Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-07-10
indians Celebrate R Aft. R||ERTH|Q [)|L
Graphic Dissertation Of the Indian Fourth Of
July Celebration on the he Fort IT Berthold
Reservation

Ebowoods, N. D., July 10.-The big
Sunday, or annual celebration Of the
Indians is just over. With them It
lasts not merely day, but it is with
difficulty that they limit their fun max
ing to the four days allowed them by
their white father" the superintend-
emit placed in charge of the reservation
by the government. This restriction
has been found necessary in order to
prevent their enthusiasm from making
them neglect their crops and cattle
and bring themselves into dependent
poverty. =.
B. Those who would celebrate with
them went to their chosen camp
ground at Shell Creek or at L'eau que
Monte Creek, where were gathered
the people from the eros Ventres,
Mandan and Rea tribes of the Fort
Berthpld reservation. The present
day finds the program offering a
strange medley of attractions and
sports, indicating the progress Of the
Indian of today.
The sounds of the camp the eve of
the fourth ;presaged the festivities Of
the morrow for the tom-tom Of the
drum and the dance songs began in
several of the tepees and continued
we'll into the small hours. The fourth
had hardly dawned and few of the
campers were yet aware Of THE fact
when the caller started on his round
Of the camp saying, 'Kiduhadi ku'
kuts." Get up now you've had
enough sleep.) This man and others
followed in various styles of dress and
undress, riding around the circle of
the camp suplementing the first call
by announcements of g. sham battle of
the olden time, summoMng the partici-
pants to mount their horses, and the
spectators to assemble. There was
plenty of time for the Indian women to
make their fried bread and serve
breakfast before the warriors were
mounted and on the battle ground.
The forces were divided so that one
group represented the Sioux enemies
into whose ranks (if their irregular
formation may be so called) the At
lacking party made dashes, led by
Wounded Face. There was some good
Craftsmanship displayed by the men
as they shot their weapons from un-
der the necks of their running horses
while their bodies were So bent as to
be almost entirely protected by the
bodies Of the horses. =
After a little skirm ishiEy the battle
ground was used as o sort Of stage on
which one and another Of the older
warriors acted out soma scene in his:
career. Black Chest showed h.;w he
had bravely rushed among the scat
tered Sioux. shot one 30 that he fell
from his horse, and leapei ever the
body to signify that the glory was his.
Then he scalped his fallen enemy and
rushed back to his fellow fighters
waving the scalp in triumph. After
this display OF his proves, his wife
came out to him from among the spec.
tators carrying a gay comforter and
trailing several dress lengths Of calico
These the. hero took and gave with
some show of generosity to one and
another of his distant relatives.
After several demonstrations Of this
order the women gathered around a.
large drum, and beat it to furnish the
rythm for their scalp dance. in honor
Of the warriors. At first the women
merely sang without the dance mo-
lions but one OF the old men sitting
near by called out, What are you
women sitting down for? Why don't
you get up and dance ~ "A laugh
went around the circle and the women.
got up and, standing by the drum be-
gan the knee bending and twisting Of
the ankles, which produces jerky
vertical motion the women's dance.
Even after the crowd had dispersed
~ =
this group Of women took the drum
andiwent from tent to tent singing and
dancing and waiting for the gifts Of
calico and other presents which were
later divided among the participants
The afternoon was given over to.
games and contests such az = blind
fold search for money. q boys race, q
tug Of war between Indians and
whites (the Indians won), Q taking o.,
clothes race. = hundred yard dash, and,
q contest 70 see who could erect their
tepee most rapidly. a sudden down
pour drove everyone to his tent ana