The Detroit times., 1914-05-21
INDIAN DANCES
CENSORED BY
WASHINGTON
Too Much TerpsichOrean lndul-
gence Bad for poor LO,"
Say Guardians
BEAT OF TOM-TOMS
R0USES BL00D-LUST
Uncle Sam Trying To WeaR Red
Charges From Tribal
Customs

WASHINGTON. May The In
dian office OF the department OF the
interior watches its Indian wards
with the jealous care OF a hen With
ore chicken, and one OF the things
that is denied him, is indulgence in
incorporated performance OF native
folk-dancing. which we're originally
designed 10 arouse his lighting blood.
The Indian always has been very
proud or his dancing, and in prohibit
ing some OF the dances that are not
considered good medicine the ln-
dian office is obliged TO use the great
est diplomacy The Indian, despite
statements TO the contrary, holds the
Great White Father" in fearful es-
TEEN, even To the point OF abandon
ing many OF his tribal dances.
In the days waen custer was chas-
ing Sioux along the Little Big Horn.
a good many OF the western tribes
We're addicted TO the sun dance at ire
quent and regular intervals. This
was largely OF a religious nature. ana
was designed TO propitiate the sun
goa. The braves chosen Tor the
dance were big. husky fellows, bless
ed with the gift OF Imagination. They
began with the beating OF tom-toms
as they danced III a circle, and as the
steady boom boom boom OF the tom
toms beat upon their ears. they grad
ually worked themselves into the
widest frenzy The climax came in
standardization OF the dancers. When
they had reached the proper condl-
ton OF enthusiasm and frenzy, out
would come the scalping knives. The
big braves, one by one, would pause
In the dance TO draw their knives
across their shoulders and breasts
until they dropped from exhaustion
through loss OF blood
The sun dance was one of the first
tribal customs, to come under the ban
or the government. First, the Indian
office tried To show the chiefs the det
rlmental moral effects OF the dance,
but the old chiefs stood pat on the
traditions OF their fathers and the
dance went on. One after another or
the arguments OF the Indian office
were exhausted, until finally the OIL
Gals invoked the picture OF the great
white father angry at his Indian chill
dance passed
In some parts or the unsettled west
the dance breaks out sporadically
still, but Uncle Sans official dance
censor shakes his head, and soon MS
disapproyal is brought home to the
recalcitrants through the long arm OF
the Indian Office
Another OF the dances Of the old
days that has passed into oblivion is
the war dance. Chief among the rea-
sons for stopping II was the psyche
logical effect on the Indian mind by
the winding mazes OF the dance and
the steady beat of the war drums.
The Indian on the warpath is bad
character to deal with
Another objectionable dance was
the scalp dance. This served much
the same purpose as the war dance,
only the Indians, with an eye to
realism. felt that a scalp or two was
needed for the proper effect.
AT the time the Indian office hrst
started to ban the Objectionable
dances OF the red men il was found
that when scalp dance was being
planned new scalp would appear
among the properties" scalp that
was anything but a heirloom OF In
dian forefathers, and in time word
would reach Washington that some
Indian or white man had been killed
and scalped Then would ensue a de-
tective work, with possible prosecu'
ton and trial, which served To work
up the Indians to a high pitch OF re-
sentiment.
Up 10 the present time the Indian
Office has not taken serious steps TO
abolish the snake dance OF the Hopi
Indians OF the southwest, but II Is
believed that this custom also is
doomed
Moving pictures taken on Indian
reservations can no longer be taken
without written permission OF the In.
dian office. The purpose is to do
away with anything tending to pre-
serve in the Indians minds the man
ners and customs from which the In
dian ONCE is trying to wean them.