Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-01-10
WITH THE KICKAPOOS
CORRESPONDENT DESCRIBES IN.
DAMS OF OKLAHOMA.
HARD SUBJECTS TO POSE
Have Superstition That a Picture Elk.
tracts Part of Their Splrit-Artist's
Trials in Alleged HoteI-AlcohoI
the Popular Drink With the
Reds.

writing from the Sac and Fox agency
Shawnee, Oklahoma, some three years
ago expecting to have an easy time
getting the KickapoO Indians to sit for
portraits, but | found them to be the
most difficult Indians have yet had
to manage. They have some two or
three villages, the most important to
which | went being sixteen miles from
Shawnee. This village is composed of
some fifteen houses made as the ma.
tives built before they came in contact
with the whites. They are oval in
shape, covered with sort of willow
and make comfortable homes. The
Indions would have nothing to do with
me, and wouldn't sit for a portrait I'M
der any consideration. They are very
superstitious. They say when their
picture is taken part Of their spirit
goes with it, and no argument of mine
could convince them differently, but,
by the help Of their agent, Mr.. Bently.
[ succeeded in getting two to pose for
me; still, it was hard work. One of
them became frightened after sitting
for three days and would not return
SO the picture could be finished.
The Kickapoos are hard workers.
They have farms and work them, too,
as we'll as pick cotton for the whites.
They all wear modern dress, but still
cling to their old custom of wearing
long strings Of beads fastened to the
back of their hair. Nearly all of them
have their hair cut and the majority
of them speak English. They have no
chief, except a squaW, and she seems
to have as much influence over them
as male chief would. l am told that
in the History Of the Kickapoo Indi
ans squaWs have acted as chiefs as
often as the men, which seems odd, as
the Indians in general haven't conf
dence enouh in the squaws to have
them act as leaders, but that they
were given to them simply to wait up
on them. [ don't know what an
Apache or Sioux would think of the
Kickapoos if told their chief was a
squaW. The chances are he would call
the whole tribe lot Of old women.
Part of the Kickapoo Indians are
still in old Mexico. The Kickapoos, |
suppose, got their names from being
such kickers ard so hard to manage.
Brisk Business at Shawnee
Shawnee is a thriving town of some
5000 inhabitants. The principal prod
uct seems to be cotton. The Choctaw
Railway passes through the town and
all strangers who patronize this road
are surprized at the great amount of
business it does, both passenger and
freight.
Shawnee derived it's name from the
Shawnee Indians, who live all around
the town but are too civilized for my
purpose. 1t seems funny, but my eX
perience among the Indians is that
the more civilized they are and the
more they mingle with the whites the
more difficult it is to get them to pose
for portrait and the less they are to
be depended upon-especially is this
true in gambling with cards. They
will cheat, while an Indian who has
lived away from civilization will not.
While | was in Shawnee an indian
came to me and asked if | could give
him some medicine that he could pour
on pack of cards so that at will he
could change the spots. An uncivil-
lied Indian would never ask such a
question. The only time such an In
dian asked me for medicine was in re-
gard to pretty Kiowa squaw with
whom he was in love. He asked me if
| could make some medicine for him
that by his taking it the squaw would
love him.
From Shawnee I came to the Sac
and Fox Indians, whose reservation is
thirty-two miles from the Kickapoos
and Shawnees. The Sac and Fox are
a well-to-do tribe, live in good, com
Portable white mems houses and are
thrifty. Every man, woman and child
receives each quarter S42. 1t seems
the Sac and Fox Indians have been on
friendly terms for great many years,
and in all their wars with other tribes
have always banded together; hence
the name Sac and Fox. They look
alike and have the same customs.
They are large in stature and power
fully built.
keokuk a Fine Old Chief.
Chief KeOkuk, who is IA years old
lives here in z fine comfortable house