The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-09-15
INDIANS WILL
POTLATCH
WHEN HOP PICKING IS OVER
Yakimas Want Help of White Man In
What Will Probably be the Final
Big Affair of Its Kind.

Yakima Indians have procured the
use of the state fair grounds for a
potlatch to be held the closing days
of this month or the early days of
october. The time is not definite but
will be as soon after the close of the
hop picking as the Indians can be as
sembed in this city. George Menu
Nick is the moving spirit in the under
taking and was escorted about the
city Monday in his efforts to see rep
resentatives of the fair commission by
5. r.. Farris who is an old acquaint-
ance of many of the Yakima Indians.
Mr.. Farris says the red brothers pro-
pose to have the best potlatch they
have ever held and the reasons there
for are various.
Many Visiting Indians.
There are more visiting Indians in
Yakima this fall than has been the
case for years past. Representatives
are present from the tribes of east.
west north and south. There have
been great many Indians in Seattle
this year and many of them have re-
turned by way of Yakima travelling
hence to the Columbia river as the
great highway by which they NAV
reach their homes in almost any d.
rection.
1t is two years now since the Yaki-
ma Indians have had a potlatch the
last being held at Toppenish on the
track there of Lancaster Spencer
That track has disappeared before the
hand of progress in this valley. It has
peen cut up by the pillow, the race
track has become a cultivated stretch
and the grandstand been converted To
other uses. 1t has long been felt bv
the more progressive Indians that be-
cause of the interest taken bv the
white people in their potlatch IT should
be held in the center whore nost
whites are to be found and hence
there has been a dsire for several
years to get it on the race track here.
New Future for Indians.
In year or two the reservation will
pass out Of existence as such and with
1t the Indian will enter into q new
stage OF his development. That stage
VIII mean a new condition of affairs
Tor the younger Indians and the Yak
mas Will not be in a position 70 en-.
tertain their cousins from other tribes
as they have in the past. Therefore
1t Is likely that the potlatch of this
year. II the white man will turn in and
lend a hand, will be the biggest that
the future will see.
Some important events are to he
pulled off this year. Several matches
nave been made between lannon's RIM
ming horses owned by the sporting ele-
ment of the various tribes. In adj
dltion there will be a number of omen
races, some dancing and the other at
fractions which appeal to the Indian.
Then there is a big bone game to he
decided between the Yakimas and
their ancient rivals in that pastime and
NeZ Perez Indians.
Big Game This Year.
Two big games have been played
in recent years and each tribe has won
one. This will be the rubber. At the
potlatch at Toppenish two years ago
the game lasted eight hours and went
to the Yakimas who thus won some-
thing like $1,000 in addition to blank
cts, saddles, ponies and numerous
''ie' PieNes VI piopeity. Al tnat time
were taken of the In
dams at their lay which are said to
be the only photographs of a really
important game of that kind which
have ever been taken. This bone
game, according to experienced Indian
observers, shows the red mans char
acteristics in his play. better than any
other and has been made a study of