Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-08-25
HOLD ANNUAL
WAR DANCE
SHAWNEE INDIANS AT STOMP
GROUND NEAR SHAWNEE
CUSTOM FAST DYINGOUT
Younger Indians Take Little Inter
est in War Dance-Old Warriors
Are Dying OF.

Shawnee, Okla, Aug. A.--A genu-
inc war dance with all the concom-
infants of naked Indians, gaudy
blankets and paraphernalia, ilea-blt-
ten dogs and war paint was pulled
off at the stomp ground on Charley
Stars place southeast of town yes
terday afternoon. The war dance
can only be held by permission Of the
agent, and there are few tribes in
the United States who are allowed
the privilege of indulging in their
aboriginal rights. Among the Shaw
nees and Kickapoos Agent Thackery
has been allowing a war dance about
once year.
The road leading to the stomp
ground winds through fairly heavy
piece of oak timber for three-quar-
ters of mile or so, and the first inn
itation we had Of approaching our
destination was shrill yell or two
which caused an uneasy sensation in
the vicinity of our scalp lock. AS
the writer drew nearer the yells grew
more frequent, and the low rumble of
the tom tom also struck the ear.
Then band of NANCY dogs came
rushing down the road and an oc-
casional Indian could be seen through
the trees. On seat of split logs
under a rudely constructed lodge
covered with brush sat the "band, "
whose sole instruments consisted of
the diminutive tom tom, or green
hide drum, and their vocal organs.
In front of them was circular plot
of ground about fifty feet in dame
ter which was tramped absolutely
bare and solid, aud in it were about
thirty Indians who were participat-
ing in the dance, Their appearance
was bizarre in the extreme, present
ing a rare combination of the uses
of savagery and civilization. Many
of them were plain everyday clothes
while Others were decked out in the
full panoply Of their past glory. The
majority of them, however, presen
ted a nondescript combination of In
dian costume and paleface accoutre-
meni that wonld he imnossihle Ia de-
The dance itself is harder TO give
an idea of. to one who has never
seen it. The warriors arrange them
selves in sort of half moon for
nation toward the center of the
stomp ground, and as the weird chant
and pounding of the drum commen-
ces they start the stomping motion
peculiar TO their race, joining in the
chant. AT first their motion is gen
tie and their forward movement is
almost imperceptable, but their dane
ing becomes more energetic and their
singing louder as they more rapidly
advance toward the rude seat ON
which the musicians are located.
When they are within a couple of
feet of the drummer the low chant
has grown into chorus of shrill
yells aud the dancing becomes a vio-
lent distortion Of the entire body.
AT n sign from the leader of the
dance, who assumes position at the
front the entire body falls back to-
ward their original position, while
the music and dancing subside in the
same ratio in which they had increas-
ed during the advance. Reaching the
original position there is an imme-
date rally, and without a moments
pause the entire program is repeated
and so it continues for probably n
dozen rallies. During all this time
the paroxysm is reached when the
forward movement is at its apex and
has become more and more violent
until the yelling has become deafen-
ing and the dancing or contoTtions
frenzy. Then some one of the war
riors advances from the crowd of
dancers and strikes the drum as
sign for silence and attention. In
stantly the clamor and motions cease,
and the entire band stand motioness
and silent while the warrior who
has given the signal proceeds to ha-
rangue the drummer and musicians.
Speeches, as they were delivered,
were all of the same tenor and con-
sisted of braggadocio account of
the hostile experiences of the speak
ers. This story telling was indulged
in only by the older men in attend ,
ance, who had actually been warriors.
OF these there were about a dozen .
pesent.
The squaws don't participate in .
the war dance but were formed in a
double line to the left of the stomp
ground, where they joined in the f;
chant and kept up slow dance, or
from one foot to the {
bther, without advancing or retreat
ing, except when the dancing of the
became more violent, when
hey would advance very slowly a |
few feet and then retreat. q
Although about half dozen of the I
'lder Indians appeared in nothing '
ut brech clout and leggings. the $
rost of them chung to their cotton 4
hirts and trousers, although they all 9
yore the shirt outside 1.-THE pants. $
3nt two tomshawks were To be seen v