The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-05
kGKAPOOS ARE
lbOO1 ID MOVE
Indian Tribe Driven Out of Its
Abode
PRESIDE DEL N0RTE
viii Probably Be Their Next
Home

The Kickapoo Indians. who have been
living about $50 miles west Of here at Ma
cimiento. State OF Coshuila. for over fifty
years. are preparing 70 move away.
relates the Galveston News. Adjacent
lands have been taken up as pas
lures and posted. thus restricting their
territory until they can no longer main
tain themselves by hunting, as has ever
been their custom. They are now nego-
tiating for the purchase OF so, 90 acres OF
land in the desert country west OF Pre-
sidio del Norte. There the hunting is
good. but the country is not adapted
10 either stock raising or farming and
Poor Lo will be permitted yet awhile TO
live the only life possible for him. Indi-
ans. or at any rate the Kickapoos. do not
seem 10 thrive under civilized condition.
About thirty years ago the United States
sent d commission TO Nacimiento to in
duce the greater part of the Kickapoos,
412 in number. TO return TO the Indian
Territory. There they were given every
antage-cultiVable lands, stock, imple-
ments, houses and annuities-yet at the
census taken last year the 4l2 had dwind
led TO lS4. On the other hand Ia Kicka-
poos had remained in Naclriento These.
living precariously by the chase. had,
according TO recent census, increased 10
40, Notwithstanding an epidemic Of small
pox had in the mean time more than
decimated them. Between Indians civil
lied and Indians wild on the plains there
is just the difference between birds
pampered in a cage and birds hustling
freely for living in the brush. Allotment
in severalty Of lands TO these people.
with its attendant restrictions and obliga-
tons, means in time determination.
No Kickapoo has even been Christian
lied. yet they have deep religious feeling.
Friday fourteen hickapoos were given a
dinner at the WINDSOR by Indian Agent
NJ j. Bentley. Green corn, of which they
are very fond. was served the Indians.
but not one Of them would touch ii. Mr.
Bentley said it was because they had not
yet given thanks to the corn god. This
they do annually on a stated day and
until they have thus thanked the god they
will not partake OF his bounty
Speaking of their religion. Mr.. Bentley
said that they believed that the after life
life was ruled by two spirits, the good
and the bad; that the Indian who in this
life was brave. skilfuI and honest. would
after death be taken in charge by the
good spirit. who would bestow upon him
all the beatitudes that an Indian magma
ton can picture. But the spirit OF him
who was mean. cowardly and untruthful
would 60 TO the domain OF the evil one,
his arrow would ever miss its mark,
hunger and thirst would pursue him and
the joys Of squaw and papoose would be
denied TO his tepee
The Kickapoos are a pure race. never
having interbred with white or black.
This. esain. is due 10 their religion To
explain their notion on the subject. Mr..
Bentle.- related the reply of KickapoO
woman to a proposal OF marriage from
white man She told the paleface that he
was Iair TO look upon and agreeable 70
her desires. but that his god was not her
god and that their offsprings would be
neither Indian nor paleface and therefore
a spiritual orphan. TO be denied in the
unending life to come under the protec-
ton Of good spirit. Love him as she
might. she loved yet her race more and
refused his offer