Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10
REDS BID FAREWELL
TO HUNTING GROUNDS
White Men Crowd indians OJt
OF the Columbia River
Country.
LAST CEREMONY Is WEIRD
Squaws in Death Chant in Light OF
Moon-Old Chief Speaks Words OF
Parting and They Embark
on Silent River.

Spokane. wash. April 3.-Chief To-
manawas and his tribe OF Siwashes
have said their farewells and taken for
nal lea We of their favorite hunting and
fishing grounds on the Columbia river.
aear what is TO be the town of White
Bluffs. In Douglas county, southwest of
Spokane. The final powwow and pot
.atch took place at night, and closed
with the tribal salute to the coming OF
he white race,
Graceful in his gestures and eloquent
m tongue. Tomanawas delivered the
farewell oratiou. holding the people lit
orally ~spellbound for a quarter hour,
while ne glorifed their deeds of valor,
old OF their struggles against the white
man and of their battles with other
.ribes who sought to invade the rich
ALLEY, there he and his tribesmen and
their forebears held sway many years.
The ceremonials were witnessed by a
number Of yakimas. one time the bit
.erest foes OF h departing tribe, also
by a large gathering OF settlers, who
came into the valley in advance of the
.ranscontinental railroad now building
through Washington.
The farewell was preceded by three
lays OF dancing, during which the chief
and headmen visited the old stamping
StoDtAAs IN tilaln No thS ~ vi
their victories in the Yakima Indian
wars.
This was followed by IL hours OF
fasting, during which the squaws and
girls prepared the camp for the final
cave taking.
Al dusk the heads of the bands Wis
tied the tribal burial grounds. request
ng the newcomers TO permit the re-
mains OF their departed brothers to rest
slndiGtnrhpH This rite hafno "a t~vfad
out with much ceremony and pomp, the
Indians assembled at the waters edge.
where small fires mad been started and
The flames smothered. Chief Tomana-
was tmpersonated the wal god to salute
he newcomers.
Weird Death Chant.
When the moor appeared at a certain
point in the sky, the squaws began a
death chant, which vas weird INC wild
In the extreme. their voices mingling
with the bowling OF the coyotes. Win
nebishu, declared to be the Oldest
squaw in the Pacific northwest, pros
trated herself before the central fire
at the beginning OF the chant and as
her voice gave expression to tones like
the vail OF a lost soul, the fires, in
turn. were uncovered and the squaws
formed a circle about them. At points
between the fires the headmen took
positions, each decked In the war paint
and h~eadfeather of the old days.
Squaws and girls, with the old-fash-
Toned pestie and mortar, ground grain
for the food. The corn and wheat
has been charmed by the meatniNe
nan The chanting of the sQuaws
continued 20 minutes, Wnen ,4Her
Tomanawas arose from a crouch
ing position in the center of the big
circle and, giving a shout which echoed
1nKNa fila ETla nnsn ~ nIAl hos -.
sembled to harken to the last voice OF
the warriors which would ever be heard
in the Columbia river valley.
At the close OF his address, which
was largely OF historical character, the
veteran chieftain squatted on the
ground, and the Indians Joined the
chant of the aged squaw who, during
the early part OF the ceremony and the
chiefs big talk, Frustrated herself,
squirming TO free herself from the
bands which bound her and the others
of the tribe to this part of the river
lands. When all was quiet the squaw
uttered a terrifying scream and
swooned. striking the ground with
force.
Close With Dance.
without the slightest heed to the
woman, the chief n his t~ribesmen.
disregarding all formalities, gathered
around the EdluTOU Oh Streaming Hlui-
ligans'' and during the following Is
minutes they did full justice to the dish.
AT the close OF the feast there was a
dance, several of the Indians doing the
torture dance with their war clubs.
When this was over Chief Tomanawas
and his men knelt at the waters edge.
on the bank of the river, and. raising
their faces to the heaven, they voiced
another dtrge-like song.
At midnight, hen the o had
reached the point in the sky for which
the farewell had been timed, the fires
on the river bank were smothered
canoes were pushed into the water. the
aged squaw was placed on a rudely-
built litter and showed into one of the
skiffs. and. with blankets around their
heads and shoulders, Chief Tomanawas
and the Indians o their places in
their craft. At a signal from the chief
tain the canoes were padded out into
the swift waters of the Columbia river
and the passing Of the red men, from
the valley became q matter Of history