Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1918-12-05
Sioux Indian Victory
Celebration Saturday
Judge Bssde Interestingly Rsports sieas
iadian Ceremonial Victory Dance
Held Last Saturday Fl

Saturday the Western Sioux In
dians celebrated the old time In
dian Victory-dance, postponed from
Nov. II to Nov. 80 on, account Of
influenza. This is the first time
the Indian Victory dance has been
celebrated since the evening after
the Sitting Bull Custer battle, and
the last time it will ever be seen
unless the United States should
have another war while Indians
who know the ritual Of this dance
still live.
A tree was ceremonially cut and
prepared with alternating circles Of
white and black with the wolf near
the top Of the tree, though on this
occasion the United States flag to
which Indians are loyalty devoted,
waved above the wolf. And on this
occasion the Sioux, for the first
time in their history definitely adop-
ted Sioux Indian emblem which is
to wave on appropriate occasions
just below the U. s. flag, sienifying
that in this war the United States
led to victory the. united Indians
and white men.
No Standing Rock Sioux Indian
or other Indian in North Dakota,
20 far as I know, has failed to eag-
erly do his full duty in this war.
Willingly those qualified have gone
as soldiers while those at home
have worked for and raised money
/. for the Red Cross and other. similar
organizations. At this Victory
dance they raised over 1900 for
war work.
The dignified movements Of this
old historic native American dance
were interpreted with appropriate
speeches lauding the bravery Of
civilized white men and Indians
and giving thanks to the Great
Spirit for the victory over 'sbarbar-
ism such as the Indians never
heard Of BEFORE" as one speaker ex-
pressed it. In the speeches there
was no call for revenge, but as one
expressed it, let them put away
their barbarism and then we will
give their nation its old place by
the sacred campfire Of the nations;
and for the sake Of humanity, we
! will give them food to keep them
from starving till they can procure
food for themselves, according to
the old and sacred custom Of our
fathers to be merciful to a con.
auered enemy.
One should remember that the
western Sioux are quite well posted
on international affairs, as In for
mer tinles>thoy were posted on in
ter.tribal affairs.
The costumes for this dance were
the old.time costumes. Four ori-
ginal songs composed for this oc-
casion, three by old men and one
by old women were used with the
music. One Of these songs. com.
posed BY saswqy, is as'follows:
''Rhaye, ehya, eyhe,
Tuukanshinayapd
Akicitamashi. (
e Iyashica kin
Wayakaoblu
Proclaim 1t, proclaimit, proclaim it,
The sacred Grandfather
Asked me to be his soldier,
And so each Kaiserite
We met we put to fight.
Push on, push on, push on,
Downtown, downtown they 20,
Be brave, be brave, rush onl
Down they go, down they go!
Perfect poetic rythm, meter and
time movement appears in each
song One minor note was gently
touched, doubt that white men
will appreciate and record the. 10y
atty Of Indians in this war. +.
The, Cannonball Indians at theil
j victory celebration raised over $500
The Porcupine Indians have no
reported yet. "A. McG. Beede.
Z I ~ K b. =. y. .