Baxter Springs news., 1919-04-18
PIPE OF PEACE
IN WAR DANCE
Indian Warriors for a Quarter of
Century Engage in a Peace
War Dance-Pipe Not
Used for 40 Years

A remarkable Indian war dance
took place yesterday at San Gabriel,
CAL, in a supplication and prayer that
the League of Nations will bring q
lasting peace to the world.
Then feasting and dancing to the
tom-toms' beat, with barbaric chant
recalling the days when the white and
red men fought to the death for pos
session of the new world.
This remarkable ceremony took
place on the outskirts of the little vii
lage Of San Gabriel near where the
Standing Bear, reigning chieftain of
the Sioux, and one of the stars of
the famous Mission play Howling
Wolf, ruler of the Coubilla tribe,
Thunder Bird, a noted Cheyenne In
dian, and Pipe of Peace, chief of the
Nez Perce band, held conclave as their
forefathers did, repeating the rites
red men have practiced for centuries.
It was Standing Bear, son of old Chief
Standing Bear, fierce warrior for q
quarter of a century against the
whites, who conceived the idea. He
had gone. on the war path with his
father when but II years Of age, and
on his young mind was impressed the
horror of killing and manning, vivid
recollections which the years he spent
at Carlisle later, and the travels
abroad never erased.
President Wilson, Premier Clemen-
ceau, Lloyd George, Andre Tardieu
and other world famous men were
gathered at Paris to put an end to
war forever. He felt it was fitting
and proper his people should join in
spirit, with these new moulders of
world destiny. He invited Howling
Wolf, Thunder Bird and Pipe of Peace
to join him in the event.
A special tepee was built by the
score Of braves who participated in
the drama at San Gabriel. A whole
beef graced the barbecue, and there
were many other good things to eat,
prepared according to ancient tradi-
tion.
The chief and his friends gathered
around the leaping flames of a big
bon fire. Standing Bear produced the
peace pipe of his tribe which had not
been used for more than 40 years,
made of pipe stone and brentwood, and
trimmed with horse tail hair.
The pipe was filled slowly and care
fully by Standing Bear with the to-
bacco only Indians use. A live ember
was plucled from the burning fire by
Wastewin, niece of the chief, carried
over to him and placed in the bowl
He took three or four long pulls at it
and passed it slowly to Pipe of Peace.
Then the symbol went to others in
the circle. When all had taken part
in the rite, Chief Standing Bear rose,
raised his arms to Heaven, and in his
own tongue, prayer that the League
of Nations would come to successful
issue; that never more should there.
be war either between whites and
reds or between nystribes, races or
nations.
More than score of Indians, stand
ing respectfully in the background
listened with bowed heads and serious
mein.
Then, as the night advanced, the
bodies of the braves began to sway
in motion with the music. Deep-voiced,
gJ1tteral sounds were followed by
yells of triumph as the voices Of the
singers rose in chants Of war and VIC
tory in the days when the white man
waa Iinown and all America was
one vast hunting ground. teeming
with birds, fish, deer and bison
THE coming Of the whites, the.strug-
gle for their lands was recited in the
chants, and as the song Of battle filed
the air; wild whoops startled quiet
San Gabriel out of its slumber.
The medicine dance, telling of saw
age sorcery was followed by the war
dance, making the scalp creep.
Thus out Of Che echoes of other
wars, and -shafted on emotional exal-
tation, the Red Man sent his prayer
for lasting peace and better under
standing among peoples to the table
where these things are in the making.