Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-21
INDIAN IN HIS HOME.
Information Gathered by the
Bureau of EthnoIogy.
HISTORY OF OMAHA TRIBE
Language, Customs, Government and
Social Organizations.
QUIET AND PEACEABLE PEOPLE
But Small Remnant of Once Great
Aggregation Remains on Reser-
walton in Nebraska.

lhere Is probably no subject which
would appeal to as many people. or pre-
sent better opportunities for investiga-
tl2n. than the history of the American
Indian. Yet ii is a subject not generally
appreciated in spite of the fact that the
bureau of American ethnology has been
for the last thirty-two years publishing
the results of comprehensive researches
into various phases of the life history
of these native Americans. In the course
of its service the bureau has conducted
researches into Indian languages. Gus
toms, government and social organiza-
tons, religion, music and arts and in
dustries, we'll as into the physical
and mental characteristics OF the people:
studies covering nearly sixty linguistic
families and more than SEQ tribes. rs
publications total twenty-seven reports,
lifty-one bulletins and several volumes
of miscellaneous contributions
The latest publication, designated
the twenty-seVenth annual repor-. deals
in the first part with the adminiStrati ton
and operations OF the bureau, and in the
second with the story of the Omaha
tribe. the latter q monograph of about
6Jo pages, illustrated by sixty-fve plates
and I'D text figures. This monograph is
the joint production of Miss Alice {.
Fletcher, VINO for thirty years has en-
ioyed exceptional opportunities for eth
biological studies among the Omaha peo-
pie. and Francis La Fiesche, himself an
Omaha the son of former principal
chief This cola boration gives the paper
especial significance as an important con-
tributiOn to American ethnoloSy, and it
forms the most complete monograph of
an Indian tribe which has yet appeared.
Ohama Tribes Reservation.
The Indians forming the Omaha tribe
now live in the state of Nebra ska, in the
counties of Burt, Cunning and Thurston,
where land was coded to them by an
act of Congress in 1SS2 and amended in
1882 On this reservation. selected by
them in 1854. is gathered the remnant
of a once great tribe of Siouan stock,
which had begun, several centuries De
fore, a westward migration from its home
in the east, near a great body of water,
proba bly, in the Appalachian mountains.
Although there were at one time many
tribes which. together. constituted the
Omaha group. today only five have OBJ
vious connection - the Omaha. Ponca,
Usage. kansa and Quapaw. These five
are closely bound together by language.
organiZa ton and religion.
Both the Omaha sacred legend with
which the paper deals at some length.
covering their early migration to their
settlement in the west. and the researches
of the authors show the Omaha to have
been quiet and peaceably inclined peo-
pie, maintaining an attitude of defense
rather than arrogance toward other
tribes and the white sttlers. 1t is re-
corded that the Omaha We're never at
war with the government. ana that II Is
the only tribe which has continued to
| live in Nebraska since the advent of the
white settlers.
Form of Habita tons.
When not travelling, the Omaha estab-
venient to timber. and generally on hill
sides where good garden sites could be
obtained. Here their dwellings took the
form Of either earth lodges, conical tents
OF tipis Some of the tips were so large
| that the hides Of severa. buffalo were
required to make 4 single covering. Each
family had a corral of horses and cult
waited certain part of the hillSides or
lowands. where corn and other vege-
tables We're raised for winter provisions
and for trade.
Corn or maize was the principal food
and every household had it's garden
where the corn was carefully planted
weeded and hOed until it was well grown
Sluashes. melons and beans We're grown
and sometimes in the same field with
corn. the stalks serving as poles for the
beans.
In the summer. after the crops were
well advanced. the whole tribe except
| the aged the sick and a few who acted
| as guards. went on the annual buffalo
| hunt This was always conducted with
great ceremony. and was under the con-
| troll of the leader selected for the occa-
| sion The yearly hunt was advent of
supreme Importance to the whole tribe.
| for on its results depended the annual
| supply of food, well as the skins for
| clothing and trade. The leader of the
| hunt had an assistant who answered to
| his name and took all the blame in case
| anything went wrong. This official
scape2oat. being appointed by the chief.
| held his office with dignity and remark
| able good nature. Some hunting for deer
| and elk was done in a desuitory way in
the winter by small parties and even by
| individuals Fish was a popular article
OF diet Men. women and children fished
| either with strange hookless lines, or by
driving the fish into shallow water.
where they We're shot with arrows,
| speared captured by hand.
Places Thought Above Emotion.
| The individual Omaha takes a Drac-
| teal view of nature and human life
rather than fanciful ONE. and while
this may tend to make him somewhat
prosaic. it also develops his mind and
leads to certain steadiness of char
| acter. placing the value of thought
above emotion This is undoubtedly the
cause OF tribal control in certain in
stances. where the individual disappears
land the people are considered as ii
whole.
| 1t appears that the Omaha tribe is
a group of native Americans. sturdy
in mind and body, more given to in
dCStrial than to artistic pursuits, yet
gifted with an elemental craftsmanship
and ability to discover the power
OF a religious motive for the preserva-
ton of social order and the maintenance
of peace. Although good fighters. they
came to recognize that fighting was not
the only route TO achievement. but was
best employed tas their word for
tribe indicates) when exercised for
defense of their homes and the in
tegrity OF the tribe.
| Prominent in the establishment of the
tribe upon it's reservation stands Joseph
La Flesche, father of the co-authOr,
Francis La FieSche.
Schools Included in Plan.
At that time chief of the tribe. Joseph
La Flesche carried out a plan of his
own for the systematic formation of d
township He laid out roads and
boundaries. advised the construction of
houses. introduced trading and farm
ing. and attended to the organization of
schools. always practicing the doctrines