Truman Washington Dailey

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Truman Washington Dailey, also known as Mashi Manyi ("Soaring High") and Sunge Hka ("White Horse"), was the last native speaker of Otoe-Missouria (Baxoje-Jiwere-Nyut'chi), a Native American language. He was born on October 19, 1898 in the Oklahoma territory. He married his wife in 1928, and he served as "Road Man" (ceremonial leader) with her in the Native American Church. His father belonged to a traditionalist group within the tribe called "The Coyote band", and as a result, Dailey was well-versed in the traditional lore of his people. He taught the Otoe-Missouria language in tribal classes during the 1970's, and served as a language consultant for the University of Missouri in order to record Otoe-Missouria for posterity. The university awarded him an honorary doctor's degree in 1993. He died on December 16, 1996.