The Coconino sun., 1926-12-24
HEAP GOOD MEDICINE
FOR HIRAMS LAST FRIDAY

FOR HIRAMS LAST FRIDAY
A program out of the ordinary was
staged by State Senator Walter Run
Ike at the Hiram club Friday. 1t was
all about Indians by Indians and those
engaged in the Indian service.
Mrs. Hunter with Mrs. Dodson ac-
companying on the piano (both
Pimas) sang two songs so beautifully
that Minnetonka, Minnehaha with 9TH
er alluring Indian legends lived again
for us. Then the two ladies sang and
acted an Indian pleasure song and
dance. They explained to the Hirams
that Indian songs are of three kinds,
the pleasure or dance, the war and
the love songs.
Senator Runle reminisced about his
days on the reservation in 1902. He
told a fish story, emitting it, "His
(Runke's) Mean little trick" subtitle,
"a Navajo's tribute to education" In
the days when they were engaged in
transferring the agency school from
Blue Canyon to Tuba City, Mr.. Runke
was one evening preparing his eve
ming meal, consisting largely of big
can of salmon, when an aged Indian
appeared and asked for supper. Now
to an Indian, chicken, duck and fish
are taboo, especially fish. So Mr..
Runke hid the salmon can under the
blanket and told the Indian to help
himself, which he did, eating heartily
of fish and bread, etc. Then Mr..
Runke exhibited the salmon tin, the
Indian promptly had convulsions, be-
| seeching medicine to cure him. When
Mr.. Runke used a rabbits left hind
foot on the Indians throat, it was
no good, for white man cannot use
Navajo medicine right. White medl-
cine is of three kinds, rub it stuff,
drink it stuff, knock 'em stuff. The
last named, ammonia, was used, which
knocked the Indian flat. He got up,
temporarily relieved, and said he was
going home to take some other Nava-
10 medicine, 'shoot 'em stuff" for a
complete cure A week later he was
in Tuba and Mr.. Runke told the In
dian his boy ate fish constantly in
the school. The Indian demanded to
see his boy and when the two were
face to face. the lad admitted he ate
fish and liked it fine. The old Nava-
jo thought awhile and then said, "the
best medicine after all is to know
something.
DR.. Campbell of Tuba City followed
with other "reminiscences of life
among the Kiowas; how he overcame
two medicine men by playing parlor
tricks among the Indians over girl
with broken leg.
Superintendent Walker of Tuba
told how Dr. Campbell assisted once
in making good medicine for patient
by crawling through a series of hoops,
partially undressed, each hoop smaller
than the other till the last was so
small the chin could not pass through,
so the evil spirit could not follow. On
another time an Indian was the vic
tim of "shoot 'em stuff" which is bad
medicine. An arrow had been shot
by magic under his left shoulder
blade, so the second doctor at Tuba
happened to have small arrowhead
as a watch charm This he detached,
unseen, put it in his mouth, applied
his mouth to the Indians shoulder,
then showed the arrow head; so the
white mans medicine proved strong
er than shoot 'em" medicine.
Superintendent Walker told of the
work at Tuba. The agency covers
5000 square miles. The work in good
results shows only after years of eff
fort. Superstition is the greatest
obstacle to effective work. For ex-
ample, animals must not be given 10
the Indians unless free from taboo
marks. Also some water courses
must be left untouched, and other
matters. Writers Of fiction often give
wrong impressions in their books.
The Indian is not vanishing AM
erican" as in the past 20 years they
have increased throughout the United
States from 10000 to 350.000 San
itation and other educative processes
have accomplished this. Superinten-
dent Walker pleaded for better roads.
He stated that the twelve trading
posts and other points do a business
Of a million dollars yearly, which must
all come through Flagstaff, and it is
in the interests of Flagstaff to devel-
up the roads Nearly every Hopi has
a truck, and Mr.. Walker asked for
steady employment of Indians when
ever and wherever possible He urg-
ed also that a road be built from
Flagstaff via Tuba to Durango and
the Mesa Verde park, which would
bring a tremendous amount of travel
which otherwise is diverted to Gal
lup or returns the way it came. He
said the Indians who went with him
to Phoenix state fair and rode in an
airplane became the envy of their
friends and such things are helping
to bring the Indians the benefits of
civilization and break down supersti-
ton.
sus sheets the word, "homemaker" as
a profession for women to be listed
if not gainfully employed outside the
home.