Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-09-24
The Omaha Dance.


Yesterday the commissioners had an
opportunity Of witnessing an Indian
dance. The Omaha dance is social fes.
tival, and none but good Indians and
braves are authorized TO take part in it.
The occasion afforded an excellent illus.
tration of the curious customs and bar
barrie splehdor of the race. Face, chief OF
one Of the bands of the Sioux, was master
of the dance. The commissioners occu-
pied seats under a canvas shade erected
within the agency inclosure. At the ap.
pointed hour the shouts of the squaws
and soldiers announced the approach Of
the procession. The gates of the court.
yard were thrown open, and in the In
dians rushed, some on foot and some on
horseback, the air resounding with their
shouts. The squaws took up positions on
three sides of the inclosure, while the
braves, who constituted the musicians and
the dancers, dashed into the center. The
drum was placed upon the ground, the
musicians gathered round II and began to
beat 1t with their sticks, while the dancers,
dressed in all sorts of fantastic costumes,
formed an outside circle in which thew
stamped and yelled. Red Cloud advanced
and took seat beside the commissioners
under the shade Sitting Bull, riding on
a horse, was arrayed in all his native
grandeur. His body, bare to the waist,
was painted thick with yellow ocher. He
wore green pantaloons covered with brass
bells, and on his feet blue-beaded mocca-
sins. His war-bonnet, extending from his
head down his back almost 10 the ground,
was mass of eagle-feathers crowned with
deer-horns, interspersed with other
ornaments. His face was painted
with vermilion, and in his hand
he carried a small edition of the stars
and stripes. His horse was covered with
yellow marks, which served TO show the
number of ponies he had stolen and the
number of men he had killed in battle,
while a string of sleigh-bells jingled with
the prancing of his horse around the cir.
Gle Sitting Bull is an excellent Indian
and favorite with the President The
Man Who Strikes First who is a brother
to Sword, rode horse whose back and
flanks were daubed with red. He wore
blue pantaloons and dirty white shirt on
the outside. His face was painted red and
yellow, he wore splendid bonnet of eagle
feathers and carried a lance in his hand.
Tall Wild Cat was mounted and dressed
in similar style and carried his gun on
the pommel of his saddle. The older
chiefs and head men of the different bands
of Sioux sat on the ground in a separate
circle. The dancers illustrated the idea
of perpetual motion to the evident interest
of all concerned. Kicker's face was paint
ed green and red, ghastly combination;
and he swung his tomahawk in one hand
and fan of eagle feathers in the other;
he wore band of fur around his brow
and bunch of eagle feathers on his head.
Cuts had his body painted in yellow with
four bands painted in black, one on each
arm and two on his breast. His face was
also painted yellow with black spot on
either check. He wore a parti-colored
scarf around his waist, scarlet pantaloons
striped with blue, and carried broad
sword in his hand. Long Dog was dis
tinguished by his string of sleigh bells;
his hair was painted green. and as he
danced around he flourished revolver in
the air. Charging Wolf, in blue pautaloons
and cotton shirt, wore round his head
fancy sash with eagle feathers and carried
his tomahawk in his hand. Fire Crow
had similar headgear. brown cotton
shirt, scarlet pantaloons and broad bands
of fur around his arms. Wolf Roads
body was painted yellow, like that of Cuts,
and was loaded down with bells. Young
Crow had some idea of harmony Of
colors when he appeared in green shirt
and purple pantal0ons he had eagle feath-
ers round his body, long fox tail was
suspended from his cap, his face was
painted yellow, and his general appear
ance suggested fantastic " Heathen Chi
nee" rather than Sioux. Partisan Bear
was nearly naked; one-half his breast was
painted red, the other half and his legs
were painted brown. and he wore behind
a massive bunch of feathers formed like a
panier. The other soldiers who partici-
pated in the dance were attired in every
imaginable variety of costumes, with paint
and bells and feathers and earrings and
ornaments of shells In great profusion.
During pause In the progress OF the
dance Sitting Bull entered the circle
first on horse and then on foot-and re-
counted his deeds of valor. When the
dance was ended some presents were dis
tributed, and the father of American
Horse, who is the herald of the tribe,
harangued the chiefs, telling them to get
ready for the council.-Red Cloud Agency
EOr NJ Y H,r0Ld