Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-06-24
CLAIMS HIGH HONOR
Is Chief Of Otoes and Keeper Of
the Palladium.
Indian Says Sacred Pipe Was Made
BY the "Great spIrit"-Possesses
Wonderful Properties, 40
cordlng to Legends.

Pawnee, kla.-Richard Shunatona,
an Indian here, claims the distinction
of being not only chief of the 0toes,
but also that Of being keeper OF the
sacred palladium OF the tribe. Rich
ard is much interested in the tradi-
tons Of Indian tribes, and thinks that
the traditions Of the Otoes should be-
printed and preserved AZ part Of the
history Of the passing Of red races.
Through the far-back times" says
Shunatona, my ancestors were keep
ers of our sacred palladium. It con-
sists of sacred pipe or calumet
nodded in the form of an image per-
son, bison hair, and some genuine
green tobacco The great spirit, Wa
con-dah, broke with his own hand a
piece of red stone and out of 1t made
a pipe head A stem Is made and
when his pipe is filled from this pipe
of peace the smoke rises gradually
to the top of heaven and breaks
against 1t, signaling all nations there
is peace. The bison hair is the% en-
blem of our family clan, besides being
in memoriam of some member who
are two distinct clans under the Otoe
tribe, the Bison and the Bear, In
which there are several families un-
der each clan. In plain English, the
bison is our coat of arms and our
family is called the Bison clan, or
Ah-lu-qwah.
-Four men migrated from another
world to this earth and on their jour
ney one was transformed into a
bison, and his companions slew and
left him. On the first day one Of
them went back and found that their
slain companion had changed his pc.
sition. The second day another went
back and found he had changed to
still another position. The third day
another went back and found a
strange plant growing from his sides.
That plant was tobacco.
'The sacred palladium Is used for
various purposes, usually with rever-
ence and respect. All family names
are derived from this story
1.-THE greatest part Of the rites Of our
palladium, and the most essential part,
is the ceremonial Of the peace pipe in
making peace and friendship between
parties. 1t binds in bonds of friend
ship strong and fnseverable as that
of Jonathan and David. A peace
treaty was made by and between the
Otoe tribe Of Indians andrthe United
States government June "a, 1917 In
statute Z page 154, you will find
the name of Schon-ga-tong-a or Big
Horse, at the head of the chiefs Our
family descended from that man, and
he kept the faith.
THE sacred palladium, or calumet,
used on that memorable day is still in
our family am the keeper now, for
my uncle conferred on me the title of
priest on his dying bed. The standard
of the title Is rapidly vanishing, for
each day brings it's changes and we
are entering new era. My people,
who were well versed to retain all the
songs, the monuments and the story
of the sacred palladium, are no more;
and in my day there is no need OF my
performing the rituals Of any func.
ton, because we do not have them.
You can no longer learn from the
priest all the sacred teachings unless
you are member of the priest's
family. The father teaches the son
and no one else. The heritage left
US does not belong to the present day
and age. And /, for one, welcome the
inevitable chance and acknowledge
with grace the white mans superiority
and bow obeisance to his ceremonies,
becauce they are now practically uni.
versal."