Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-09-02
Cfyilizing the Red Men.
AN EPISCOPAL MINISTER ON INDIAN
GUAGES AND CUSTOMS.

ceived by the Rev. Alfred Holmead, of this
city, from the Rev. ]. Owen Dorsey, who Is
now at the Omaha Indian agency, Nebraska,
guaees Of these and neighboring Indians
I'VE left the Omaha agency July 81 and
reached Winnebago agency in two hours.
q strange tongue. The Dakotas, Ponkas and
OmahaS call them Big Voices Nearly all
the men wear citizens clothing and many of
Howard White. was 'es. very kind had Nc not e been
there two hours when he came to see me,
bringing his Interpreter, whom he instructed
to gain nearly eleven hundred words and
phrases in four days, being indebted for many
Of them to two Winnebagoes. the one, Joseph
The other Frank La Meq, half-Sreed.
for them Fifty Of these have brick easements
the upper p. stories being frame; The Indians
few are Inhabited. Instead, the upper stories
are used as granaries. and the easements have
been converted into stables, while the family
house. The other houses are either frame or
brick. Those of brick are two stories high.
with covered porch in front. These, be-
lieve, are the favorites. The Winnebago tents
grass, &C: They differ in shape from those
used by Omahas, POnkas and Dakotas. The
former are low and generally oblong; the lat,
there are over 1850 Winnebagoes, while the
Omahas are scarcely 1000. The Winnebagoes
are celebrated for their knowledge of horse
and on Sundays ~ white men frequently en-
gage in horse races with them. regret to say
that the tribe is not celebrated for honesty.
they viii now and then steal ponies from
each other. Very often they take them
from the Omahas, run them over into
Dakota or Iowa, and sell them to white men,
and there is no way of reaching the offenders.
The police receive but S. per month, and they
cannot afford to leave the reservation and
pursue the thieves. Nor can the agent lend
economy, and applications for a special fund
for such cases have been refused. The Omaha
agent is in a similar situation. He knows of
Omaha ponies stolen, and cannot lift hand
to aid his people. This is very hard. True,
there is the Jail! But it is no punishment to be
confined in such a building; for there are
generally several prisoners together. and their
friends come to the window, or barred door,
bringing food, changes of clothing, &C., and
at night the air reSOundS with singing and the
notes OF the Winnebago flute notes resembling
horn that has become such nuisance. In
converSing with some persons who have been
several years with the tribe have heard them
express strong desire for regular Sunday
services. Such services they maintain would
be attended. The Indians again and again
the whites in this respect. Could these ser
ants are sure that good effect would soon be
perceived. One reason why horse stealing is
50 prevalent is plain; The older men have
boast OF their exploits so many ponies stolen,
&C., without their being caught in the act. OF
course the young men wish to do so as we'll as
their elders; so by the next dance they try to
part in the dance, and acquire reputation in
the tribe. While all the men are not guilty of
s be 10 Sns be to
feel very much interested in this tribe and
wish that the way were open for such services
as are desired: This agency is under the su
perylslon OF the Friends, who have contrib
uted literally towards the maintenance of
the Industrial school, furnishing the clothing
for the scholars, &c. The industrial school is
ing basement One wing is for boys, the
other for girls These children are of course
boarded at the school, which has accommo-
can play upon the organ and sing in English.
They are taught the usual branches and re-
ce1Ve their first lessons in farming. sewing,
reservation. While all the schools are in ses.
sion it is an easy matter to have Sunday
school; but during vacation the children are
ashamed to come, as their good clothing is not
in the industrial school building until the re-
The farmer. MIR. E. C. Stanton, has been sew
tifies that they are sharp at bargain, and
are prone to horse stealing, he himself has
SuHefed no iOSS although his barn is fire.
quently open at night.
The evening of our arrival we noticed sew
eral young WinnebagOes playing crOquet with
the son and daughter of Mr.. Stanton. Such
games Should be encouraged, having ten
dency to withdraw the rising generation from
the love OF their old heathenish games. In
dianS, too, are very fond of music, and if you
refuse to teach them hymns they will cling to
their old songs. At the Winnebago schools
singing is yet 'fn order" During vacation
this year the organ was taken up to the house
OF the agent.
As soon as cool weather comes may pay
another visit to the Winnebagoes, as am
anxious to obtain further information con-
cern1ng their strange language. and customs
Many WinnebagO nouns differ from the CORE
spending words in Omaha, POnca and Dakota
only in the final syllable Una, la, ra, ma or ga)
Omahas and POnkaS lay a stress, as rule. on
every other syllable. The WinnebagOes do
not; hence their language is more difficult.
From what have seen of the Omahas l can
safely assert that the peace policy has not
been failure, and / earnestly wish that
subcommittee might be appointed by the
Congressional committee of conference to
visit the OmahaS before they decide to trans
fer the Indians to the War department.. Many
persons have been coming to Sae for them.
selves. Yesterday Misses SuSette and RoSalie
La Fleche (Omahas) called on u.s. and while
here remarked that nineteen ladies and gen.
tlemen had been to see them that day A
vermont gentleman spent part OF a day here
and said that he was more than repaid for his
trip from the east. He was no longer incred.
ulous as to the possibility Of Indians becoming
civilized"