rode in the Pendleton
Roundup in 1915 and place third and was going to retire from rough
riding. But in 1916, he signed up again for just on more time.
he competed for the grand champion finals with two other cowpokes,
Roufus Rollen, and Bob Hall but his ride on Angel drew roars of approval
from the crowd.
The instant the blindfold
was pulled from Angel, the outlaw whirled twice and made a bone-jarring,
jackknife leap. "Sundown held fast as the huge bay thundered to
the ground from leap after leap," witnesses to the event described it
"It seemed Angel bent almost in two, vainly trying to unseat her rider."
As the superb riding exhibition continued, the capacity crowd rose to
its feed yelling, "Sundown ....Sundown ....ride-'em Sundown !"
Jackson Sundown rode until the shot signaling the end of the ride. A man
twice the age of his competition had just become the crowning the first
Native American Champion of the World at fifty years old. He was
told before the ride he could use swell-forks, but he insisted on using
his old range saddle. On the special prize saddle that was awarded
him, they asked what he wanted on the silver plate. He said his wife's
name.
After Jackson Sundown won
the World Championship at the Pendleton Roundup, he rode once more in a
special exhibition performance held in Lewiston, Idaho, in 1917.
This was for Idaho's Governor Alexander. This was a proud day for
Jackson Sundown. A sculpture of him riding Angel was done by
Phimister Proctor, in 1916 and was exhibited several times in Europe now
is on prominent display in the RCA building in Radio City, New York.
After the Lewiston performance he stopped doing contest riding. He
died of pneumonia in 1923 and was buried at Mission Creek in Lapwai
Valley, Idaho.
An a parting note, Sam
Slickpoo, Nez Perce living in Lapwai, Idaho, recalls, "A veterinarian at
Culdesac owned a wild horse that had thrown everyone who tried to ride
him. It was said that the man who could stay on that sunfishing
outlaw would win one day the Pendleton Roundup. Sundown subdued
that animal with ease."
I did this piece on
Jackson Sundown to honor his family and the Nez Perce, and the Native
American people of the area who have participated in the Pendleton
Roundup through the years. Also my family that lived in the Baker
and my great great grandfather Albert H. Brown, first Territorial
Treasurer of Oregon Territory and later on Senator ( and I must add half
Creek Native American, the other half English ).
I am hoping that when the
Native American Cowboys and Cowgirls come to compete, and they come to
the new Cowboy Hall of Fame and see this painting, it inspires them that
this man accomplished for his people this achievement and it can happen
for them too.
Now installed in Pendleton Roundup & Happy Canyon
Hall of Fame in Pendleton, Oregon 2005
