Wapasha I

Who was Wapasha I?

Wapasha was the name of a Mdewakanton Dakota chief.

Wapasha was born in present-day Minnesota in 1718. During his youth he befriended the agents of King Louis XV of France and was a long-time friend to the French against the British. Wapasha and his followers were allies of the French, and aided them in their conflicts with the British. After the British defeated the French, they were both suspicious and fearful of the their Sioux allies. As a result, there were no English trappers and traders among the Sioux. They had become more accustomed to hunting with rifles than bows and arrows. Fur trading with French trappers brought provisions and ammunition and the Dakota found it difficult to survive without this commerce.

Several incidents that took place during the French and Indian War made English trappers apprehensive about returning to the Mississippi River valley. One such incident took place in 1761. A Dakota named Ixkatapay had shot an English trader called Pagonta by the Sioux. The two had quarreled earlier, and Pagonta was reportedly killed while sitting in his cabin smoking. Ixkatapay was turned over to the British for the killing.