Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-03
Indians Dances.

| Dancing is not only the principal
amusement of the Chickasaw Indians
! in Oklahoma, but it also Is made a
part of almost every ceremony known
! in their social life. When they seek
pleasure they dance If there iS death
or a wedding they dance. Religious
services on Sunday are preceded by
| dancing.
The summer season opens with q
green corn dance, which commences
about May Is and lasts two weeks
peace" dances are held regularly all
summer, once a week. On the last
| Of November comes the harvest
dance, & two weeks celebration.
! THE Chickasaw Indians. like most
other Indian tribes. spend nearly all
of their time in visiting and dancing"
said a business nan who spent last
summer in the Chickasaw nation.
Very few Indians are engaged in
| farming They lease their lands to
the whites. and their only responsible
ity is to collect rent money. The In
dams arc the leisure class and the
white people do the work.
1t is while clothed in the gay cOlors
of the dance that the Indians are seen
in their happiest mood. Then it is
that the sullen expression SO common
to the Indians fades away and real
pleasure beams out from under the
paint and feathers. Their lassitudc
disappears as they whrl around the
circle, caperins and hummins the
dance song.
At the commencement of the green
corn" dance the Indians gather front
~
dance house, large barn-like building
with dirt floor. hardened and worn
smooth from much tramping. They
come to the dance with their faces
painted and wearing their finest cloth
ing and trinkets. 1t is "fu,l-dress"
affair.
Each day of the green corn cele-
bration the dancing begins at 10
O'Clock in the morning and lasts until
about midnight. At intervals If from
two to five hours the dancers have an
| intermission of about 30 minutes.
which is spent in feasting on rice.
chicken. possum and dog meat and
smoking the pipe of peace" Some
times the Indians will dance in a wild
frenzy for 10 hours without once 60
| ing out of the circle.
| OF the whites only the "squaw men,
who took an oath Of allegiance to The
| tribe when they married their Indian
wives are permitted to dance. They
may participate if they are painted and
dressed in the Indian costume
There is more or less lovc-nalsing
at all the dances, but there are more
bethrothals at the green corn dance
! pnocthlxy
true because it comes in the spring.
when the Indians heart, as we'll as the
young mans, lightly turns to thoughts
of love" This celebration is rot re-
garded as n success by the younger
members Of the tribe unless it Is fol-
lowed in three or four months by sew
eral weddings. A marriage is always
the occasion Of feast and three
days dance The father of the bride
and the father of the bridegroom are
both expected to give presents to each
guest at the weddings. The gifts are
blankets, calico. beads. moccasins.
fes theirs and hrisht-colored ribbons.
The "pcace" dances are held regl-
larly all summer on Saturday and
| Sunday afternoons of each week. The
dance on Sunday afternoon is regarded
as part of the religious worship
which follows.
Few of tire Indians themselves have
crops 70 garner in the fall. but they are
thankful when the whites who rent
their land get good returns for their
labor. because it means that the
lease money for the next year will be
Forthcoming. So the harvest dance
is held late in November to celebrate
lthe good fortune Of the renters. The