Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-10-27
THE SACRED TENT OF WAR.
The Gift OF an Indian Tribe to the Pea
body Museum.

The eighteenth and nineteenth annual
reports of the trustees of the Peabody
Museum of American Archaeology and
Ethnology to the president and fellows
of Harvard College, have just appeared
together in one handsome pamphlet.
Among the articles added to the collec.
tions in 1884 was contribution OF
great interest and value, secured by
Miss Alice w. Fletcher, us n result OF
her remarkable sclf-sacrlliclng ethnolo-
gical researches among the Omaha In
dams in Dakota. This is nothing less
than the contents of 1.-The Sacred Tent
of War" of the Omaha tribe, given by
the tribe us n proof of their earnestness
in adopting II new life, abandoning
their tribal system, and taking up lands
in scvcralty rs citizens, according to ar
engagements by the government. As
Prof. Putnam says, one must enter fully
into the inmost reccsses of Indian
thought and customs in order to appro-
cia,c the great importance of the trust
the museum has in its perpetual keep
ing, for it is comprised of objects which,
for generations, have been held sacred
among the Omahas.
Miss Fletcher thus characterlzes the
collection in letter, in which she gives
the pathetic speech of the chief in pre-
senting il:
The sacred tent of war was vital to
the autonomy of the tribe. Without it,
war and craftsmanship were impossible.
1t gave rank to the tribe among other
tribes, and caused the Omahas to be
feared rs enemies and consulted rs
friends. The present act of the keepers
of the sacred articles Is without q par,
alel. The putting away of these an
Gent signs aud symbols of Authority,
without any iconoclasm, but with the
sober appreciation that Il new era is
upon the people, wherein they have nc
part or place. marks the Omaha tribe as
possessed of men having extraordinary
degree of mind and character 10 oul
own race these relics may appear
strange trivial, or forbidding; they are
certainly objects unidealized to oul
thoughts, but they have a Significance
which tells of courage and sclf-dcvotlon
These noble traits lie at the base of thu
act that has gently laid these articles
among the historical remains of the In
dian race; race of the past, who's
only future lies in the possibilities o
American citizenship. To-day as Ma
hin-thin-gac came to put his sacrct
charge out of his keeping and into tina
of the museum, could not but wlsl
that his brave and unique act nigh
find its worthy place in history. In
low voice he said: These sacred arti
Giles have been in my family for man.
generations, no one knows how long
NV sons have chosen different patI
from that troddcn by their fathers.
, had thought to have these things burie'
with me, but if you will care for then
and place them where they wish t
think of the past and the way thei
fathers walked, you may do so. Shout
there come time when ! care to loo
! once more on that which has been wit
nv fathers ! would like to be permitte
to do so. know that the members G
l nv family are willing | should COMM
e these articles to your care; no other pei
sons have right to question my aclio
though there are men who will say mar
5 things of me because of this act.
at was late in the afternoon whe
we reached Ma-hin-thn-ga lodg'
: The sun had set. The old man W;
sitting alone outside his dwelling in tn
fadiug light, taking last look at tn
ancient belongings of his gems. On OF
= arrival he led the way to where he ha
gathered them for delivery, and, lifln
n them into the wagon, said with quit
haste: They are all there, and turne
J away. We, too, turned and left as ii
h round moon suddenly rose over IL
vnllrv " oSkOn Herald.