Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-02
QUEER INDIAN NAMES.
The Polysyllabic COgnomens Attached
to an Indian Treaty.
ABBREVIATED NAMES THAT APPEAR IN CON
GREssTOSAL DOCUNENT-ALL GOES, sTAND-oFl
AND OTHER PECULIAR PAIRoSYmcs OF TIL
RED SONS OF THE FOREST.

BED SONS OF TIE FOREST.
The lapse of time and the progress of empire
toward the land of the setting sun is mani
Tested every year by the course of legislation
In the halls of Congress affecting the Indians
and the committees TO whom are entrusted
bills pertaining to Indian matters are kept
busy in investigating and reporting upon the
merits or dement's of them. Bills granting
right of way" to pushing railroad corpora
tons through the several Indian reservations
are iregueatly introduced. and bills to ratify
and confirm agreements made by the authority
OF Congress with Indian tribes also to be
seen. The latest contribution to this latter
class is bill in which it is provided that the
United States shall countenance an agreement
concluded in 1SS6-'S7. between commissioners
on the part of the United States and certain
Indians in Montana, looking to the ces-
sion to the United States of their right
TO certain lands in that TERRITORY
In this agreement the names of the Indians
signing it appear in their native tongue and
spelled out in hyphened words where this is
Necessary. which ii is in the vast majority of
cases, as the names range all the way from one
to eight syllables in length. Immediately fol-
lowing the Indian name is its equivalent in
English, and 1t Is safe to saw that. should the
bill be read before the House Of Representa-
tyes, it would furnish great amusement to
members who are not too seriously absorbed
IN work to listen If these appellations are
intended TO portray the characters, habits or
any peculiarities Of their owners, dispositions
and manners among the aborigines of America
must differ. as among his white supplanters,
and observers will conclude that after all there
Is considerable in name. What is also all the
more singular is that there does not appear in
this large number to be a single repetition in
the Indian vernacular. though after the trans
latton into English few are similar. and all
md 10 80.
seem to have been drawn upon to supply mate
rial for names. serving more clearly to demon
strate the simple, stern, and enduring nature
of the Indian. In the absence of something
better each Indian has properly affixed his *"
mark.
SPECIMEN NAMES.
few of the names culled from the large and
interesting number which adorn this particular
bill will be interesting reading and will afford
an idea of those of many. The first one the
eve rests upon is Medicine Bear" whose In
dian name. briefer than many others. is Matto-
wakan, yellow Eagle" whose Indian name is
Wamadege. follows Medicine Bear. He has
learned 10 revere the symbol of American lib
erty. and has hOnored him by taking his name
thus doing great deal more toward perpetual
ing one of our hOnored institutions than Con-
gress. which IL disposed to overlook such mat
tiers, dear 10 the heart of every true American
lover of liberty. deer Tail" who has proba-
bly, distinguished himself in the chase with this
class of quadrupeds. is the third signer. BLACK
Hawk" next follows. Historys story of the
Black Hawk war is familiar to this generation,
and the present warrior of that name will lose
none of the reputation of his namesake for
bravery by belonging to the Sioux. Big
Eagle next appends his name. He may or he
may not be bigger man than Yellow Eagle,
but his name Is not so smooth and agreeable to
the aurlcular organs as that of his brother He
also adds his mite in perpetuating the reputation
of the emblematic bird of liberty. in return for
what the white man, with his progressive and
aggressive nature. has rendered him-a poor
outcast driven to the untrodden. unbroken
wilds of the western country before his adyanc-
ing state of civilization.
PERHAPS HE Is A sQUIRMER
In regular order comes white Maggot," who
also consents to the agreement 1t is to be
earnestly hoped that this Indian is higher in
nature than this appellation would indicate.
and that he has risen above the delights of his
namesake, whatever his propensities may be
Tor wrlggling, squirming or infesting that
which Is unwholesome. When an Indian takes
upon himself the name Of afraid of Bear"
which Sioux has done. it NAV be taken for
granted that, in contradiction of his name he
has no mortal fear of anything which has the
shape Of Bruin. This Indians name is desig-
mated as 'Matocokepa," which of itself would
frighten person if it were spoken in his ear
surreptitiously or if it were uttered in night
mare.
BUDDY AFFILIATIONS.
Red Lodge" Red Thunder" Red Door,"
"Red Boy" Red Dog" "Red Hoof" and Red
Eagle" agree to do what their predecessors
have done. II is not known that this allitera-
ton In Christian, or. more properly, heather
names has any special significance except to
the person himself. Out of them the poet
might compose some beautiful rhymes, the
writer of fiction Intervene some very fanciful
story; the muse might sing them out in feet of
lamblc. dactylic, or trochaic meter; the warrior
might inscribe them on his shield and helmet,
and the funny man might write puns on them
but to the unlettered and untutored aborigines
they are as honored and cherished as those of
our own dear ancestry. The boundlessness of
the Indians domain and their habits of roam
ing at leisure. unfettered and unrestrained,
over the land. have educated them to this de-
gree of wild fancy. flushing Eagle" Eagle
Ears" Walking Eagle" Bear Eagle" have
also adopted in part the name Of some of their
fellows and all indicate to a greater or less de-
gree the instructive and natural habits and in
cllnatlons OF these queer people, with their
whole nature always alert. Iron Necklace
Was also present when the contract was exc
cuted- Inspired by the thrilling traditions
which have descended upon him, he has prob
ably selected this significant name as truly
demonstrating the invulnerability of his race
as a whole, and apparently rejoices in the cog
nomen.
II the ordinary Chicago girl. with the repu-
GtlOn 81 Louis mas succeeded IN attac hing to her
Tor large pedal extremities. or the Chinese girl
Of noble family could have seen this bill and
have noticed the self-assumed name of big
Foot" or ''SeeahtOnka" thew would have
breathed sigh of relief and concluded that
after all men. at any rate Indian men, do not
regard an appellation of this kind with much
shrinking. OF course it is not assumed that
big Foots' shoe Is of larger number COM
paratiyely speaking. than those of many of his
white friends, but the name, to use a slang
term. Is "a dead give away" Medicine Bear
Track; 'GreyHand," Lightning Bull, BLACK
Duck Standing Elk" Charging Crow"
white Bill" BLACK shield" Good Track"
also appropriately append their *" mark
yellow Horse also shows up with his kin in
this agreement.
THE LONGEST NAME.
Probably the longest name after translation
is that of Long Pole" or Red Lance, 4" and the
longest original name ''Daunkapaeetchaduch-
ma" which is interpreted as Don't STAY in
Camp" The ordinary Sioux woman who has
TO srticulate these words when her liege lord
descends to his breakfast or arrives home late
in the evening, would long ago have petitioned
the legislature, If such existed, to have her
husbands name changed. But probably the
mere thought of pronouncing such a name has
often had a soothing effect on a heated and
oyertaxed brain, and in this way have been the
means OF modifying the severity Of aboriginal
domestic alterations. Some other names
noticed IN hasty look at the bill are: Stand
on. Chief Ghost Iron Hoop Porcunine Sack