The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-02-08
HISTORY OF THE
AMERICAN INDIAN
Especial TO the Silver State.)
Francis j. DYER.

/
given any thought to the history of
the American Indian have wondered
that it has not received more attention
from students, and that so rev at
tempts nave ever been made to treat ii
from sympathetic anu scholarly
standpoint. Ahese persons nave not
been aware, ia ali PROBABILITY, tnat
under the patronage OF tAe greatest Oh
american nnaneIeIs a man peeunarIy
wea quallhed Ny educaul0n, Ienpera-
meht ana enthusiasm, Was making the
study OF the vanishing race the WORK
o1 his life.
EDWARD >. Curtis has but recently
begun to tell the world what his lie
work has revealed about the Indian.
lie has lived among the native tnpes,
eaten with them, Lfaveied with them,
been adoptd into their closest rela.
tlons-inltlated into theu religious
mysteries; in snort, he has been one
/ OF them 10 whoIn they told their
sacred mythology and revealed their
barred souls as tney could not do to any
but one who seemed to be man and
brother actuated by the loftiest mo-
tives which they tnmeselves owned.
AS a result OF his long years of study
Curtis acquired innumerable photo
graphic studies of the greatest artistic,
historic and chronological value; he se-
cured photographic records OF the In
dian languages and dialects, OF the
latter more than one thousand being
known; ne secured also photographic
records Of songs, chants and other
ma 81 ha a
his labor. is a work OF the greatest
value, 1.-THE North American indian,
and another result is series OF lee
lures, or rather, OF picture-operas,
combining music, pictures and nara
tive. 1t is the latter unique feature
whicl the public viii probably most
enjoy, and which has proved to be i'm
mensely popular, creating furore
wherever shown.
Indian Picture-o Opera.
The city OF Washington recently
had two opportunities TO enjoy the
picture operas of AIR. Curtis. They
were given under the auspices OF the
Archaeological Institute OF America,
and the most prominent people in
Washington were patrons OF the affair
and hlled the theater where the enter
tainment was held. To attempt to de-
scribe 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 poetic 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 trifling with a great subject.
Casual observers of the red men know
only what is most obvious, most sor-
did, most unpoetie. That there is an
other side to the red men the casual
observer would never learn. Now that
they are diminishing in numbers, in
power, IN the extent of their sway, it
rs well that someone is perpetuating
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 a great awakening of
interest in him. Recently he was en-
couraged to organize in Washington a
great society in which all the remain
ing tribes are expected to participate,
the Indian Brotherhood, which viii
some day have a vast lodge of stone
and steel and glass in the capital city
whore the Brotherhood can hold coun-
ell fires and the relics of the fading
nations can be preserved. Long before
the race fades into the twilight of his
tory, however, there will be held a
great congress of Indian tribes in the
stt nf 81 ha
big Panama. California exposition dur
ing the entire calendar year 1915.
Here the Indians of North America,
of Mexico, Central and South America,
will be represented by families and
tribes, each one living in its own lit
tie reservation, in habitations such as
have become distinctive of the various
tribes, and following the occupations
in which each one excels. The desert
Indians making silver ornaments,
weaving their famous blankets, model
ing their priced, artistic pottery, weav-
ing the basketry which has no equal
anywhere else in the world; these and
other Indians demonstrating their
characteristic occupations, will make a
feature never before duplicated at any
exposition or elsewhere, and of itself
VIII warrant anyone in travelling
across seas and continents to study
some Of the most interesting native
peoples that have ever lived
One of the most interested and en-.
thusiastic persons who witnessed the
picture opera of Mr.. Curtis in Wash
ington, and listened to the strange but
beautiful music, was Col. D G. Col
ler president Of the San Diego exp
sition to be held in 1918.
This merely proves to me, sa
Col. Collier, 'that wisdom of the
position management in daring ~
strike out into new fields for interest
ing features This graphic story of the
American Indian is not only fascinat-
ing from an artistic point of view, but
it is most important from an ethnologi-
cal and scientific standpoint. What,
then, will be the Importance of getting
together at one time, under their own