The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-01-28
indian IS SICK !
OF CIVILIZATION
White Mans Dances Mean
Nothing, He Says-Scores !
"Too Much Machinery"

Omana, NeD.-Deer Tracks Up,
Taos Indian of Arizona, who has been
in Omaha for several months posing
for an artist as model, has grown
tired of the white mans way, and esI
pecially of the white mans Dances
and has gone back to his pueblo
, among the Arizona deserts. Particu-
larly he wanted to get back home for
the Taos tribal "holy Dance" which
has been danced by the Taos Indians
for hundreds of years. It's exact date
is governed by the phases of the
moon, similar to the white mans
Easter.
Deer Tracks Up was chosen as the
most perfect type of the southwestern
Indian by August Dunbier Omaha art
list, who spent all last summer among
the Arizona tribes searching for just
such an Indian type as presented by
Deer Tracks Up. When Dunbier came.
back to Omaha he brought Deer
Tracks Up with him to pose for Sc
rfes of paintings.
Deer Tracks Up, after three months,
of city life, sums up the white mans
civilization in three words: TOO
much machinery" !,
Points to Lack of Religion.
Then the Indian, who is extremely
intelligent, although uneducated in
the white mans way, goes on to ex-
plain:
when the Indian plants his corn
fhora 10 rolf oin ono foCt;uol Nbo,>
he goes hunting there is another fes-:
tival. When he erects his village there,
Is yet another festival. All his &C.
tons, everything he does, is governed
by his religion. When the time of
green corn arrives, there is a festival.
At the harvest time there is another.
Even in the past when the tribe went
forth to war there was a religious
ceremony which must be strictly ad-
hered to, else the enemy would be
the victor.
'These festivals were interpreted by
dancing. And there was a different
dance for each occasion.
white mems dance means nothing.
It's crazy" said Deer Tracks Up after
he had viewed Charleston at a pub
lie dance hall. II ask, why you do
this and what does that step meanY
and they say we don't know or that's
part of the dance
Indians dance instead of pray. It's
same thing. But every step in an In
dian dance has a meaning. Foot
turned in this way means certain
thing in Indian dance. Foot turned
that way means something else.
Hands, arms, held one way tells
Great God one thing; but held another
way, tells Great God something else.
"White men get nowhere with their
dance. Means nothing. Indian dance
tells entire story"
"Soon comes Holy dance. Deer
Tracks Up must be there to take
part"
Doubts White Mans Pleasure.
Deer Tracks Up thinks white men!
might just as we'll be slaves and be
done with it. They take no pleasure
in their work, he thinks. They are
like machines.
"Too much machinery" he says,
That was his comment after viewing
a big printing press turning out thou
sands of newspapers to the hour, down
in the press room where the sun never
shines, and with workmen with grim
and grimy faces intent on every sound
made by the big machine. ..
"Too much machinery. White man
might as well be slave. No smiles.
All work. No dances in preparation
for work. No ceremonies
Deer Tracks Up tells the Dunbiers
that he has had enough of the white
mans way of living and that he never
expects to try them again. A cabin
or even tepee on the Arizona desert,
near a water hole of some kind, is far
preferable to a city dwelling with all
the modern conveniences.
mo machinery there" says Deer
Tracks Up. "Going home"