New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-22
INDIAN THANKSGIVING
PoHcas' Beef Issue Dag,-Ererclses
at Natire Schools.

The interest IN Thanksgiving Day and rs oo~
servance IS Just intense these days among No
reservation Indians "a college towns where great
football games scheduled 20 occur Especially
Is this true In the Southwest where the Indians
have had an opportunity 20 become thoroughly
civilized OF late years The white people ind M
more enjoyment n this day OF universal Gnssr
than do these same dusky redskins
It Is day OF Teasing. playing and gaming. win
a big dance at night Such sport only comes once
a year to them nowadays. when they have had n
f0rsaks the scalpins knife FOR the plough Thar
wild nature revOlted at the idea OF WORK. and =
has been with much difficulty that the zove-nnsnE
agents have made farmers out % the young braves
A day OF rest and amusement IS considered good
FOR their better nature and the government author-
tiles are willing that Thanksgiving Day shah
become festaI tine for the reservation warts
o. the nation
The Kiowas and Cornanches. who 10. IonS a<o
placed allotments VII have forsaksn
many OF their Wild plans OF amusement TITS
Thanksgiving owing to the fact that they havs
been cut or the free list OF beef issues. They
have arranged 70 draw grass money Thanks
giving. and sOOdly portion OF this VIII be spent
IN purchasing food for q grand feast At nighe
they viii take part n green dance. az which
thanks VIII be offered 20 the Great Spirit for tns
good crops which they have had the last season
The spirit OF thankfulness pervadss thu Indian
celebrations.
The Osages hold a big feast at Pawhuslra tn.i-,
capital city. All members OF the tribe IA
vited to take part n the festivities At ths Do
ginning and end OF each meaI-and there ara many
the aged missionary who lives among therz n
invited 70 deliver a short prayer. thanking thss
Great Spirit FOR the good things which the agent
has sent them The food IS cooked By the sCuaxz-i
and. while It could be prepared n much cIeane-'
and more tasteful manner. the cooking Is tn
provenent over that OF a few years ago
The Apaches and Cheys1-es are IN the hanfr oc
holding pony smoke; often the Osages indulge IN
this expensive festival pony smoke IS friendly
meeting OF two tribes and is especially appropriats
70 H. a..
supposed bear all the expenses. They provfd.
the best game and vegetables in the market for
their guests and at the end % the first days
ing they present good pony 70 the head OF each
family visiting them As tribe OF from,
three hundred 70 five hundred families. the sx-
penses soon mount high The Osages. being ths
richest reservation Indians there are to-day. car
better AFFORD to hold pony smokes. and. combined
with their feast day they generally invite several
hundred guests from the Poncas. Tonkawzs and
surrounding tribes Those accepting the ponies
supposed return the gift with equally expsasfvs
ones later On. but few OF them are in the position
SO TO DO.
The Po1cas hold every Thanksgiving as a beef
issue day II the agent does not come forward and
present them with a herd o. cattle for
casiOn they mortgage their property and buy cattls
OF some neishooring ranchnan- A beef issue N
the most typical OF the rsdslin- and also the
picturesque OF Indian Thanksgiving celebrations
For years the government has forbidden the issue
Of beef after the manner OF oldtns issue. bur
ment Of killing their own meat It Is said By rhs
government officers who succeeded in having ths
practice stopped that beef issues tend make tha
Indian wilder and more difficult to civHze.
hundred cattle are turned loose IN q large
pasture. The young Of the tribe are uaountsth
on mustangs and have shining field guns. Wits
the good wishes Of the sGuaws and medicfls msnu
ringing in their ears. they ride kill the cat
tie The beasts have 10 chance for life whatsvsr-
TIE chase IS accompanied ~ an undue amount %
wild yelling, while excitement grows intense IN the
camp The smell OF fresh blood makes the sq1awA
WlId' as u were after al the cattle have 5esn
means that al OF the tribe at liberty 20 rGsa
awarded to each sq1SW. The beef is cIsansd and
cooked on ire On the open plain while the msdt-
sing in their gles- The feast follows with nnors
late at night with a final gorge.
but But while this ceremony IS SONG on among TIA
are the ChIoccO Indian schools where an entirely
different programme is carried out The ChiIOcce
INSTITUTION IN the southwest, some SIX hundred
young Indians attendins- All tribes are allowed
ls 17l-s-IA- Js.i--ns 1epillhe1C IS taught llers>
these students. Those Who have parents are al
l. wed visit from tEeIn on t1at cay For several
SIii7cSo school are 1sd 1rh v1aSo- 1o'ei5 49,
. The students are allowed TO so into camp with
them. for fear OF evil effects On Thanksgiving
morning. me STUDENTS are brought into the chapel
rhs pride OF Their instructors and amusement OF
occasion II the afternoon the CbuOccO football
team contests with team from some nearby town.
while the glrls pay Basketball with their palsfacs
. sisters None OF the Wild sports % the old saw
ages Wno are seated around the circle a spscta-
tors. are allowed Inc parents the glad faces
Or their children. neat appearing boys and girls.
and they hear strange words. but. afcsr az e
| seems for the best For not their Children
happy amid all sof these surroundings where rhsv
[ are being advanced IN the WAYS Or the white Dso-
/ PIE IL cerIalntE naS a good effect the ol4
people OF these tribes The Thanksgiving Day ever
Der OF minor Indian schools thr0u gnout the South
west and az are satisfied with the results.
Inc nrSt 1hau 6sEivlng ~ which Indians parcfcf-
pated II this country, according 20 the well known
chronicler EDWARD WiuslOw. took place in 1fzI ten
I months after the landing Of the Pilgrims when
tle crops being arueret they felt spring up within
Iheir hearts a leellg Of praise and thanksgiving.
They dispatched messenger invite Nassasoir
sycamore OF the WampanOags. and ninety OF hls
warriors 70 attend ire celebration. which lasted
almost week ON The appointed Thursday Nassa-
soft and bis warriors arrived ard The little settle
nent save the Indians hearty welcome soon
drum called them 20 RELIGIOUS service. then came
were INDUCED iu. and the hCtle army OF twenty
under the leadership Of Niles Sraldish. vent
| through its Crl and manual OF arms Then fol-
/ lowed the great feast walsh was served In the
open air
me real TEarksgivir~ dinner took place on Sar-
the air and t1e water bad contributed OF their
bouutifIl supplies 90 make tls IhHnksgivlns I'm
Me- and when the pioneers sat CCW1 Co the neal
I thev n table spread with Wetert0vi. Wild
TURKEY veuiscu. corn e-t ccr-ev- With tlis cheer
I tbev gave thanks that 'hy The goodness % God
[ they were Tar from want
uNfDsagNr A t0rrr1