The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-09-07
SEPTEMBER 7. 1904.
THE COCOON CRADLE
MODE or WRAPPING UP THE LITTLE
REDSKlN PAPOOse.

Grows and ThriVes-OriGin of This
Queer Cran,ped Cradle.
Fancy tiny copper colored papoose
bucklcd up snugly In queer buckskin
bug that resembles nothing in nature
So much az the coy cocoon cradle Of
n baby butterfly and then draw upon
Your Imagination still further. pictur-
Ing this odd receptacle swinging from
the lcafy canopy of an Indian wlckiup
or brush arbor, and you have before
cradle
Gorgeous yellow butterflies and
brown KioWa babies are seldom linked
together in song or story, yet in real
life their wrappings while in the ehrys-
ais state bear Il remarkable resem-
blance to each other
The cocoon cradle proper and Its
various notifications rs found among
the different tribes of North American
Indians are constructed from the skins
of animals And right here we mny
pause and trace the origin of another
famous nursery rhyme to the Indian
cocoon cradle, for did not the fathcr
of Baby bunting go a-hunting to get
little rabbits skin to wrap that myth
ieal baby in? All full blood Kiowa
babies ARE born into the pho Ii 20 ye,
or rabbit circle, and are taught To
dance in the mysterious circle of rab-
bits as soon as they learn TO toddle,
belonging to the rabbit order OF the
Kiowa soldiery
Hence n rabbit skin would be very
appropriate wrapping for Kiowa
Baby hunting, though neither large
enough nor strong enough for his era
die The red deer of the forest, quarry
of the rcdskinned hunter, gives of his
beautiful covering to make the cradle
that Is to swing from the tree top, lit
orally tree tops cut from the cotton
woods and clms that fringe the clear
little streams ripping through the
kiowa reservation and piled high on
framework of poles to serve as sum
mer paror'' In front of his fathers
tepce.
The crude deer hide Is carefully
dressed by tedious and secret process
known only to these Indians, and when
finished IL as soft and plant as the
most expensive chamois skin. Then
loving fingers sklllfully embroider with
quilts beautiful beadwork designs up
on the dclicately tinted deerskin. kio-
wa cradles IRE more ornamental than
those of other tribes, aud KIowa
squaws excel In that marvellous Indian
beadwork now the popular fad of their
paleface sisters. Some OF this bead
work embroidery is not only very beau
tiful, hut very elaborate. The Sioux
squaws, who alone rival their kiowa
sisters. ornament the cradles OF their
little ones with bands of deerskin, up
on which are wrought In colored beads
gorgeous patterns of men. horses, birds
fish and flowers. Instead of n wooden
framework they substitute basket
work frame of reeds and sometimes
they use seed and grasses instead Of
beads
The Cheyenne, Apache and Conan
che Indians all use cocoon cradles pat
termed after the kiowa cradles. but
theirs are not ornamented ns clabo-
rately as those of the kiowas. In
truth, the grim and warlike Comanche
OF the plains wastes very little time In
decorating the receptacle of his of
spring A stout piece Of deerskin, fas
tened to an equally stont wooden frame
and laced up securely with rawhide
thongs, suilices his simple need
The origin of the cocoon cradle itself,
like that of the redskins, seems wrap
ped In mystery, though we might with
reason trace this primitive cradle bnck
to the Lnpps of northern Europe, whose
babies sleep in little followed out af
fairs swung down from the lower
limbs Of trees They are lined with
moss and laced up, and In shape are
exactly like the primitive Indian co
coon cradle from which the modern
cocoon cradle, beautiiied and improved,
has been evolved.
After the bendwork embroidery In
completed the deerskin pouch or bag
is fastened securely upon strong
board " hose two upright handles, pro
jeeting above the headpiece or hood.
are strengthened by u crosspicce nj the
back. These handles are very con
Nenicnt when the mother is busy about
her many tasks; If II he warm weather,
baby is swung from the top of the
brush arbor, his round. brown face
peering smilinsly from ont its trap
pings of guNly beaded dcerskin his
bright little eyes blinking at the sun
beams shining through the leafy roof.
or the flames of the nightly campfire
pcaping up to mingle with the moon
hight When trading" ut the agency
stores the squaw props the cradle,
baby and all" against the counter
and goes calmly about the important
business of laying in n supply for her
family In their tepee far out ON the
reservation.
Mother love fills the heart of poor
squaw as completely as 1t does that
of her more fortunate paleface sister.
Her clumsy fingers fashion playthings
of shells, odd shaped bones, carved
wooden beads, bright pieces of tin
china or glass, which she hangs about
the hood of the cocoon cradle In reach
of the hubby brown fists. Baby soon
learns To rattle these primitive play
things gleefully.
Strange Ms II may appear, the red
skinned Baby Buntings seem TO thrive
In their cramped quarters. hut they en-
joy as famous treat a change TO the
blankets upon their mothers backs
when the toiling squaws are forced
to 20 down TO the scant timber
stretches along the creek To bring NJ
fireWood and water for the camp Los
Angeles Times.