The Chemawa American, February 01, 1914, Page 17, Image 17

14
THE
CHFM AW A
AM ERICAN
merous canoes trailing behind. They united the launches and passed
slowly in front of the school on their way over to the big potlatch house
built for their benefit. I wish you could have enjoyed the sight and sen­
sation as they were moving along the water front with drums beating and
their yells and songs. They were a lively bunch. They had a big time
that night was told that they danced from evening to 5 o’clock next
morning. Most of the employees went over, returning about 12. Double
detail on the 22nd for the morning period. I had the boys in uniforms
at noon and about one o’clock we marched over. After the old-timers
had their pictures taken we went to the potlatch house and listened and
watched. First, the Tulalip Indians entertained with old-time songs.
One old Indian whom they claimed was over a hundred years old, sang
his song. He said he wanted to sing at this time because he did not
think he would be living next Treaty Day. I really think they showed
some emotion at the song by the old fallow. After several verses from
the old man the warriors, dressed in various degree of Indian styles
(several of them known to you), commenced their part of the program.
I wish you could have seen it. I liked it. Maybe it was the “ call of
the wild.” After the Tulalips had exhausted their repertoire the Sno­
homish Indians took the floor (dirt) and for nearly three hours went
through their dances. The children left the hotlatch house about 5:30 and
were all very tired when bed-time came. They commenced dancing
about 9:30 and kept it up until 2:30 A. M.
I was impressed with the wonderful stamina of the old Indians. I in­
quired and was told that nearly all of the dancers of the Snohomish In­
dians were over fifty years of age, and two or three nearly 80, while sev­
eral of the Tulalips were well along in years. To get a good idea of
this gathering, imagine a building 116 feet long and 43 feet wide, dirt
floor, with six fires burning, two at each end and two in the middle, these
fires being fed with cord wood. Now imagine a motley crowd of Indian
women, children, men and boys, with faces painted with red, each a
stick in either hand, beating them together, keeping time to the music
made by the special dancers, who occupy the center of the floor. At
times when the dancers gave evidence of getting the spirit you could al­
most get the feeling and want to clap hands and sway your body in time
with them. To see them move about as only an Indian can, to see the
back ground with its various colors, and moving, swaying, singing, yell­
ing Indian people is to know that they are human and in the difficult
past had their beliefs, hardships, cul-tus potlatches, amusements, and
lived according to their ways. The sight of Indians dressed in skins
head-dress of feathers, decorations of shell, bells, fancy beads and vari­
ous make-ups that would do credit to a circus parade, circling in and
out, now running-dodging, jumping—keeping time with the beating
of the drums and sticks, jumping over the fires, will long be remem­
bered by me. At times I almost wished I could be wild and roam around