The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-01-02
TONKAWA TRIBE REJOICES
OVER BIRTH OF PAPOOSE

There Is JOY unconfined among the re-
naming members Of the Tonkawa tribe
OF indians for the reason that during
the wce6 child was born to Railroad
ana Mollie Cisco. members OF the tribe
and the first infant TO make It's arrival
In the tribe for three years. The Tom
kawas, who have been rapidly decreas-
ms In numbers for many years believe
the stork is once more friendly to them.
and are Inclined to look upon the birth
of the Cisco child es a promise OF het-
ter things In the future. Several weeks
OF celebration has been planned In honor
OF the baby, for the arrival OF son
and heir to a king could not cause more
general rejoicing throughout the king
dor, sAc0 has this visit OF the stork
among the Tonkawas
While the early history Of the Ton
iSawas was wrapped in mystery. "a legend
exists that at an early period the earth
was covered with members Of this tribe:
that great flood came and scattered the
tribes, the divisions OF which were never
again able TO come together The home
OF the Tonkawas was In the Wichita
mountain country which now consu-
tutes southwestern oklahoma. At least
the Wichita mountain country is the
first authentic location to which civil
ization has traced the Tonkawas and
to which tho oldest living members Of
the tribe date back their knowledge Of
their ancestral habits. The Tonkawas
or Nez rorces reservation which is made
up OF four townships adjoining the Ponca
reservation in northern Oklahoma, and
where the tribes settled in 1850 under
IA
Joseph, vas so thoroughly distasteful
to them that they finally, in the early
spring OF 1855, went to their northern
home in Montana, later locating at
Spaulding. Idaho Only a few of the
Tonkawas are remaining on tho Okla
homa reservation.
During the Civil war the Tonkawas
remained neutral, their attitude bringing
upon them the hatred OF the Conan
ches. Caddos, wichitas. Delawares.
Ahawnees and Kickapoos. who COM
bined in efforts to wipe out the entire
Tonaawa tribe. II IS stated too. that
these tribes remembered the days when
the Tonkawas were cannibals and were
eager to get revenge for banquets OF
that nature which had followed battles
between the Tonkawas ana other tribes
Powerful Indian Tribe.
When the Tonkawas were first found
by Europeans and historians they were
the most powerful nation OF Indians in
the southwest Of the main continent OF
America, a fact which tends to throw
some light on the legend they so re-
spect coh;erning the time when the
earth was covered with Tonkawas. At
this time they were the only Indians
with any start toward advancement and
civilization, and theirs was d crude ad
vancement--in advance OF civilization.
They understood the art of weaving
cloth. for which they used n species OF
silkweed bark fiber; and they kept his
tories and religious records by strands
of beads, which by their variety were
made to convey information to the Sc
elusive set Of professors who were bound
to reveal the truth, and always to read
aright-dor II they should add or take
away a part of the subject of this bead
history they would suffer the penalty OF
death.
The most extreme law Of the Tonka-
was. and one that has puzzled students
of human nature and historic customs,
was their law of marriage and divorce,
any infringement OF which was punish
able by cutting off the ears for the first
! ofrense, cutting off the nose for the sec
ond, and by death for the third. A
grown man who did not do his share OF
the work in the little maize tracts was
denied the right to marry
With the exception OF a handful OF the
! tribe which s;ill resides in northern
| Oklahoma, there are about 1000 Ton
aawas in Idaho where they have re-