Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-08-16
INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS.
Aborignes of America Develop Much
ingenuity in Their dandiWork.

Miss Sarah ]. Porter, writing in the
Arrow, expresses the opinion that the
American Indian has much latent ar
tistic ability and that when genel atoms
Of training have brought him to a po-
sition of independent competition with
the nations of the world this agility
will stand out as national charac-
teristlc. The writer in question calls
attention to the fact that the direction
iii winch his artistic ability manifested
itself in the different tribes was de-
termined by environment. The Indian
simply took whatever material lay
next mis- hand and with the crude i'm
teriaY into something which should be
first a thing of daily use and then, by
reason of ornamentation or perfection
of design. a thing of beauty Thus the
Indian of the pfai2s-the Cheyennes.
lArapahces, Sioux Omahas AID others
did elaborate embroidery with por-
cupine quilts on deerskfn ard other
hides always beautifully tanned. The
mountain tribes, such as the Pinfas anu
the Apaches, made baskets of unex-
celled beauty. The Navajos WOKE
blankets and the Pueb1os made pot
terry, while the northwestern and Alas
kan Indians expressed their artistic
sense in carving upon their canoe
stems ana totem poles.
Whether or not the craftsmanship
of the Indians will ever assume the
significanc implied in this writer's
opinion is perhaps question Some
need of it, however, will always be
felt and the Importance of foster
ing the native arts and crafts can not
be too often or too strongly emphasiz-
ed. We realize this the more when
we note the attempt now being made
to revive the vanishing handicrafts
which once fiourisfed among the white
people of this country In a recent
bulletin of the bureau of labor, pub
lished by the department of commerce
and labor, whole chapter is devoted
to the discussion of this revival of
handicrafts III America
In certain localities. systematic eff
forts are being made by missionary or
CARNATIONS and by exchanges for wo-
mems work TO find markets for the
beautiful mountaineers i'll the south.
the Attakapas cottonades woven by the
Arcadian colony in Louisiana and the
Ahnake rugs made in certain remote
faTm-houses in Maine. arts and crafts
societies are active in many of our
cities. While the total output of the
articles produced by handle aft in the
United States is small in amount as
cry, the movement mas nevertheless
brought to the consumer and TO the
public generally an increased pleasure
in the things of daily household use
and ornament. And while the move
ment can not be expected to increase
to such an extent as tc diminish per
ceptibly the demand for factory prod
ucts ii has nevertheless brought to
many workers a new interest in life,
along with means of livelihood, and
has no doubt had some far-reaching
effect in improving the quality and de-
sign of factory-made goods.
We may easily imagine the educated |
and sophisticated Indian Of few gen
erations hence signing for some of the |
beautiful and durable products OF The !
handicrafts of his foT afathers- The |
schools may do something, though they !
probably can not do much, TO preserve |
those arts and crafts But they may |
at least teach by precept a proper ap- |
probation OF the products, while such !
societies as the MohOnk lodge, the |
Indian Industries league and the Sc
quoya circles actually promote the ma
tive industries among the people. ANY |
and every effort that aims to preserve
and develop the latent artistic ability |
that is indigenous TO American so; IS !
a step in the right direction