The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-04
INDIANS TAKE TO OUR WAYS.
FASHION SEEMS TO HAVE DONE
WHAT FORCE COULD NOT DO.

WHAT FORCE COULD NOT DO.
Conquest Of tho Red Man by Civilization
Attributed u WOmsn's Love or Dress
Great Change Within = Decade
Tribes All Over the Country Affected
The Indian has to great extent aban-
doned the attire Of his ancestors and to-day
is likely to be found wearing the ordinary
dress OF tho white man. And the change
In his way Of living is almost as great.
That has come about, with one or two
exceptions--as, for instance, the Cherokees
within tho last decade. or even less, and
has been wrought almost simultaneously
In tribes separated from one another by
hundreds Of miles.
For over q century, the Indians of Amer
lea have been systematically subjected
by the Government to the processes OF
civilization. They opposed 1t. fought it
all along and have inevitably decreased in
numerical strength and power.
They were persistent in clinging to tradi-
ton; but now, after all these years, they
have seemingly arrived at the conclusion
In their own fashion that to be saved, they
must conform to the white mans way.
It Is simply the natural law OF self-preser-
walton asserting itself.
The scientists who are noting the change
with wonder have found no sharper con-
trast between two successive generations
Of Indians than that displayed by the Six
Nations on their reservation in Canada,
whittier they emigrated hundred years
n 6koto Ia, Nplo To hrn
In their lot with the British.
These Indians were among the first to
come within the influence Of the white
man. but 1t Is only within the last few years
that both Christians and pagans among
them have discarded the blanket and the
feathered headdress for trousers and
felt hats. The change has been 80 general
that It would seem to be the result Of pre-
concerted action, but the Indians and the
agents deny that such Is the case.
On the other hand, not few Of the braves
have secretly admitted that the women
had a great deal to do with the tribes
abandonment Of the costumes Of their
forefathers.
Our women" said one Of the bucks,
recently, got hold Of the illustrated
! women's papers and magazines and saw
all sorts of white women's clothes in them.
Then they got to thinking that blankets
and an occasional calico slip were not good
enough for them, and longed for the dresses
they'd seen in the magazines.
well. you know the women of the Six
Nations have always run the tribes and
elected the chiefs and SO they got sewing
har colt WI RI
women's dresses.
.When they got dressed up in them,
they saw that our blankets and their cloth
skirts didn't go well together. Well, the
women have always governed the Six
Nations, and before long we were wearing
store clothes, just like the white men,"
1t Is true that the Mohawk women took
the lead In adopting modern dress, and
they have become such skilful sewers and
follow the fashions SO closely that they
rival the white women Of adjacent towns
In matters Of dress.
On May "a last. when the Six Nations
gathered at Brantford to celebrate the
Kings birthday the wives Of the provincial
officials expressed their establishment at
finding hundreds OF full biooded and half
breed Indian women and girls paradng
before them in tailor cut coats. shirt waists
and cloth skirt. of walking length. with
their hair done up in the approved styles
beneath up-tc-dGte millinery creations.
This adoption of the white mans garb,
the agents say, has made the Six Nations
turn with create, energy to the white
mans ways of living, and everywhere
w. - h.
and on tho firms. where barn raisings are
numerous, modern implements are multi
plying, and in several cases steam ploughs
are being used
But while many Of the white mars ways
entered into the makeup of the Six Nations
Indian when ne put white mans clothing
on his back. some aboriginal customs still
cling to him Thus it comes about that
whenever a Mohawk or Iroquois brave
wants to summon his wedding guests he
secures a purple grain OF corn, passes
quietly among crowd of his fellows and
slips the grain for moment into the hand
OF him whom he desires as guest at the
festivities
The SIX Nations bride has not yet fallen
N love with tho printed wedding card,
even though her mother is deeply offended
whenever any one refers 20 her In the good
old Indian way as q squaw.
Another striking example Of the new
Indian is found In California among the
Dtggers, long considered the lowest Of the
North American red men.
Many Digger still lives on worms and
grasshopper pies. but he is usually OF the
dying generation. The large majority Of
the members Of the present generation
have departed absolutely from the re-
voting ways Of their fathers, and are living
In the white mans way.
This Ia true Of az many full-blooded Dig
gers as Of those that have white blood
In their veins; and neither class is small,
numerically. These Diggers have been
more successful in agricultural pursuits and
cattle raising than their white neighbors.
This 10 especially true Of the half breed
descendants OF Digger women and early
California miners who, failing at gold hunt
ing, took up ranching. There are wealthy
men among them who tour Europe and
buy works Of art to decorate their homes,
which stand on sites where once their
fathers grubbed up roots for breakfast.
1t Ia peculiar fact that these full blooded
and half breed families do not readily
take to the luxuries OF the white man in
some respects. No matter how large and
sunptuously furnished their homes may
be, the bedrooms are always fitted out
with almost Spartan simplicity.