Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-04-26

Mr.. Monette pictured to US alter.
nately the characteristics of the Da.
kota or Sioux tribe and contrasted
with them those of the Chippewa or
Obijway. Both tribes have been until
recently a great factor in the life of
this county, it, being less than fifty
years since there were on Sioux coulee
in the vicinity of Langdon a popula-
ton of perhaps not less than 5000
Sioux and probably as many Chippewa
in other parts of the district. For this
reason we think it might be we'll to
give the meaning of the names of
these rival nations, as taken from
the Century Dictionary:
Dakota-A division of the Sionau
stock of North American Indians.
composed of the Dakota proper and
Assinaboine. Their former habitat
was in Montana and the adjacent part
of the northwest territory of British
North America as we'll as in North
and South Dakota and Minnesota.
The Dakota proper or Sioux, were
originally in seven Gentes, whence
the name by which they sometimes
call themselves. Otceti Cakowin (the
seven council fires) these seven Gen.
ties have become the primary divisions
of the Dakota and are as follows:
Observation-Disclosures Waqpekute, Sisi.
tonwan, (village of the marsh),
Waqpetonwan (village of the woods),
Ihauktonwan, Ihauktonwanna and
Titonwan. The Observation-Disclosures
were the original Isanyati or Santee
but at present the Waqpekute also
are called by that name. These or
iginal divisions have also developed
into at least l26, including those of
the Waqpekute, which have not been
acquired. The present number (l9O2)
of the Dakota is %, 449. The AS
sinaboine numbers 3, OO8.
The Dakotas had a sacred language
which was only known and spoken
by their conjurors, war prophets and
medicine men.
Ojibway or Chippewa were a large
tribe of North American Indians.
Their former range was along the
north and south shores of Lakes Hur.
on and Superior and extended west
across northern Minnesota to the
Turtle Mountains of North Dakota
The Ojibwa, Ottawa and Pottawottomi
were connected in a loose con.
federacy designated as the three fires.
When supplied with firearms in the
early part of the eighteenth century
they greatly extended their territory
by occupying that of the Fox, Sioux
and Iroquois. They number now
about 80, 600, about equally divided
between the U. S. and Canada
Their name seems to refer to ''puck-
kering Or drawing up", whether as
variously contended, of the lips in
speaking or drinking, of a peculiar
seam in a moccasin, or of the skin of
a roasted prisoner, is uncertain.
The Sionau or Dakota Indians gave
our state its name and it should be
a great satisfaction to know that
early traders and travellers agree that
the Dakota were the finest type of
wild man imaginable. Of splendid
physique and guiltless in character.
The portraits of Indians of this nation
are the finest of all Cattelin's
collections in which there are more
than 800 in the National Museum at
Washington. We have also the word
of that artist in his illustrations OF
the Meanings. Customs and Conditions
of the North American Indian" pub.
lished by him in 1843. He states
they are the finest looking tribe on
the Continent. Few are so we'll dres.
sed or have 40 many comforts. In all
the years l have travelled among them
CONTINUED Over to Eighth Page