The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-09-23
SIOUX TOAST
SONS WHO ARE
IN THE ARMY
Interesting CeremOnials Princi-
pal Feature of Standing
Rock Fair
200 BRAVES NOW IN WAR
Enlistments Have Been Common
Among Men of DakOtah
Nation

The Sioux Of Standing Rock reserva
ton, who have given 200 Of their
braVest sons to the cause Of demOc
racy, celebrated the taking to the war
path OF these young braves during
their annual fair which closed at For,
Yates today. The most interesting
sights of the fair were these ceremon
ials, held individually by each of the
tribes in front Of their council tents
They were much alike, and the rites
OF the Pine Ridge agency Indians may
be taken as an example.
Families. relatives and friends OF
the boys who have gone to war took
their places in the form of a rectang'e,
with the chiefs and leading men seat.
ed in front of the council tert Then
in turn, each Of the aged men ana
women who had given Uncle Sam a
son rose and chanted a verse in his
honor. The tune was always the
same, but each verse was individually
Of the son i'll whose honor it was
chanted.
Then, in the center of the rectangle,
half dozen aged warriors and four
women took their places about a big
base drum which has replaced the
Old-time tom tom. and in chorus they
chanted an epic eulogizlng all of the
young men from this particular tribe
who have donned the khaki of the
great white father.
There was no weeping nor Walllng.
A high spirit of exaltation was visible
in every face. Some of the old men
were so ancient that their voices
failed them, but they kept on until
the end.
One particularly ancient chieftain
of this tribe chanted:
"Our father asked US for our sons,
and our sons have gone, and we are
glad, for 1t is good that our sons fight
for our father whose battles are good
battles. Our sons have gone, and
we are proud. Our sons have gone
and we are glad that we had sons to
give"
In the Souan tongue these verses
were remarkably melodious. The chor.
al music was particularly agreeable,
all of the singers keeping perfect time
iwth the voices which harmoniOusly
were at once majectic, weird and tune
full.
more than 100 men have gone from
the reservation in North Dakota" said
an interpreter, Bear King, who is
foreman on P. Burnstad's Pollock
ranch. "A majority of them have vol
funteered. and our people are very
proud Of them. | doubt ii there is an
Indian family here which has not at
least one He'd Cross membership. You
may drive the whole length and
breadth Of the reservation and find
hardly an Indian home without its
Red Cross in the window.
THAT woman" pointing to an active
matrOn who must have been at least
80 years old. and who had taken a
very prominent part in the proceed
ings, chimingin with the songs of the
cnieftains, frequently interrupting
their exhortations and occasionally
breaking into rythmic dance, gives
dollar regularly every week to the
Red Cross. That is why sch is talking
so much. They all look up to her and
respect her.
THAT man over there" pointing
to handsome full-blood, "has just
donated horse for which he paid 500
to the Red Cross. 1t is thorough
bred with which he has won many
races, and we will auction it. off. 1t
should bring big price, for it's prob
ably the fastest horse on the reserva-
tion. Our people are in the war with
tehir whole heart and soul. They de-
light in doing war work, and they take
especial pride in their Red Cross but /
tons''
From out of at most every ten tents
which strung out on four sides of the
fair grounds to a length of two or
three miles floated a service flag |
showing that a son had joined the col
Ors. From every council tent, In COM
pany with a huge American flag.
floated bright red service banner.
About these flag staffs several times
each day the tribes gathered for a
feast, council or pOw-wOw, and always
the war; and the sons that had gone
to war, were topics uppedmost.
A pathetic, but noble figure, was
that of Mrs. John Grass Of Wakpala,
widow Of the late chief justice of the
Sioux nation, and grandmother of Al
bert Grass. the last of this ancient
line. who has just paid the supreme
sacrifice for democracy on Lorraine
battlefield. Mrs. Grass is very old,
but she was anything than unattrac-
tive as she sat cross-legged in front
of the tipi which she occupied alone
this year for the first time. There
was simple majesty in the calm, pa
tient expression on her distinctly In
dian features. She looked every bit
the fit mate for the great man who
left her a few months ago. and she
was accorded by everyone the homage
which was her due
-DuY ". S. s.
STILES MAKES
BIG SHIPMENT