Petalesharro - Pawnee

Petalesharro ("Man Chief") 1797-1874

"Petalesharro" (sometimes written with only one R) seems to have functioned as a title as well as a personal name during the early eignteenth century among the Pawnee. Several outstanding warriros used the name, and it is sometimes difficult to attribute biographical details to one individual.

The best-known person to claim the title not only distinguished himself as a warrior but also as a humanitarian. He aggressively curtailed the Pawnee use of human sacrifice in certain rituals. Until his time, the Pawnees had raided other tribes for girls of about thirteen years of age, who would be treated well until their sacrifice in the Morning Star Ceremony, which had some parallels to Aztec rites. During one such ceremony, which occured in the late 1820's, Petalesharro is said to have protested by rescuing a young woman from the sacrifice. Petalesharro cut the bonds that held the woman to a sacrificial cross, carried her to a horse to escape, then fed and protected the woman before sending her home. During the fall and winter of 1821, Petalesharro toured the urban areas of the Norteast including Washington D.C., where he spoke at the conference attended by president James Monroe and secretary of war John Calhoun. He also attended a New Year's reception at the White House.
Much more details can be found in the book: Hyde, George E. The Pawnee Indians. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press 1974.

Source: The Encyclopedia of Native American Biography, by Bruce E. Johansen and Donald A. Grinde, page 289.