The question is
Why do children sleep in the Sand Creek bed?
The story
There is a deafening sound of horses hooting menacingly approaching the settlement, waking up the old men, women and children from their sleep. The wise chief elder sends a delegation to find out what is happening, resulting in the snow trees blooming with red stars, and another red star for the six-year-old girl sent with a white flag.
The village chief Mokatȟavataȟ not having men who had gone hunting for buffalo, decided to erect a pole and place on top of it the American flag received as a gift for the agreements on the management of the territories. He ordered everyone to gather under that flag, symbol of peace.
It is November 29, 1864, the Battle of Sand Creek.
The poetry
From a child’s story, we can see through his eyes what happened1. Translated text in English, the original text in Italian, click here.
They took our hearts under a dark blanket
under a small dead moon we slept without fear2
he was a twenty year old general, with blue eyes and the same jacket
he was a twenty-year-old general, son of a storm3
there’s a silver dollar at the bottom of Sand Creek4
Our warriors too far on the buffalo trail
and that distant music grew louder and louder
I closed my eyes three times, I found myself there again
I asked my grandfather: Is it just a dream?, my grandfather said Yes5
Sometimes the fish sing in the Sand Creek bed
I dreamed so hard that my nose bled
lightning in one ear, heaven in the other6
the smallest tears, the biggest tears
when the snow tree will bloom with red stars
now the kids sleep in the Sand Creek bed
When the sun raised its head over the shoulders of the night
there were only dogs and smoke and upside down curtains
I shot an arrow at the sky to make it breathe
I shot an arrow into the wind to make it bleed
Look for the third arrow at the bottom of Sand Creek7
They took our hearts under a dark blanket
under a small dead moon we slept without fear
he was a twenty year old general, with blue eyes and the same jacket
he was a twenty year old general, son of a storm
now the kids sleep in the Sand Creek bed
Fabrizio De André - Sand Creek river (Live) , for more details Massacre of the Sand Creek .
April 27, 2007
On April 27, 2007, the site of the massacre was proclaimed a United States national historic site as Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, under the protection of the National Park Service. Mary A. Bomar stated, “The history of this great nation is not complete without an understanding and respect for the tragedies that affect our national conscience.” She added that it is hoped that by visiting this important national park site, people will learn and remember the victims of the Northern and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho of Sand Creek.
The memorial plaque 8.
In 1981 the song Sand Creek River was released, written by Fabrizio De André together with Massimo Bubbola. The song recalls the Sand Creek massacre, which occurred during the famous Indian wars. ↩︎
In the village people slept peacefully, without fear, since peace agreements had been made, serenity reigned. ↩︎
The attack was led by 700 state militia soldiers, under the command of Colonel John Chivington , who was 43 years old at the time; therefore, it is likely that the twenty-year-old general was referring to George Armstrong Custer, a U.S. Army officer and commander of the 7th Cavalry Regiment. On November 27, 1868, Custer led a massacre similar to the one at Sand Creek, known as the Washita Massacre, during which he attacked a Cheyenne encampment. ↩︎
The economic interests and greed of the whites in the conquest of the West were clearly evident, especially with the explosion of the Colorado Gold Rush, which began in those years. This fervor for gold not only attracted thousands of prospectors, but also contributed to intensifying tensions with the local populations, leading to conflicts and an increasing appropriation of lands. ↩︎
This dynamic highlights a deep bond between the two generations, in which the grandfather’s wisdom and experience offer comfort and security to the young man, even in the darkest moments. ↩︎
The child believes he dreamed so intensely that his nose bleeds. The story, despite its delicacy, does not describe the blood of his companions but, transforms into snow trees blooming with red stars. This poetic metamorphosis reflects the child’s ability to transform pain into beauty, creating a contrast between tragic reality and his innocent vision. ↩︎
When the light comes, and the soldiers disappear, the child can see the destruction of his house: only dogs, smoke and overturned curtains. Nothing more, now. But the first thing he thinks of is the Sun: he tries to dissolve the clouds and the smoke to allow the light to penetrate and save his family. He shoots an arrow. He shoots a second one into the wind: the Sun must bleed, must be punished. Why? Why did the Sun allow all this? Why didn’t it stop those soldiers? But they are only arrows: they can do nothing. The third arrow, the soul of those Indians, is now at the bottom of the river. ↩︎
Image Sand creek 1985.jpg licenza CC BY-SA 3.0. ↩︎