Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-08-23
AN INDIAN FOURTH"
HOW 1t Was Celebrated at the DEVILS
Lake FEissfon.

Lake Nissfon.
The Devils Lake Dakota) Pioneer
Press thus describes the celebration of
independence day at the mission there:
Over one thousand Indians gathered
into camp one-half mile northwest
OF the Indian agency to celebrate the
fourth. On July they began pitch
ing their tspees or tents in the form of
a square. Within this square their
sports and games are held. The wig
Wams were built of sticks crossed at
the top and covered with canvas. They
were Ornamented on the inside with
all kinds of headgear, shells, and
pipes, and other characteristic parap-
hernalla. The camp was arranged on
a plateau overlooked by the surround
ing hills. The Indians, in measure,
were the guests of the day as we'll as
actors, everything being supplied by
the agent and trader. The cooking was
done on the Sd.
In the center of the square a skin
was stretched on four ornamented up
right sticks. Around this eight sturdy,
sOlemn-loOking bucks sat in full war
palntand gaudy trappings and chanted
a mOnOtOnOuS Incarnation, half howl
and half song. A certain measure and
tune was observed The exercises
opened with cattle display, the stock
being cattle and ponies accumulated
by their own thrift The exhibitors
stalked around with as much dignity
as an Iowa farmer at a county fair,
and the more impecunious looked at
them with the same reverence that a
wayside yOkel does at a prosperous
farmer in the east. In the evening the
games begun, the drums being the
signal. One hundred big Injuns, y
bedecked and besmeared into hideous
ugliness, appeared. They carried all
their old war trappings and trophies,
heirlOOms of their more barbaric days,
such as shells, beads, claws, skins,
tomahawks, knives, and bows and
arrows. They kept time with the drum
IN a wild dance, each one assuming
the most fantastic position and twist
ing himself into all kinds of fantastic
cOntortiOns. There was a certain har-
mony pervading their movements,
that the more attentive observer might
discover. One soldier could not resist
Cl1C CCL4pCoC1Oh W JUL Ill GIlS uct1CS,
and flung himself into it with an
earnestness and enthusiasm that aston
ished poor Lo" himself. The dancing
continued three hours, the drum beat
ing all the time. Dog meat was served
for refreshments The dog was killed,
and from the way in which the dancers
gesticulated and grimaced when they
approached him, there must have been
some peculiar significance attached to
his post mOrtem. A sham battle was
also held, in which a hundred bucks
charged, retreated, and performed
hundreds of complicated and exciting
maneuvers. There were foot-races,
horse-races, and other athletic and
manly sports. The prizes were made
by donation, and ran from 81 to S..
One of the marked features of the
day was game of lacrosse, in which
a hundred Indians participated.
Among the old chiefs present were
Ecanajica, Wanata, Little Fish, Iron
Heart, Left Bear, Lipto, AK Handle,
| Oyetanka The Indians evidently EN-,
joyed it, and it was an occasion not
soon forgotten by the thousand pale
faces who witnessed it.