The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-14
First Authentic Story of the
Ghost Dance Mania.
WHAT IT REALLY MEANT
What Word an indian MeSSen-
ger Brought His Fellows.

ma were effected by the ghost dance ma
MIA is given by E N Yates, now of Paw
huska. in that excellent publication, Nc
Masters Magazine.
Since the ghost dance era passed Mr.
Yates has been in position 10 collate
the facts, considerable tax on patience
The Wrttr goes into the origin Of the
dance at length, how Wo-vo-ka, or as the
whites called him, Jack Wilson," the
Messiah who began to have revelations
among the Nevada Piutes in 1889, formed
the ghost dance religion the Injunction of
the great spirit being the rather benign
one that they must be good and love
one another. have no quaETeIing and live
in peace with the whites: they must work
and not lie nor steal: they must put away
all their old war practices; they must not
fight Do right always
The dance performed at intervals of
1--WE days and nights was a form of wor-
ship and the dancer was assured that
each time he would feel supreme happi-
ness on earth. Jack Wilson declared that
there was to be a new world which would
enveiep the present one. and the Indians.
dancing. would be spirited away 10 the
fresh sphere. He also promised the In
dams the resurrection of their dead and
reunion with them. He claimed also
healing powers for his dance. 1t will be
remembered that the Sioux heard of Jack
Wilson and sent messengers out to the
S1erras to investigate him. These mes
seEgers were convinced he was a messiah
and so reported. The Sioux began dane
ing. and assured of the invulnerability of
the ghost dance shirt" finally drifted in
to the Wounded Knee campaign. Mr.
Yates, the writer. says that Jack Wilson,
the Piute Indian, has passed back into
obscurity
All the above narration is more or less
familiar. What Is new and what Mr.
Yates is to be thanked for, is the recital
of the spread of the dance among the
Cheyenne, AraDahoes, Kiowas and other
Oklahoma Indians. At the time, by the
great bulk of the white settlers, the ghost
dance was regarded as a huge Joke 1t
was far from that. Mr.. Yates writes.
The Messiah and Ghost dance craze
came to the Cheyenne and Arapahoe from
the northern Arapahoe early in the sum-
mer of 1890 and from them spread to the
remainder of the Southern Oklahoma
clans, which accepted the Wo-vo-ka story,
as did the Pawnee, Ponca, Otoe, Missouri,
Kansas, Iowa, Kiowa. Comanche and
Wichita. The Usage Sac and Fox. Kick
apoo and Pottawatomie were but little in
fiuenced, and engaged in the dance only
to a limited extent The story Of the
Da MaS=iaHh nd Chacf M
municated to the Caddo, Wichita, Kiowa,
Comanche and Apache by the Cheyenne,
their neighbors on the north. The prin-
cipal leaders among the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe was Sitting Bull mo relation to
the Sioux warrior of that name), and af-
ter him Wa-ton-ge-a, or BLACK Wolf,
for whom the town of Watonga in Cana
dian country. Oklahoma, was named Sit
ting Bull was the leader and expounder
of the Ghost Dance religion among the
Oklahoma tribes and was looked upon as
almost the equal in supernatural endow-
ments to the Nevada Christ. He is a full
blood Arapahoe, of medium height, rath-
er light in complexion. plain in appear
ance and dress, but having always in
stock a peculiarly winning smile He pos
sessed superior hypnotic power and ex-
erted great influence over all who came
in contact with him. During his apostol-
ic career he was not adverse to the ma
terial benefits which 1t entailed, and there
by accumulated considerable property.
Now, at the age of A, he lives a quiet
life near Cantonement, Okla, no longer
disturbed by the perturbations OF a COM
oF all
Wilson's Ghost Dance.
The largest Ghost Dance of the South
west tribes was held near the Cheyenne
and Arapahoe agency under the direction
of Sitting Bull. September, 1890. There
were present about 5000 Indians. most
OF the Southwestern tribes being repres-
ented. They danced almost every night
until daylight for four weeks, from COO
to 500 joining in the dance circle at a
time and the religious frenzy was 50 in
tense that as many as a hundred were
stretched out on the ground at the same
time. wrapping in hypnotic sleep or over
come by exhaustion, while others would
stand rigid, tense and immovable IN one
position for hours
The strange infa-uation, with its strang-
er ceremoniaIs. spread south to the Witch
tia, Delaware. Caddo, Kiowa. Comanche
and Apache. The approach of winter
brought 40 diminution Of the delri1m-'
The Indians danced on In the snow. the
trance subjects lying FOX hours in the
cold
TIE Kiowa received the news q the
advent Of the Messiah Ia June. 1S.l. and
during this month sent Pa-ta-dai, (PO0r
Buffalo al the head Of a delegation 70
visit the Cheyenne and Arapahoe- 70 learn
more about what they had heard Pa-ta-
dal returned with favorable report and
a good supply % the sacred red paint.
which the Cheyenne claimed had been
procured direct from the Messiah.
Not long ago there vas a great gath
er.ng OF the KIova and Apache az the
government agency. AZ Ana3arko. on the
occasion o. tae grass money payment. I
and The Ghost Dance vas introduced
among these tribes. Poor buffalo as
sumed the role of high priest q The osre- I
Fncny. daubing the principal participants
wirh a generous amount % the sacred +
paint This decorative cosmetic was 2
bright red 0chre. similar II celor g brick
dust which. Il Has claimed. bad bees /
discoveries by ;he Messiah himself ~ ire 4
mountains % his nativity i E2E mals- /.
.atzeI that &: possessed niracEsoss p0We-. (
A-pe-ah-toEe row head chief % tae k I
ovas vas more recsceat and sksntica3 !
than naaav e his trfnss- Af,ev = ccar.- 4
r. - -hs cnlefs j. vas decided fhsf the 4
ss1ufd uaaka e pilgrimage o. discover - 4
A. --.a s.aI.a 8