The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-25

. Graceful birch bark canoes moving swiftly
and silently among the reeds, while the
darkskinned women adorned with some splash
of bright color gather rushes for forming the
sides of their wigwams, or weaving mats, is
the picturesque sight one may have daily.
here on the beautiful wild Mile Laos, Just
100 miles north of Minneapolis near the geo
graphical center of the state.
Nestled among the trees along the shore, on
Point are dozens of birch-covered wigwams
with side walls of rushes, clustered about an
open bower" several hundred feet in length,
built of saplings retaining some of their
leaves, and whose ridge-pole is gaily deco
rated with hundreds of bright colored blank
cts and quilts, and along the sides of which
are hung great numbers of the skins OF owls,
eagles. hawks, etc, all forming an astonish-
ingly festive and interesting picture.
But the strangeness of it all! Here gath
cred together for a summer residence by the
lake shore, are approximately 400 Chippewas
who are neither savage wild men of the for
est, nor the tame civilized Indians who have
received the full benefit Of Christian educa-
tion
Touched only outwardly by the manners of
! their white brethren, living peaceably, but
perfectly aloof, speaking their own language
ditions, they are most of them in the midst
| of this Christian land, as truly heather in
their beliefs as when Columbus discovered
| America.
If you go among them with some one who
knows them, they will respond to his salu-
| tation, but show no desire to be sociable,
and go on about their business as If you
were not there scarcely showing that they
see you.
You ask them if they speak English and
most of them turn away with grunt.
a basin of dirty water in front of her, was
washing quite an array of tin pans and
basins, which she laid wet upon the dirty
Another old squaw held something In a
frying pan over the embers.
I asked her what it was. She pointed to a
pipe on the ground nearby. Knowing that
kinic,' whereupon the dozen standing about
all laughed aloud in apparent scorn of my
ignorance Then the old lady said something
peated this after her, when she nodded and
then spat far and wide, with utter dsre-
gard Of the frying pan. In the graceful art
most expert white tobacco chewers.
| Still another squaw, seated upon blanket
| in wigwam, was combing out, and arrang-
burly brave to be tied together with a
ribbon so that he might appear we'll at the
hop" which was to take place that even
! ing.
He sat meekly by. with his back to the
this opportunity to even up any little
| domestic differences. However, the most in
teresting spectacle was the limitation of q
our companion was secret, but was to pre-
pare him to go to the happy hunting
| GROUNDS at Qeatn. Inc boy, a grace1ul, re-
fned-faced youth, with solemn demeanor,
and downcast eyes, had two bright red spots
| of paint on the upper part of each cheek as
! had apparently all of his relatives and
| friends who were reclining blankets on
! each side of the bower, assembled to wit
ness, or take part in the ceremony. He was
| arrayed in ordinary clothing with head belt,
high beaded moccasins and black beaver
| hat, with many bright ribbons in place of
hat band with ends hanging down as stream
| ers. Two old medicine men, in black cloth
| ing, looking reverend enough to be priests,
! stood beside him at one end of the bower, and
/ each spoke long solemn piece and then
| holding UP large rattle boxes containing prob
ably rice, they slowly ratified these, while
other end of the bower, where the perform
ance was repeated. Later the boy was seated
| in the center of the bower opposite man
1 with deep toned drum in the shape Of ar
large key. 49,
Then relatives and friends both men ant
women, each holding the dried skin of ar
1 eagle, took up the procession headed by
red feather, low moccasins, gorgeous rec
4 stockings, and glorious white bed quill
i with red patches to match, which he wore
with all the grace and dignity of a Roman
4 emperor. No actor ever went thru his par
= with a frmer, more stately tread than he
He, also, had a long piece to speak befor,
starting on the procession, in which tn,
oft repeated, and as he waxed eloquent hi
4 brethren in the line responded with grunt.
and groans, somewhat as some old-faS hionet
Methodist brethren are wont to do in meet
ing.
Then holding his eagleskin by the neck
4 advancing it to arms length and then with
tdfawing it, he headed the procession, and al