Signs and Stories of Wind River

Sponsored by Wyoming Humanities

• Location: Wyoming
• Travel Type: Driving
• Tour Duration: 1 hour
• Language:

Before Europeans arrived in North America, hundreds of different cultures and tribes inhabited the continent. Each had its own political organization, belief system, and language. When speakers of one language met those of another, whether in trade, councils, or conflict, they communicated using signs, in what became known as “hand talk,” or Plains Indian Sign Language. As the number of elders fluent in this centuries-old language declines, it is in danger of disappearing.

This unique multimedia tour helps to preserve Plains Indian Sign Language, while also sharing the history of the Indigenous peoples who created it. Each story site features a video of Willie LeClair, a renowned Eastern Shoshone elder and U.S. Navy veteran, telling a story about that place in authentic hand talk. LeClair, who passed away in 2023, was one of the last remaining elders fluent in hand talk. He spent countless hours over the course of nearly five years recording these videos in an effort to preserve this endangered language. This tour is dedicated to him.

About This Tour
This tour is primarily designed to be used on your phone or computer when you have access to good cell service or Wi-Fi. But you can also take it on location in and around the Wind River Indian Reservation of Wyoming. The audio will launch automatically as you approach the story locations marked on the tour map.

Each place-based story on this tour includes an audio introduction, images of the site, and a link to a video of LeClair using sign language to talk about the site. He tells stories about:
●     The “Sheep Eaters” of mountainous northwest Wyoming and how they hunted to sustain their people
●     Chief Washakie, legendary Eastern Shoshone leader and hero of the Battle of Crowheart Butte
●     Sacajawea, the famous guide who helped lead the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean
●     The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahos’ long, hard battle to retain territory and sovereignty throughout treaty negotiations with the young United States government
●     Influences of Christian religions, such as the Mormon and Episcopal churches, on the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho peoples
●     The impact of the Gold Rush on Plains Indian tribes
●     Historical efforts to build schools on the Wind River Indian Reservation
●     The major role Native Americans have played in the history of the United States Military
 
Tour Highlights Include:
●     Jackson Hole Historical Society & Museum
●     Sacajawea Cemetery
●     Crowheart Butte
●     Washakie Cemetery
●     Fort Bridger
●     The Path of Honor – Wind River Veteran’s Memorial
●     And much more!
 
Tour Sponsor
This tour was created by Wyoming Humanities in partnership with Wyoming PBS.

Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours in this region of Wyoming, check out our Wind River Indian Reservation, Lander Trails, Lander Downtown, and Roads Through Wyoming: US–287 tours. To find more tours in Wyoming, or wherever your travels take you, visit TravelStorys.com. (You can listen to most TravelStorys tours both on-site and remotely!) Every place has a story.