Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-28

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- WING things away to his friends
is the means of celebrating the
- Fourth of July that the Siou,
Indian employs. This unique
system of celebration. so clar
acteristic of the open handed red man Is
known to the white inhabitants OF North
and South Dakota as the "give-aWay.
and is often the means OF beggarns the
good-natured son of I.o. WHO enters into
his particular form of pastrne with the
same whole heartedness tia the Ameri-
can boy, old or Young, exhibits in his
passion for py~otechnics.
The Fourth OF July will prove a gala
day on the reservations Indians old and
young Indians good and bad will JOIN
In the ceremony. Nature supplies the
vast amphitheatar for the merrymaking.
while the white brethren will come from
far and near 10 make the necessary vast
audience for the Indian loves ceremony
and picturesque surroundings. and, In
consequence takes his enjoyment more
heartily when he occupies the center OF
the stage.
Among the Sioux tribes there has al
WAYS been 2 custom of making presents
numbers are gathered In former days.
when thousands were sometimes assem-
bled for the hunt the waiting time in
camp was often enliven@i by people in
one band making presents to some IN
another. The "give-away' was also prac-
iced at funerals by the relatives of the
deceased. with the general result of beg
CARING them. The best gifts went to
those who walled the loudest. When
visitors from a distance came to see a
man the publicity of the event acted on
him as a stimulant. just as publicity does
with white people. Under this stimulus
the host sometimes gave his most val
liable property to his guests The swain
would say to his beloved: i love your
father and / will be good to him if you
viii marry me. l will help to herd his
horses. and I will give him. much meat
to eat And l will also give him my
finest pinto pony and the beautiful saddle
1 used in the races yesterday. These
were strong arguments to the average
maiden who, of all girls. was the most
hi1al, She was overpowered by the gen.
NIOsity Of her lover, and softly capitu-
0ted.
Antiquity Of the Custom.
The ''give-away," more ancient than
the oldest person in the tribe. has been
latterly used at the Indian festivities on
the Fourth of July. 1t is practically the
old show on a different stage. In lieu
Of the old-time hunt. which was the event
of greatest publicity, these people now
forward to as soon as they have recov-
cred from the arduous festivities of the
white mans dance" on New Year eve.
Consumption took the son of Raised-him
away last August, and his dear memory,
sim green in the hearts Of his parents,
win be revived in other hearts by the dis
tribution OF much sugar. coffee. meat.
moccasins and bread at the "give-away'
also. will be announced the betrothal
of young Alfred Goes-among-them. COM
monty known as NO-neck. to the winsome
daughter of Capt. Spear. the old scout
who made himself so valuable to Gen.
Crook. Alfred will signalize the event
with gifts to the captain And SO on. and
SO on. All these probable events are
topics for gossip during the half year. and
the best crowd may be expected at the
celebration where the biggest and most
liberal ''give-away" is scheduled. Where
the prey is. there are the vultures gath
cred"
While this custom is in general prac-
tice throughout all the Sioux tribes, there
is no hard and fast rule for carrying 1t
out Each Indian strives to make some
striking and unusual display of his gen.
eroSity. There are no committees to
apportion the gifts or to dictate in any
manner whatever how one shall dispose
of his property. The popular voice. how
ever. has much to do with ones salts
faction in giving Woe unto him who
undertakes a sneak of any sort. Each
giver must to gain applause. give the
best he has. And. as a rule, the one
who gives with the remotest hope of re-
ward is acclaimed the loudest. While a
professional orator is always on hand to
announce the gifts. where the givers are
too timid to do so, one who can make
his own speech always receives applause.
In late years. visiting bands of old he
reditary enemies have carried away the
greatest prizes. An Indian loves to re-
ceive gifts SO we'll that some compen-
satory feature must balance his loss in
order to make generosity tolerable with
him AS. in occasional cases. he loves
publicity more than he loves his property.
the "give-away' is an escape valve for
his vanity.
"Give-Away" the Important Feature.
All the barbaric ceremonies of this
aboriginal celebration are of second
airy interest compared with the give
away: there appears TO be no logical
connection between these exercises and
the Declaration of Independence. The
white visitor does not hear anything
about the Declaration. All seems a re-
turn To savagery. pure and simple True
the flag is everywhere in evidence. but
the older Sioux Indians regar.- il as an
emblem of their subjugat!on. Patriotism
as the white American understands it.
is growing among the younger memD' RS
of the Sioux tribes. but II is largely a
feeling of regard for the government
because OF its princely treatment nj the
Indians
When the Indian day schools closed
ON Friday the parents were ready to
take the children aboard their wagons
and then 10 HE away. They so into 2
large camp. where the children. released
from school for two months. can live in
tents and be dirty they please
All tie old communal life is again in
full force. What any one has more thar
lie needs for Immediate is his neigh
bor's Though the game is gone. some
OF the wealther men in the tribe will
have beef that they will kill and divide
among the people. Restrictions on tho
Indian dance are not rigid. and as
they dance the Indians sing: We are
white men all the year, but we are In
dians on the Fourth of July" While
their conduct during the rest of the yeaI
cannot always be termed strictly white. -
II is true that the glorious Fourth. as
painted by Mr. Lo. is luridly red"
The Firstcomers.
One may imagine himself. tomorrow
morning in camp on Sioux reserva
ton in South Dakota. 1t is yet severa
DAYS until the Fourth. but the outline:
of the camp are well defined. and sew
erai features are in active operation. The
camp lies on the rim OF q circle miit
ard a half in diameter. The situation
has been selected for freedom from cact