The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-08-17
Sioux Indian Life and Habits.


and manners of the Sioux Indians.
Mr.. Keller was the Government clerk
at the Standing Rock Agency for many
wears, and was brought into intimate
association with this tribe of savages.
He learned their language, often at
tending their games and going with
them ON their excursions. He says:
When child is born, the proud
mother is presented by iner husband
with mare POM for his heir: the
fatted dog is klIIed, coffee boiled, bangs
cooked, 2nd the birth-feast prepared.
The nappy father invites all his many
relatives and friends. The tom-tom,
with the medicine-rattle, makes the
music; the guests chant a lively melo.
dy and dance until the feast is served;
the pipe is passed around, and, when
all are helped, the father proposes a
toast to his wife. Each guest, in
turn, congratulates the parents, and
then, altogether, say: eve are
all friends" and drink the health of
the little stranger. After the feasting
the dance is renewed, and at intervals
the warriors will count their coups,
the number of horses stolen, etc., and
present their gift to the parents for
their child. Anything from dog to
a horse will satisfy the purpose. The
medicine man winds up the feast by
shaking the rattle, demoniac yells,
contortions of his body and shooting
off his gun to drive the evil spirits
away, receives pony in fee for his
services, and all then retire. The in
itial services are over, and the papoose
starts in life debtor to his tribe, as
each article, animal or other gifts pre-
scented him must be returned in kind
sooner or later in his life. So you will
perceive that Indian gifts are actually
time loans, and must be paid by the
receiver, or he be considered bank
rupt and dishonored man. If a white
man receives gift he is charged heavy
interest, and, after being initiated,
never accepts second time.
The child is wrapped ia skins and
put in kind of elk skin coffin, and
laced around with a lariat, as they
say, to keep his limbs straight. His
mother Sings him on her back, starts
to the timber after wood, pickets her
ponies, gets her meals, and attends to
all her duties.
Papoose, after being weaned, is
promoted from his coffin cage, and
decked out in blue cloth shirt, orna-
mented with elk teeth and Iroquois
shells. 1t reaches to his hips and has
no sleeves. Attired thus, his ward
robe is complete.
His. next advance is to (Oxchilla)
boyhood, about the age of four. The
blue shirt is discarded, he receives a
strap and narrow piece of cloth to
make a breech-clout, his scalp lock is
plated, has bone sling and long reed
sticks, which are thrown like a spear
then he is dangerous. When his
mother goes for wood she put an old
mare i'll the travois, and straps Ok
chilla to the sucking colt. He has his
first equestrian experience. His little
big Indian heart beats as he thinks he
will soon be able to join the older bows
Ill their racing, shooting and mock
fights,
One of his ponies is rugged up with
ribbons, beaded saddle and silvered
bride. He is put astride, and his
pony led to the lodge of the medicine
man, who takes him from his pony.
placing him on a buffalo robe. puts a
block of wood behind his ear. and
with sharp knife cuts a slit in the
upper rim and bell part of each ear.
Some of these little boys nerve them
selves for the trial, and never murmur
during the operation. Bring in an
other horse, and the medicine mans
heart feels good. He will cry out and
sing the praises of the boy through
camp for month. The bigger the fee
the longer and louder the praises.
Oxchilla is now given a blanket and
moccasins to add to his breech-clout
also a knife to make his bows and ar
rows, and becomes bird-hunter. On
killing his first bird he is allowed to
wear little downy feather, and join
the boys in their games. Their wrest-
ling is on the G. r. style. They do
not trip, Slap nor bite, but before
clinching will jump up and kick at
each other backward, like horse.
The favorite sports with the bows
are playing dare, shooting at a mark.
throwing sticks at rolling ring on
the ground. The one first succeeding
in piercing it wins the stake. They
are inveterate sports and will wager
anything they can beg, borrow or steal.
A large party will go out to the
woods, each on his fastest pony, cover
themselves with branches and leaves.
and, armed with long switches, they
choose sides, make their bets and put
the stakes in one pile, take positions
on hill, and at a given signal make a
great charge and go through all the
maneuvers of regular battle.
The side counting the largest num-
Der of cracks on the other, or knock
ing off of ponies, counting as two,
wins the stakes. After the fight they
have horse-racing. All jockeying is
allowed, and the one getting the start
generally wins.
Oxchilla, being good horseman
now, is allowed to 60 with his father
in the hunt. If he succeeds in killing
a deer the downy feather is removed,
and little horn put in its place on the
scalp lock. He assists in the herd,
bringing the ponies to water, and find
ing good grazing for them. His next
ambition is to kill a buffalo. On sue
ceeding he changes the horn for small
tail, feels some pumpkins, and crows
over the other boys.
On acquiring each of the different
marks of distinction I have described,
being the occasion of great joy to Ok
chilla, he is required to give something
away, said gift being a payment of
some article he received at his birth