Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-12-02

mum for services as interpreter, bu
gets no part OF the annuity.
| In addition to the above principa
men OF authority, there are some iiy
or SIX others who take seats in tn
council whenever any business OF mo
merit IS TO be transacted. On sucl
occasions, all the other adult male mem
bers OF the tribe are allowed a vote
but take no further part in the coun
Gil The women and children keel
aloot from the business meetings.
All the Indians are passionately at
| tached to their home here, and woult
hardly sell an acre Of their land for any
price. They stilliee!some dread OF theil
ancient hereditary enemy, the Sioux
One old man of the tribe, who say
his age is Is years, tells many adven
lures OF his younger days. lie is still
able to walk around or ride his pony
| while his long gray hair, flowing dowr
over his shoulders, gives him indeed {
venerable appearance.
the Indians are very peaceable, and
never have any trouble with thcii
white neighbors, except to make some
complaint to the agent OF trespass or
| the part of one or two. But few ol
them are intempera,e, and the agen;
| is determined to abolish the sale ot
liquor to them. He has instituted pro
ceedings In the. United States Cour,
against parties guilty OF this offense
and the case is now pending. Lieut.
Garretty Is disposed to encourage the
establishment of a school among them
but they say-"Musquakie no like
school,
They do not depend. wholly upon
hunting and trapping tor their living,
but cultivate portion Of their land.
Much of the labor is done by the
sqaaws. Recently, however, the men
show more disposition to work ;han
formerly. Some of them assisted the
farmers in harvest, and earned consid-
cradle money. On their own land
they raise corn, beans, potatoes
and many other kinds of vegetables.
They have no stock, except ponies and
dogs. They patronize the butchers and
provision dealers in the neighboring
towns to considerable extent, and!
have established among them good
credit, rs they pay promptly on re-
cevlng Their annuity. During the
winter season most OF them go away
to trap and hunt, leaving 4 lew i.mi-
lies TO take care OF their 1arn and 9th
er property left hehil,d. In these ex-
peditious, however, they take most oi
their loose property with them, in
Guiding ponies, dogs, pots, kettles,
blankets, wick cups, guns and traps.
Their wick cups, or wlgwams, are
made OF several kinds OF MATERIAL
some OF bark. some OF course drilling
and some OF flags woven together in
a peculiar way, all stretched over a
framework OF poles. Many OF them
arc large enonyh to accommodate from
1our to twelve families. Taey build
their fires in the middle OF the wiek-e-
up, the smoke passing up through an
opening in the root lett tor that pur-
pose. In some instances Il chain is at
tachel TO the framework above, by
which the kettle tor cooking purposes
is suspendedoyer thefire. Boiled meats
and soups are tayofite dishes with
thcn. They have also a paryiality for
pan cakes and coffee, and it is noticed
that they have lately provided them
selves with q few cups and sauccrs,
plates and other kinds OF tableware.
They have kettles, ovens, pots and
pans for cooking purposes.
In the tall before starting away on
their winter hnnt, the squaws shell the
corn, which is then prepared ior use
on their return. Taey dig trenches
and pour the corn in, covering it with
brush wood, to which they set fire,
keeping up the heat until the corn is
steamed. It is then ,aNen
out and thoroughly dried in the sun
until il becomes hard, when it is stored
away with other articles Of value in
caves lined with bark and made i'm.
pcrvious to water, where 1t remains
until spring.
About their village the squaws usu-
ally dress in petticoat and sack, but
take their blankets when they
90 to the neighboring towns shop
ping, or visiting. On such occasions
they always ride their ponies, and take
their pappooses along, il they have
any. In this case littel "Lo' is usually
deposited in basket made for The
purpose, and strapped across the back
OF an extra pony, with a weight on the
other side to balance, reminding us of
the way OR forefathers used to go 10
mill. If there should happen to be
twins, as is some times the case, it is
easy to adjust them to the back of the
pony by placing a basket on either
side.
Several families usually live togeth-
er, and occupy the same wick-eup.
AS families, they maintain amicabIc
relations, and deny the practice ef
polygamy among them.
These Indians still maintain the an
cicnt superstitioas rites and ceremonies
of their racc-have their war and bnf-
falo dances, dog.tcasts, and believe ii
tHe Nfeae cpitlt. W iii theiii tiic Ddt-
falo Dance is favorite feast, but only
takes place once year The last took
place recently, and we give some ex-
PLANTATION OF the manner in which it is
conducted. The largest wicke-up Of
the village IS selected tor this dance
and its attendant ceremonies. The
preliminary performances are not open
to the squaws or visitors, but a peep
behind the curtain enables us to say
something of these sacred mysteries,
though we are profoundly ignorant
OF their meaning, or what religious
bearing they may have, Al the In
dians taking part in this are divcsted
OF every article of clothing except the
breech clout. Five OF them act as nlu