The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-28

The UniteA States Exhibit ~ the
Omaha Exposition.
The investigation OF the North American
Indian along Tires which hare received but
little attention heretofore win BE- Of special
interest to the student Of ethnoiogy. and
form "A attractive part Of the great Indian
exhibit at the Trans-A Mississippi and inter
national exposition next year. The result
0. thorough inquiry into what has
proven q complete system Of heraldry In
use among certain Indian tribes for ages.
with its signs and symbols. mysterious
sssnincance, and ceremonies, handed down
rom generation 10 generation, marks q
new departure In the line Of ethnoiogical
.essarcn. The Indian exhibit contemplated
py the United States government ct the
oma Ma exposition In 1855 Is being prepared
oy James Mooney. a representative OF the
bureau OF ethnology Of the department of
me interior Mr.. Mooney has devoted
many years 10 careful study OF the Amer
lean Indian along the line Of sacred tradi-
ions. religious ceremonies. and symbolic
signs OF heraidry. Mr.. Mooney Is a white
mar OF scholarly attachments and an
aaopted member OF the Ktowa-Apache In
dfans, nomsdic tribe, living in the south
west part OF the United States. He was
admitted to full membership In the tribe
several years ago, and has spent the
sseater part Of the time every year with
them, While quietly pursuing his investi-
cations without exciting the suspicion or
aistrnst OF the Indians It In the result OF
the knowledge OF traditional lore and SYM
poiic language acquired In connection with
Lh1ian tribal AFFAIRS which Mr.. Mooney
proposes to depict in an interesting man.
ner at the Trans Mississippi exposition.
MI Mooney had charge OF the installation
OF the Indian exhibit at the Nashville ex-
position and he wishes to have more space
devoted to that feature OF the government
exhibit at the Trans Mississippi exposition
IMAM was given to 1t at Nashville.
One OF the main features Of Mr. MONEYS
investigations viii be a reproduction his
toricaily correct in all It's details, OF the
last great council Of the amalgamated
tribes OF the kiowas and Apaches. held in
June, 1857. The encampment which at the
time the council was held covered a circle
or country ten miles In extent, will occupy
about four acres Of ground at the EXPOSE
ton. The encampment will consist of $50
tepees. In this camp the tepees of the In
dian families are arranged In a great circle
facing toward the center. The tepees are
close together and present an unbroken
line at all points except at the east where
a wide space Is left for an entrance. Each
tepee is marked by the emblem OF the sub
division of the tribe to which its owner be-
longs, and these subdivisions ara grouped
about the circle In the order OF their prece-
dence. In front of each tepee is erected a
pole, en- which are suspended the shield
and other war implements OF the occupant
OF the tepee, each shield being emblazoned
with the heraldic device of It's owner. In
the center OF the great circle formed by
the iepees, stands the medicine lodge or
temple. which shelters the carved image.
or idol, typical of the sun. This lodge faces
the east and back Of IL stands the tepee OF
the priests or medicine men and a small
tepee in which the dancers are purified be-
fore entering upon their energetic devo-
tons.
After the confidence OF the Indians had
been secured sufficiently to allow the mod
els Of the tepeees to be made Mr.. Mooney
was obliged to secure the services OF one
or more Indians In each Of the six subdivi-
sions into which the tribe was divided In
1857. The subdivisions were these: Rec
Elk, Kiowa proper. Big Shields. Kiowa-
Apache. and Black Boys. This work was
finally accomplished, and the models are
now being made. A number are completed.
and by the time the exposition opens the
fun number will be ready for exhibition.
Mr.. Mooney has correct reproductions OF
the shields and heraldic devices which
were used at this celebration under the
old regime. These reproductions embrace
the many different kinds of decorations
the significance Of the device, its origin.
and the ceremony accompanying It's con-
secration. The complets system of her.
aldry of these Indians has been formu-
lated. the significance OF which has thrown
light upon the early history Of the tribe
and affords one means OF tracing the irav-
els and origin of this branch of the human
race.