Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-07-31
THE PASSING
OF OLD Times
INDIANS CELEBRATING PASS
ING OF OLD CONDITIONS.
STATEHOOD IS new LIFE
There Is Feasting Dancing, Religious
Ceremonies and Giving of Pres
ents, as Custom Obtained.
Special TO the World.

| ppeclal 10 lHe WOrlu.
Guthrie, Okla, July 30.-The In,
dians Of Oklahoma are taking advan-
tage Of the interim between the pass.
ing away Of the old conditions and
the advent Of the new state govern
ment in general demonstrations and
celebrations all over the two terri
tories. They apparently desire to
have the time of their lives before
finally resigning to the inevitable lot
of citizens Of the United States gov
ernment.
The biggest gathering of Indians is
near Hominy, in the Usage nation.
The Poncas, Otoes, Kiowas, Conan
ches, Kaws and Big and Little Osages
have been celebrating the passage of
the allotment bill there for several
weeks and are still putting in the time
feasting and dancing. The Usage
Indians during the past week also
celebrated the ancient custom of
,onferring the "Medicine degree" on
the eldest son. Pawnee- Wah-Tah
presided as chief orator. The cele-
bration was held near Gray Horse.
The "sacred pack" has been held
by one family for six years, but later
it will be passed on to the best friend
of the family with similar ceremonies.
The Pawnee Indians have ben en-
tertaining their old enemies, the
Sioux, for several weeks with the
green corn dance and feasting. Buff
falo and pony dances were also in
dulged in and many blankets were
given away by the Pawnees to the
Sioux visitors. Agent Nellis, Of the
Pawnees, made a trip to the scene
# the festivities and warned the
Indians that it would be crime to
give away ponies and blankets that
had been mortgaged.
The Indians of the Quapaw agency
are preparing for big farewell cele-
bration at Wyandotte, beginning on
August Z, and lasting four days. The
Senecas, Wyandottes, Modocs, Della
wares and Peorias will participate.
The Quapaws will givet heir green
corn and stomp dances, addresses
will be made b. prominent Indians
each night during the celebration,
the old time religious custo moi re-
turning thanks to the Great Spirit
for bountiful crops will be celebrated.
The Ponca Indians are arranging
the biggest demonstration, to DE held
September Is and 16, the thirteenth
anniversary of the opening Of the
strip to settlement. All Oklahoma
Indians will be invited to attend, and
invitations have been sent out to all
northern tribes to participate. The
list includes Sioux, Winebagoes, the
Omahas, and several Others. The
Omahas, of which the Poncas are
A branch, frequently visit with each
other. !.
The entertainment being provided
by the Poncas include dancing, smok-
ing, buffalo feasts and other Indian
amusements. In return the visiting
tribes will give costly presents, in
cluding ponies and blankets, and the
Poncas will likewise lavish gifts on
the visitors. The head chief of the
Poncas, has arranged with the Miller
Brothers. of the "l0l" ranch, to
furnish all the cattle and buffalo
needed for the feast. The Poncas
expect to entertain 1000 visitors and
they will bear the entire expense.
Soince the passage of the statehood
bill, some Indian tribes that have not
vet been declared citizens of the
United States, have shown disposi-
ton to seek such recognition. The
Kaws have made application for citi-
zenship, and during the past week,
Mrs. Frank Lessert, one of the veal
thiest Kaws, and the owner Of 400
acres of land near Kaw City, was Civ
en- a certificate of competency and
similar certificate was given to
George Hardy. son of the Kaw chief,
General William Hardy. and cousin
of Congressman Curtis, of Kansas.