The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-06-06
Crees' sun Danc,.


This year the Cree Indians, who have
been rencgades from Canada since the
Louis Riel rebellion, will celebrate the
Sun dance ceremony at Great Falls, ana
preparations are under way TO make II
OF more importance than IL has ever
known hitherto. As both missionary ana
government officials are doing their best
to suppress it, this IS probably the last
opportunity to witness II AZ an accessible
point. ana excursion trains ut one and
fifth rate will be run west 10 Spokane
and east TO ST. Paul 20 carry spectators.
medicine talk" was recently arranged
with Little Bear chief OF ain the Crees.
Joe Ressette, half-breed acting as in
terpreter
Little Bear is a warrior OF medium
stature, possessing a strongly outlined
face. which reminds one Immediately Of
Black Hawk He dresses in scml-whIte
man costume. retaining, however, the
moceasins and blanket OF the Cree. His
hair Is long and straight. and In some
way Is separated into small rolls. and
these fall TO the waist. Unlike most Of
his followers he IS bare-heFded at all
times. Ordinarily he is reticent and de
clues TO talk before strangers because OF
the prominent part he played in the re-
bellion, but on this occasion he had the
backing Of Mlstanusk. The Badger ana
several Of those present had been personal
friends Of Louis Riel.
Little Bear. In answer TO questions
-
when our children are sick We dance
the sun dance to make them well. 20 make
the trees and grass and everything tnat
grows flourish. As a priest tastS Tor sew
eral days az certain times. so We Crees
fast IN the spring time and think OF Man
itOu. The white man and the half breed
knce and pray 10 God the Cree dances
before Manitou. IT IS for us the same
thing as going 10 church and listening to
the priest"
At this point the Salvation Army pass
ed outside. and Little Bear pointed 10
them and went on talking.
I'VE have Sundays. Ike white man,
and then, like those marching by, we ask
all people TO come and hear US. We DO
not care If they laugh inside. that is
because they cannot understand Nepa-
guishemOnatick. sun dance. Is from Man
itOu. He taught my ancestors and they
me. My father said so and 80 my father
in-law, also both old men In the tribe
At the sun dance all OF us Crees come
together TO do penance. For days and
nights before the dance we eat nothing,
We drink nothing. we grow very thin,
then we dance. The men sit apart on one
side, the women on the other. The young
braves come TO me and ask my p rmis-
sion 10 exhibit their courage Snarp
sticks are skewered through the flesh
on the arms and heavy objects attached
by opes. and these the young man drag
about. once we used buffalo heads, but
the buffalo is gone. Thea. too, on the
nfSt Jay OF the dance the btt Hirh 30
into the woods and select growing tre..
They notify the lodges and then a pro
cessiOn forms Of braves and squaws on
ponies. sometimes two or three on one
pony. We gather about the tree singing
songs that were written by ManitOu'
the young men have guns and bows
and as the tree is falling they shoot il
down. The tree IS dragged TO the lodges
and set up. stalls are made about its
foot i'm which naked warriors, screened up
Ia xtrafc dance overhead
build a roof OF woven willow rods.
Strings from the top Of lodge poles are
fastened 10 skewers In warriors backs
and they dance in circle, leaning hard
on the strings as a young pony holds
back when led for the first time, and
they initiate other animals. Then as We
used TO fight the Crows ana Pigeons. we
make believe fight now, and we march
in and around the lodges. singing and
dancing"
The Indian is up to the times and fully
understands the value OF advertising.
and on the morning Of the irst day OF
the ceremony they are soing 10 march
through the streets a Ia circus parade,
war paint feathers, painted ponies. and
all They will have full band Of thirty
players on the shank-Done mute, eight
snare drums small SKINS, and one big
bass drum. made or a co"hlde stretched
on q wooden hoou.
Little Bear says ne Is thirty-eight years
old, but he does not eAacuy Know where
he was born tie lives everywhere. and
"the bones Of my children are scattered
over the country which in the beginning
Manitou made as one, Dut which the
white man has divided, drawing line.
Questioned about his part IN the Riel
rebellion; he said ne "as nd nG ~ , ashs hia
man understood he would prize Little
Rear He ran across the line 70 escape
the vengeance Of the canadian Govern
ment. but since that ufne ne mas re-
ceived letters from WASHINGTON when
,ss,ras MIN he could return in safety.
However. he preferred the United states
because he can e e = ncI,' slFiu., can
eat beef" and has declared ms intention
az becoming an American cluZen IN or
u u. ~ he may take up land for cult
"a tfon He would never qult working
day. He can plOw, ne says ana 90
everything necessary 70 farmer, ana
referred very proudly 10 men LOT "hom
he had worked. .,
Little Bear I'm a very suggestive way |
said that at last years dance whlch was |
at Havre. this State. he held ms blanket |
and 1t was filled with money WINE uier-
chants Of the town sent BIN loads OF |
provisions, and spectators threw candy |
on the ground by the box Tor the |
papooses. When the writer asked II the |
Crees would have a big ieast ISL, after tne
dance he laughed where shal we get
the beef? Wnl YOU give 1t u.s.
About one hundred ana hIty or MS |
people are already here uheer hlnssii
and his Sub-chiefS NdtooS ,Suhi. Atiii-
Syassaki (Big Buffalo CoaD. ManitOpesim |
Gods SOM, and Pepaumasomit twhose
English name they could not give, and
o-day carriers have been sent s,n on 70
Chinook. Garrison, -NssiIilDo.ue'
Helena and Nissoula 10 summon the
lodges In those places. Owing to high
water In the rivers and the thinness OF
the ponies. IT will be the Isl OF June pe,
hat from five hundred TO one thousand
warriors VIII be present and take part In
The ceremony