New-York tribune., 1901-03-19
FOSTERING NATIVE CRAFTS
INTERESTING DISPLAY OF wOMEN'S
WORK AT THE MEETING OF THE
NEW-YORK CITY INDIAN
ASSOCIATION.
ASSOCIATION

Two Ways 10 Help the Indians" and some Ind
fans OF South Dakota" were The topics OF two
papers OF timely interest which were read al the
meeting OF the New-Yorl City Indian Association
IN the Broadway Tabernacle yesterday morning
The former. written by Mrs. z. ~. Doubleday and
read by Mrs. ID. :. Pinsbury discussed the past
ana future possibilities of the native Indian hand-
crafts
Americans" said Mrs. Doubleday, send hun
dreds of thousands of dollars yearly 10 Germany
FOR hampers scrap baskets clothes baskets,
ket baskets work baskets. fruit flower. luncheon
and candy hcsllets-mOney which oy every right
should be earned by our needy, capable American
Indian. What power 10 uplift them lies in the
earning OF such a sum through one congenial in
ousiry alone! Every wOman's exchange should
have place devoted 10 the industries Of Indian
women which in no way suffer by comparison
with the work of their white sisters.
II was Well thar much which the Indian in his
ignorance and barbarism mistakenly cherished was
crushed out by his white conqCerOrs; bur much
that might have been retained for his good as well
as lost in the crushing out process.
When the white man first came among the Ind
ians the latter had many handicrafts which indi-
Gated intelligence, adaptability, art feeling and
finger skin quite remarkable in aboriginal people.
as ethnol0gists tell US The Indian built boats in
stinctyely Instead Of fostering his love for this
craft and developing him through ii. he was put
on on reserE atiOns where boat building was un-
necessary and impossible, and while he has been
pauperzed the Canadians have been allowed 10
build most of the canoes. racing shells and small
pleasure boats thaJ float On American lakes and
rivers.
The Indian knew how 70 dress furs and 70 work
IN leather. London and Vienna are the centres Of
me great fur and leather trades although most or
the skins are sent there from this continent. Tn
Der our guidance the Indians We're naturally
equipped 10 help us win these industries for
o"n Bur brotherly cooperation with the red
man is not thought OF even yet
Around the shores Of Lake Superior the Indians
onoe worked copper. and further West others
wrought in silver one might tell ~ many other
hative industries that have disappeared have
taled 10 ind one-where one sriI eNists-that has
not ceteriorated since our boasted civilization came
IN contact with IT,
ALL TIE INDUSTRIES NOT LOST.
Happily an the Indian industries are not hope
lessy deteriorated lost. The Thlinkits and
AaFajos stlu make blankets however awful are
'hose made by The Navsjos Of Germantown woods
eoiored with sniline dyes An old Navajo rug.
made ~ TIE fine soft wool grown on the tribes
sheer, sheared, car5ed and colored with vegetable
eyes IN the Indians home and woven 50 com
paoty hat it was rsinprOof Is known to-day only
~ % ne collector. who gladly gives 800 for IT, while
-an Nt Persia Tor bids me use or anine dyes. be
ssse Dc torCsees that II would ruin the making
Industry, upon wn-n 50 rnauv of his people depend.
SSaIely The commercial wei the artistic wis
demonstrated 20 the Navajos There is no reason
or native WeakerS should be wholly sup
bsniel By Orientas
- a remarkable weave. adaptable 20 many OF
Nl1lai on Is 20 10 found In the FIAT. hempen saddle
80 ~ hlngiy decorated with nne oNerstitches OF
s'.eeQei coruhusks. made by the Nez Perce tribe.
SelIISslonary recently showed me some little finger
sosl ooylies thar had been embroidered with crude
,S.olsQ cottons by little Indian children But for
sr sIorts of many missionaries % liberal culture
sgfoad 9foad sympathy, few OF the native Indian in
N-stles WOula be eKtant TODAY.
Sats made by the Pueblos the most Geco-
80 Fe 9ardnieres for palms and other house plants.
III ll slord unspeakshie relief after the cheap. high
rssla1 sla1ed wares that are seen the stores al
e,lstafn We need more Indian handWork IN our
'iFentional, inartisric houses.
POSSIBILITIES OF BEAD WORK.
several tribes do bead work nor comparable
- me wonderful wampum embroidery on an
"' pieces. perhaps, but still excellent. beauti-