New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-18
SIX NATIONS RESERVE.
OBSERVATIONS OF INDIAN LIFE IN CANADA.


THEIR SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS POLITICS AND
DoMEsr1C1TY-A BEAR SONG.
Brantford, Ont, Aug. 31.-In this pretty Dut
not too busy town one may see Indians every DAY
in the week. But he is most likely TO see them IN
numbers on a market day, Saturday, for example
They come here in all the vehicles known TO the
Six Nations Reserve-hay-rgs, democrat wagons
buggies, and especially road carts, kind OF gig In
which the horse is so close to the driver that IL
seems all the time about to sit down in his seat
They have some things to sell and many TO puy'
and when their shopping is done they stand IN
groups at the street corners talking with cach
other and gazing at the houses and the passers-by
The men move about more than the women. Inc
latter will stand in the same place Tor hours
They gaze with vacant wonder at things whlch
they have seen doubtless many times before. 1his
is about the only manifestation of curiosity which
they permit themselves to exhibit. Their faces are
wilfully INEXPENSIVE. In this respect-the m
territorial repression Of curiOaty-the modern IN
habitant Of the reserve is much like his forest
ancestors as if there had been absolutely no
change in his blood or in the conditions of his
life. But the changes have been more far reach
Ing than one would think. For instance, legally,
the old tribal divisions are intact but, owing to
ntermarriage, the actual tribal differences have
become almost imperceptible, except in the case Of
people still almost wild like the Chippeways, who
occupy small portion Of the reserve. 1ntermix.
ture with the whites, 80 important factor in the
modification OF the race, seems to have reached
turning point where the instincts OF the Indian
might assert themselves, and where the natural
tendency Of reversion to an admirable original may
have It's wonted effect. Indian blood seems al
osr nowerful in hin afiou "a that NJ fha
Jew.
The careful stolidity Of the Indian has the
effect Of making stranger suspect that he is
sometimes the victim OF grave practical joke.
over which the red man will have good laugh
by himself. Books on American natural history
even yet have traces Of the childlke trustfulness
with which the white man takes Indian humor
seriously The Instructive remark that the
proper thing 70 do with skunk is TO catch it by
the tail is very good sample Of what the native
American can do in the way Of q joke when he is
in the mood Yea there is no doubt that this will
continue TO he repeated matter Of fact IN
quasi-scientifc literature. Even on the Reserve
Of the Six Nations, the distinction between foong
and fact Is not always obvious to visitor. When
you met on morning walk with the oft-re-
pcated question You one of them fclers that
give d show last night at the Council House p
and you know well enough that there was no
show AZ the Council House last night, nor for
thirty nights previous, you arc bound TO imagine
that your Indian interlocutors are having fun
with you. But when a round-faccd heavy set
chap played an Irish jig on his violin and insisted
that he was performing genuine Indian music, 1t
was time TO draw the line and 1t was drawn with
emphasis
A haunting doubt of this kind affects the totem
istic felicity OF two gentlemen who visited
Brantford recently. IL was not az all reassuring
TO a blond German who tipped the beam at 200
pounds or to a Dutchman of a hue almost as dark
MS that OF an Indian, TO he told that their new
names were tho Mohawk equivalents Of Beyond
the Sky and The Bright Sky respectively.
The German is not absolutely certain even yet that
he is entitled 10 wear the insignia Of the Bear
Clan, and the DutohTan is equally dubious about
his relations TO the Wolf. The only thing certain
about the business Ia that 1t involved a cOntribu-
ton similar to the backsheesh of the Orient kind
ly collected on the following morning as a loan
by an intelligent chieftain who had evidently
spcnt a sleepless night after the ceremony. The
initiatory rites observed this occasion wero
simple enough. Taking the candidate for ursine
honors By the arm, the chief led him back and
forth several times keeping time as he walked
70 tho following song
Like most OF the old ceremonial songs OF the