The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-10-01
WEDDING OF Usage INDIANS.

For a week the Pawnee and Oto'
Indians have been visiting thl
Usage tribe on their reservation II
the northeastern corner of the ter
ritory. The feature of the encamp
ment was a wedding celebration
according to Usage usages and Gus
toms. The contracting parties were
Paul Red Eagle and Ida Strikeaxe
full blood members of the Usage
tribe, the richest people on the face
of the earth, every member Of the
tribe being worth $4,000 in cash
in addition to hundreds of acres Of
fine land.
As to the custom, centract was
made between the friends and par
ents of the bride and the friends
and parents of the bridegroom, call
ing for SO many horses for the hand
of the bride. In this case the stip-
ulations called for forty of the finest
ponies in the tribal reservation.
All this occurs without the knowl-
edge or consent of the two to be
welded, and not until the wedding
day did the bride know who the
bridegroom was to be, or the BRIDE
groom know what maiden of the
tribe was to be his bride.
Four clock in the afternoon was
the hour for the ceremony, and at
the appointed time six young men,
intimate friends of the groom, ap-
peared, accompanied by as many
young and active squaws. ALI were
prepared for a race. The young
men lined up side by side, while
the squaws were standing in line.
At distance of $50 yards, and
near her wigwam, the bride appeared
on horseback handsomely and gor-
geously decorated with all the fnery
and paraphernalia known to the
red men, and the horse, the finest
to be found in the tribes herds, was
literally covered with gay trap
pings. In the rear of the bride ap-
peared her mother, also mounted
and logged out, second only to the
bride.
When the mother and daughter
were within $50 yards of the wait
ing line of young bucks and squaws
they halted, and, at the report of
the rife of the brides father, they
made wild dash for her. The first
brave to reach the bride and touch
her hand received the horse she was
seated upon. Edward Chouteau, an
educated young Indian, won the
race. Desha White Spear, the first
squaw to reach the bride, became
the owner of the beautiful bridal
robe. She put it away for her own
wedding day, when it will again be
contested for by racing maidens.
The race over, the great robes wrap
ped about the bride were spread
upon the ground; she dismounted,
was Immediately seized by score
of squaws, wrapped up in the robes,
and bodily carried to the wigwam
of the groom, in this instance a big
farmhouse. =
She was carried into the house
and seated at large table loaded
with food. The bride once seated
and surrounded by the maidens, the
groom appeared and seated himself
by her side. On this occasion, when
young Red Eagle appeared, the
bride, contrary to all presidents,
gave him winning smile and be
kissed her. The bride and groom
ate out of one dish. The feast lasted
until far into the night, the guests
departing only whom the supply
gave out.
In accordance with the custom of
the tribe, the bridegroom becomes
the head of the house for the entire
family of the bride. The father, in
return for the gifts of the horses,
etc., that have been made, throws in
his entire family, himself included,
for the groom to support. In doing
this, however, he relinquishes to the
young couple his home, farm ma
chinery, stock, ETC., and himself and
wife thereafter live on the bounty of
the young couple.-Kansas Journal.
Comforting tho Widow.
The Widow: "Im awfully afraid
John wasn't dead and We buried