Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-02-15
INDIANS TO HOLD BIG POW-WOW.
Red Men of North America, Mexico, Central
And South America Will Gather in San
Diego, California, During The Great
Panama Exposition of 1915.

Panama Exposition of 1915.
Washington, d. c., Feb. 13.-Per-
haps the majority of persons who have
ever given any thought to the history Of
the American Indian have wondered
that it has not received more attention
from students, and that 90 few attempts
have ever been made to treat il from a
sympathetic and scholarly standpoint
These persons have not been aware. in
all probability, that under the patron
age of the greatest Of American finan-
ciers man peculiarly well qualified by
education, temperament and enthusi-
asm, was making the study of the van
ishing race the work of his life.
Edward S. Curtis bss but recently be
gun to tell the world what his life work
has revealed about the Indian. He has
lived among the native tribes, eaten
with them, Travelled with them, been
adopted into their clOsest relations-ini-
tiated into their religious mysteries; in
short, be has been one of them to whom
they told their sacred my thoIogy and
and reVesled their barred souls as they
could not do to any but one who seemed
to be man and brother actuated by
the loftiest motives which they them
selves owned.
AS result of his long years of study
and travel among the Red Men, Mr..
Curtis acquired innumersble photo
graphic studies of the greatest artistic,
historic and chronological value: he Sc
cured photographic records of the In
dian languages and dialects, Of the lat
ter more than one thousand being
known; he secured also photographic
records of songs, chants and other mu-
sic of the Indians. One result of his
labor is a work of the greatest value.
THE North American Indian, " and an
other result is series Of lectures. or
rather, of picture-operas, combining
music, pictures and narrative. 1t il the
latter unique feature which the public
will probably most enjoy, and which has
proved to be immensely popular, Gre
ating furOre wherever shown.
The city of Washington recently had
two opportunities to enjoy the picture
operas of the Mr.. Curtis. They were
given under the auspices of the Archa-
Geological Institute Of America, and the
most prominent people in Washington
were patrons of the affair and filled the
theatre where the entertainment was
held. To attempt to describe in a few
words the strangely beautiful music,
produced by famous composer on the
themes of the savage chants. and the
pictures which seem to lay bare the DO
etic souls of the people who of all others
that have ever lived were saturated
with the poetry that was theirs from
the most intimate, lifelong association
with nature, would be trifino with q
great subject. Casual observers of the
Red Men know only what is most obvi-
Gus, most sordid, most unpoetic. That
there is another side to the Red Men
the casual observer would never learn
Now that they are diminishing in num-
bers, IN power, in the extent OF their
sway, 1t is well that someone ia perpet-
uating what is noble, great and aspiring
about them.
Now that the Indian is no longer a
menace to civilization" to an extent
that requires the maintenance of mill
tary posts to keep him good by force of
arms, there is great awakening of in
terest in him. Recently he was encour-
aged to organize in Washington great
society in which all the remaining tribes
are expected to participate, the Indian
Brotherhood, which will some day have
vast lodge of stone and steel and glass
in the Capital city where the brother
hood can hold council fires and the relics
of the fading nations can be preserved.
Long before the race fades into the
twilight of history, however, there will
be held great congress of Indian tribes
in the city Of San Diego, CAL, at the
big Panama California Exposition dur
ing the entire calendar year 1915. Here
the Indians Of North America, Mexico.
Central and South America, will be reo-
resented by families and tribes. each
one living in its own little reservation.