The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-11-12
Fl. YATES INDIANS
join in ARMISTICE
PROGRAM OF LEGION
Large Delegation Of Friends
From Here Attend; Make
D. E. ShipIey Chief

AZ - ~ IA
bert Grass post, American Legion,
Tuesday and Tuesday night at Twin
Shields hall, six miles north of Fort
Yates, the agency Sioux Indians join
ing in the observance, while a dele
cation of adopted members and
friends went down from Bismarck.
At the same time the Cannonball
Sioux also put on a victory and peace
celebration. at which, former State
Commander John Kennedy, of the
American Legion, Mandan, was the
speaker.
The Twin Shields celebration was
an elaborate observance. The In
dians brought out of their ritualistic
repertory, 50-year-old tribal dances
and rites and the whole ceremony was
marked by a mixture of courtesy and
savage ceremony that was highly in
teresting to the Bismarck visitors.
Magnificent bead and elktooth Sioux
regalia was worn by the various
chiefs.
Chief White Bear, or Mato-skan,
presided and Jerome Cottonwood was
the announcer. The leading Indian
participants were in paint makeup
and the women wor beadwork gar
ments.
Adopt d. E. Shipley
One feature of the evening was the
adoption of David E. Shipley, presi-
dent of the Bismarck Lions club, into
the tribe as Wambli-g or Brown
Eagle. Chief White Bear took this
part Of the ceremony in hand and
placed the eagle feather warriors
bonnet on the head of the new men,
Der. Mr.. Shipley thus is included
with a group of adopted whites who
began with Marshal Foch, of France,
and now includes former President
Coolidge. General c. p. Summerall,
Ernest Thompson Seton, General
Charles Hyatt. now dead, Patrick
Hurley, secretary Of war, o. L. Boden-
hamer, retired national commander
of the American Legion, William S.
Hart, Mrs. Alfred Zuger, Chris j.
Martineson, Wilmer Martineson and
Miss Irene Engler.
Came From Far and Wide
Represented in the gathering in the
octagonal hall were Rees from Elbow
wood, Ogalalla Sioux from the Pine
Ridge agency, Lower Brule Sioux and
the upper Yanktonais Sioux of Fort
Yates. One old woman 96 years of
age, a Shoshone squaw. also was there
and took part in the dances.
The observance Of the day began
with a sham battle on the hall
grounds in the morning. Old war
riors, chiefs and women there for
this included Gray Whirlwind, 80,
Mrs. Chasing Bear, Sc, Two Shields,
IS, Stone Man. 70 and Black Prairie
Dog. 80.
Visitors All Taken Into Dance
During the day and evening the
members danced to the fervid beating
of tom toms and a big bass drum, on
which eight Of the Legionnaires beat
as the Indians circled about and
Chanted. AS special marks of court
esq. the chiefs led the Bismarck
guests into the circle and had them
take part. These included Mrs. Zu-
ger, MI. Shipley, Mrs. John Burke, Of
the Bismarck wal mothers, Mrs.
Gladys J. Fisher, of the Bismarck In
dian school, Miss Engler, Anthem
Beer, Albert Holland, a Fargo invent
or, j. H. Gibbons, Wilmer Martineson.
and William Cleveland. These par
ticipated in the victory, buffalo, grass,
fox and rabbit dances Of the tribe,
some of which Frank Zahn, inter-
prefer, said had not been danced for
many years.
Treetop, who danced tribal dances
for Ernest Thompson Seton when
that lover of wild life was filming
these historic rites three years ago,
put on special individual dancing dur
ing the evening. his special pride be-
ing the hoop dance.
Donations Were Big Feature
During the evening Indians and
guests made contributions to a COL
lection of presents. Each donation
was acknowledged in a long speech
by Announcer Standing Horse, after
which the chiefs and war mothers
circled around shaking the hands of
the donors.
Mrs. John Burke, as a Bismarck
war mother, was introduced to the
war mothers of Blue Earth auxiliary
and was accorded a round of cordial
handshaking.
Newly-Adopted Sioux Wambli-gi
Chief Shipley-made a speech which
Interpreter Zahn translated to the
gathering in Sioux. The name which
Chief White Bear gave Mr.. Shipley
was that of a warrior killed 200 years
ago.
Mrs. Zuger was given a beaded
purse as a present from the daughter
Of her namesake, Tarca -luta win, or
Red Bird. a name borne in the family
of the donor for three generations
before it was conferred on the Bis
marck clubwoman. Frank Zahn add
ed a gift of a beaded handbag.