The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-10-27
INDIAN BABIES CRADLES.
Various Modes Of Wrapping Up the
Little Red Skins So That
They Thrive.

Fancy Il tiny copDer-colored pappooss
buckled up snugly in a queer buckskin
bag that resembles nothing In nature SO
much as the cory cocoon cradle of a
baby butterfly. and then draw upon
your Imagination still further. pictnr-
ing this odd receptacle swinging from
the leafy canopy OF an Indian wickiup
or brush arbor, and you have before
you an Indian baby and his wonderful
cradle, says the Los Angeles Times
Gorgeous yellow butterflies and
brown Kiowa babies are seldom linked
together in song or story. yet Ia real life
their wrapplngs. while In the ehrysalis
state, bear a remarkable resemblance
TO each other.
The cocoon cradle proper and It's va
rious notifications as found among the
different tribes OF North American In
dIans are constructed from the skins
OF animals. And right here we may
pause and trace the origin OF another
family nursery rhyme TO the Indian
cocoon cradle. For did not the father
OF Baby Bunting go a-hunting 10 get
a little rabbits skin 10 wrap that myth
leal baby INF All fuIl-blood Kiowa
babies are born into the Philo-li-yo-ye
or Rabbit Circle. and are taught to
dance in the mysterious Circle OF Rab-
bits as soon as they learn 10 toddle
belonging TO the Rabbit order OF Klowa
soldiery.
Hence a rabbit skin would be a very
appropriate wrapping for KIova Baby
Bunting, though neither large enough
nor strong enough for bis cradle. The
red deer Of the forest. quarry OF the
red-skinned hunter. gives Of hls bear
tifui covering to make the cradle that
is TO swing from the treetop. literally
treeiops cut from the eoltonwoods and
elms that fringe the clear little streams
ripping through the Kiowa reservation,
and piled high on a framework OF poles.
Ia serve as summer parior' In front
OF his fathers tepee.
The crude deer hide Is carefully
rressed by tedious and secret process
fnown only 10 these lndlans, aud when
"blshed IS as soft and plant as the
most expensive chamols skin. Then
loving fneers skilIiully embrolder with
qullls beautiful beat work designs upon
the delicately tinted deerskin. Kiowa
cradles are more or amental thaa those
cf other tribes and Kiowa squaws excel
in that marvellous Indian beadwork nov
the popular Ga 81 their paleface sisters
Some Of this headwork embroidery is
not onIy very beautiful. but very aiabo-
rate The Sioux sauass. who alone
rival their Kiowa sisters. ornament the
cradles of their little ones with bands
of deefskin. upon which are wrought.
in colored beads Gorgeous patterns Of
men. horses birds hEh and flowers. in
stead Of wooden framework they sub
stitnte a basletwork frame Of reeds and
sometimes they use seed and grasses
instead of beads
The Cheyenne. Apache and Comanehe
indians all use cocoon cradles. pat
termed after the Kiova cradles. but
theirs are not ornamenied as elaborate
~ rs those Of the klawaa In truth. tho
grim and varlite comanche 81 the
plains wastes very little time IN deco
rating the receptacle Of bis Offspring
stout piece nf 6eerstln. fantened 10
aa equslly stout wooden game and
faced ~ seeureH with favhide thongs.
suffice bis sluaa assd