The Chemawa American, April 01, 1915, Page 17, Image 20

THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
17
among the other North American aborigines. They are the only primi
tive nation on the North American continent that has ever developed a
definite and lasting form of Government. Hence, they are extremely
proud of their council. If you ask an Iroquois Indian about his
Council, he will invariably assume a grave countenance and in his
choicest English tell you that the Parliament in London was modelled
after his Council of Chiefs.
During my stay among the Indians I was repeatedly urged by my
interpreters and informants not to miss an opportunity of witnessing a
meeting of this Council. Being curious myself , and unwilling to offend
my Indian friends, who in their affection towards me went so far as to
grant me the highest honor that an Iroquois can bestrow upon a white
man, namely that of an honorary chieftanship, 1 I solemnly promised
to attend a Council meeting as soon as possible. And an opportunity
presented itself very soon. On the day of the meeting my host, a chief
and high-priest of the Seneca tribe, and myself drove in a carriage to
Oskweken, the principal village of the Reservation and the seat of the
Council. On our way we were joined by other chiefs and sub-chiefs,
and by the time we arrived at the Council-house, there were about"
twenty-five of us. The Council is a simple but large structure of bricks
consisting of a capacious room, where the Ccuncil meets, and of a
smaller chamber which serves as a meeting place for the different sub
committees. On entering the Assembly-hall I found most of the chiefs,
attired in their primitive garments, and seated in their assigned places,
waiting for the arrival of the local Superintendent of Indian affairs.
This gave me an opportunity to look around. I was most forcibty
struck by the grave and serious attitude of these , chiefs. They were
sitting there quietly, motionless, without the least inclination to start a
conversation among themselves. Each chief seemed to have been
wrapped up in his own thoughts, and I could not help thinking that
such must have been the aspect of the famous assembly of Senators in
the streets of Rome, at the time when the savage Gauls forced their
way into the "Eternal City."
The Assembly-Hall presented a very picturesque view. The rear,
consisting of a high platform, was occupied by a large table, reserved,
as my interpreter informed me, for the Superintendent, the clerk and
the official interpreter. The Superintendent takes no part whatsoever in
the discussion. He merely transmits communications from the Cana
dian Government to the Council and receives from the Council messages
to the Department of Indian Affairs in Ottawa. To the right of the
Hall were seated some twenty-five hiefs, representing the Tuscarora and
1 This ceremony, held in connection with the Strawberry Festival, lasted a whole day, at the con
clusion of which the nsrr.e. Dahcnska ("Valuable River"), was bestowed upon me.