Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-11-28
THE INDIANS
THANKSGIVING

and its observance Is just as IN
tense these days among the res
ervation Indians as in college
towns where great football
games are scheduled to occur, says the
New York Times. Especially is this
true in the southwest, where the In
dams have had an opportunity to be-
come thoroughly civilized of late years.
The white people find no more enjoy
ment in this day of universal good cheer
than do these same dusky redskins.
1t is a day of feasting, playing and
gambling, with a big dance Mt night.
Such sport only comes once Il year to
them nowadays, when they have had
to forsake the scalpng knife for the
pillow. Their wild nature rebelled at
the idea of work. and it has been with
much difficulty that the government
agents have made farmers out Of the
young braves \ day of rest and
amusement is considered good for their
better nature, and the government au-
thoritieS are willing that Thanksgiving
day shall become a festal time for the
reservation wards of the nation.
The Kiowas and Comanches, who
have but recently been placed on al
lotments, will have forsaken many of
their wild plans of amusement this
Thank giying. owing to the fact that
they have been cut off the free list of
beef issues. They have arranged to
draw grass money on Thanksgiving,
and goodly portion of this will be
spent in purchasing food for a grand
feast. At night they will take part
in green corn dance, at which pray
ers will be offered to the Great Spirit
for the good crops which they have had
the past season. The spirit of thank
fulness pervades the Indian celebra-
tons.
The Osages hold a big feast at Paw
huska, their capital city. All members
of the tribe are invited to take part in
the festivities. At the beginning and
end of each meal-and there are many
the aged missionary who lives among
them is invited to deliver ii short pray
er thanking the Great Spirit for the
good things which the agent has sent
suuaws. and, while it could be pre-
pared in a much cleaner and more
tasteful manner, the cooking is an i'm
provement over that of a few years
gone.
The Apaches and Cheyennes are in
the habit of holding pony smoke.
Often the Osages indulge in this eX-
n
friendly meeting of two tribes and is
especially appropriate for the occasion.
The tribe giving the smoke Is sup
posed to bear all of the expenses. They
provide the best game and vegetables /.
in the market for their guests and ut |
the end of the first days meeting they /
present Il good pony to the head OF /
each family visiting them. AS tribe /
of from 300 to 800 families.
the expenses soon mount high. The ,
Osages, being the richest reservation .
Indians there are today, can better at
ford to hold pony smokes, and, com
bined with their feast day, they gen
orally invite several hundred guests
from the Poncas Tonkawas and sur
tribes. Those accepting the
ponies are supposed to return the gift
with equally expensive ones later ON.
but few of them can do so.
The Poncas hold every Thanksgiving
as beef issue day. If the agent does
not come forward and present them
with herd of cattle for this occasion,
they mortgage their property and buy
u ,1nllt
A beef issue is the most typical of the
redskin and also the most picturesque
If Indian Thanksgiving celebrations.
For years the government has forbid
den the issue of beef after the manner
If an old time issue, but on special /,
occasions they are allowed the amuSc-
ncnt of killing their own meat. 1t IS
said by the government officers who ,
succeeded in having the practice stop
BED that beef issue tends to make the
indian wilder and more difficult 10
.iyilize.
A hundred cattle are turned loose in :
large pasture. The young men of the
ribe are mounted on mustangs and
lave shining field guns With the good
SlSntS Oh llc SludN VS. anu llf'NlN4Ii'
nen ringing in their ears they ride out
0 kill the cattle. The beasts have no
nance for life whatever. The chase !
5 accompanied by an undue amount
f wild yelling, while excitement grows !
intense in the camp. The smell of fresh |
Hood makes the squaws wild, as it l
we're. After all of the cattle have been I
hot down then the killers give sig c
al which means that RI of the tribe S
re at liberty to rush forth and secure 5
heir portion. A half beef is awarded |
} each squaw. The beef is cleaned I
nd cooked on fire on the open plain, (
lille the medicine men dance their APP L
roval and the warriors sing in their
lee. The feast follows, with more t
ancing, and the whole day is thus r
1ent, ending late at night with final t
orge. o
False Faces. c.