Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-04-27
Once Powerful algonquin
Nation Has Representative
Inn Montana Indian Tribe

and at first their mutual relationship was
not recognized. The most prominent In
dian characters in the history Of our ma
ton were members Of this great lingu-
istic stock. King Phillip. Tecumseh,
Powhatan. Pontiac, were A~lgonquins.
Listed in this stock are Delaware. Ojib-
wa, Ottawa. Potawatami, Sac, Fox, Cree
there seems 70 be some doubt about
the Crees. as a question mark follows
their name n the Handbook Of Ethnol-
ogy-Chippewa, Blackfeet. Cheyenne. and
Arapaho. although the three last named
are said to stand apart from the others
llnguistically. If the Arapaho are Al
gonquins. 1t would seem hat the Gros
Ventres of the Prairie are also allied with
them. as they were related to the former.
and came west with them. This may
account for the Gros ventre having
maintained friendly relations with the
B%lackfeet. although their language diff
fered from the latter.
The representatives of the Algonquin
stock now living in Montana are first
and foremost the Blackfeet on account
OF their greater number; the Cheyennes.
Crees and a few Chippewas and Gros
Ventre OF the Prairie. Their greatness
has departed. and today they have fallen
from their former position as warriors of
renown, whose very names caused their
enemies to tremble. and are nov ex-
plotted in the interest of business.
To a certain extent their use as adj
refreshments has aided in their educa-
ton. Some OF the Blackfeet che meets
on the reservation have seen America
first" far more thoroughly than the
average white citizen. They may don the
feathered bonnet and the tribal dress.
but the brain beneath the bonnet is
often we'll versed in civilized ways These
Indians have seen much and come in
contact with the highest in the land
during their travels.
The meaning Of Algonquin is quoted
as AT the place of spearing fish and
cells, or in other words. "At the bow of
the boat" This would indicate that
they originally lived near a large body
Of water. The Siksika called the Creator
"Napew," while others gave Him a name
that bore a relation to the sun. or light.
They, like other primitive people, wor-
shipped natural objects and seemed to
hold the four cardinal points in venera-
ton. One Of the most artistic creations
OF Charles Russell was of an Indian
woman standing or an eminence, and
Offering smoke from her pipe to the
north, south, east and west.
In certain sections Of the country. the
Algonquins were agricultural. Wayne's
army is said to have found a long line
of plantations following the course of
the Maumee river to Lake Erie. We all
know how the first winter OF the Puri-
tans in New England was saved from
famine by the generous gifts of the In
dians. They were not only furnished
with al abundance of corn and beans.
but taught how to prepare 1t in indian
fashion as hominy, samp, succotash, and
in other ways. Simply parched the corn
kernels would render starvation impos-
sible.
In a few instances these indians lived
in long, or communal houses, as did the
lroquois. When they left their homes.
they did not lock the door but placed
a stick against It to show that the own
er was not in to callers.
From the reports of the bureau of
ethnology, I learned that the pots made
by the A~lgonquins were Of clay, and egg
shaped; their dishes, spoons. and ladies
being Of wood. Their pals were of birch
bark which they doubled up so as TO
make them four cornered with a handle. +"
Remnants of this stock still live In
Canada far enough from contact with
civilization to retain many of their early
customs and beliefs. DR.. Frank G. Speck
or the University Of Pennsylvania, has
9PSAb eOiISluefdple time among these VII
lages during the past 10 years and has
learned a great deal about their language.
customs, and folklore.
He says they still claim to possess
medicine men who can blow their enc
mics out to see, and render turtles agile
enough to jump over tepees. They tell
OF a wonderful bird with feathers of
wampum both white and purple. When
IT has good news to impart. 1t sheds or
molts its white feathers, and when the
news is bad, 1t drops the purple feath-
ers. Whether this remarkable fowl ever
reached the northwest, / do not know.
II 1T has, undoubtedly its feathers are
now entirely white. the purple being
dropped en- route.