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THE SACS AND FOXES.(OWA HAS ALL THAT IS LEFT OF THE TRIBES.Still Live in Tania County—Retain Their Barbaric Custom* in a Ci-vil* ized State—Increase Slowly, and AreFat and Lazy.A Strange Group.Four hundred and fifty members of a prehistoric race residing on 3,000 acres of land among the 'hills, groves and meadows along the banka of the Iowa river, enjoying the rude, wild life and cherishing the customs of their ancestors of a century ago, relishing the dog fenst and growing sealoua in the medicine dance, marrying and divorcing as their fathers did before the light of a Christian civilization spread beyond the banka of the Mississippi river, and finally resigning themselves in the hour of death to tha same superstitions that possessed the warrior of the plain,in anch an. anomaly as people are littleprepared to believe exists in a Christian State. Yet there i3 such a people and such a condition in the State of Iowa, in the southern part of Taina County, almost under the shadows of the church ■pires and college steeples of Toledo and Tama. - . .This band of Indians ia a remnant .of the once powerful 8*uks and Foxes, who were a terror to the white settlers in the region of the great lakes and the Mississippi valley, and to every other band of Indians over whose path they crossed. Tradition points to Rhode Island as the spot where they first came in contact with the whites. They relate to-day that the first white man their people saw was an Englishman. Driven north and westward by the English settlers, they came in contact with the French in the region of the great lakes, upon whom they madetribe are attired in moccasins, legging breech-cloth, loose flowing skirt and blanket, with a carefully arranged scarf aboutr the head, from which frequently standi, feathers of variegated colors. By force off necessity and for convenience many oc the young men are now adopting, to. * greater or less extent essential, article* of dress characteristic of the white, but there is none of these Indians* who does* not at some season of the year, appear intthe blanket and genuine Indian, costum*-The women have made more progress* im dress than the men. This has-been.largely due to the influence of a Presbyterian* mission, which has been* maintained! among these people during tha past twehrar years. The squaws all cling, to the blanket, moccasins, beads, eacmngp*. brae** lets, and a Musquakie beauty is-a« pnoudfc of the jewelry about her neck and arms a*» the fashionable ladies of modern society ore of their own evidences- of aiacestxot barbarism.Miserable in Health,The sanitation and health, of the- trite is in a miserable state and offers, a most pathetic plea for assistancev There is bo physician a\ this agency,, and the financial condition of these people, together with their race prejudice* has been ut Insurmountable barrier in the way of their properly caring for their sick. These: things are lef t entirely to nature,, the medicine man and the old squaw doctor. Tha sick are treated entirely by ‘hnedicine^ made from the roots, of weeds and shrub* that are found on the hills and along* the banks of the river. The agent say*that on account of the want of proper medical attendance many distressing cases are fonnd.Cooking and Bating*These Indians have made some progress in their manner of cooking and eating. Changed conditions have wrought aoma change in their articles of food, but tha Musquakie enjoys a feast on dog, skunk* muskrat and mink to-day as well as ever,, and when it is his good fortune to secum these prized objects of diet he would notft6eo61*I-•Q3,Xdn:oise-l*[enat33id*d.rearyp-ti-h-SUintEB HOUSE, WITH FR AACE WORlf OF SUMMER HOUSE IN FOREGROUND.WINTER WIC-I-TJF, WITH FBAMEWoSS; OF WIC-I-T7F XN BACKGROUND.frequent, and deadly incursions. It was only by* the..strong union .of theBanks, Senecas and the Huroas that the French were able to defend the port of Detroit when assailed by the Foxes.After many -disastrous events the two tribes, hitherto frequently arrayed against each other, united their waning fortunes and settled on the western shore of Lake Michigan and along the valley of the Fox river. The power of these people had been broken, their turbulent spirit subdued, and the period of quiet and rest that followed led the French to believe-that the work- of extermination had beencomplete. But the united tribe grew and • waxed strong. Their settlements soon extended south along the Mississippi river as far as to the present city of Keokuk, which was named from one of their chiefs.Refuse to Make War#When Black Hawk and his followers determined upon war many of the Foxes refused to join 'him, and some of the Sauks allied their fortunes with the dissenters. This part of the band remained on the western -side of the Mississippi in the southeastern part of Iowa. In 1SA2IXm.ptFush-e-To-Neke-Qua, Ruling Chief; Pah-Mah-Kah-e-Tab, His Son; Joseph lessen, Interpreter.the Sacs and Foxes ceded their lands in Iowa to the United States and were given a reservation in Kansas, together with annuities. That part of the tribe which bad reipsed to enter the Black Hawk war obeyed, under protest, the order of the Government to migrate to Kansas.Naturally they soon became dissatisfied with their: new lot and enforced associations, and returned in groups to Iowa from time to time between 1S42 and 1857. In 1S5G the Legislature of Iowa enacted a law permitting these Indians to remain within the State as long as peaceful. . On July 13, 1S57, they purchased eighty acres of land, paying for it in ponies, numerous articles of Indian equipage and what cash they could raise, and from''time to time they have since added to their original purchase, until to-day they have upward of 3,000’ acres.The -theory that the Indian will of biny self finally solve the “Indian problem” by the extinction of his race does not find support in the history of the Sacs and Foxes of Iowa. When the first census was taken in 1SGS2G4 Indians were enumerated, although there is evidence that some names were not enrolled at that date. Each census since that time has shown a small increase, so that in ISSB there was an enrollment of 317, and at tho present time there is something over 400. Besides the lawful members of the tribe there are residing among these people about seventy Sacs and Foxes.from Oklahoma and about thirty Wh\nebagoes from Nebraska and Wisconsin.Custom* and Habit*,*.Th* Tama County Indian la blanket Indian. Nearly all the elder men of theforego them for the best spread banquet; at Delmonico's. . *■'But the Musquakie cannot always enjoy* a feast upon his favorite animals. He I* now compelled to use many articles of food eomjnon to the white, and his chang--ed condition of diet and environment ha* worked considerable change upon. hi* physique. These people are not now ait active and gamy people, as their ancestors were.' A great many of their men and. women are disproportionately fat and. clumsy. The eating of too much greasy food, hot dishes and the lack of proper exercise has done much to make of them, a lazy, indolent people.Iowa -is dotted over with cities and streets whose names can be directly traced to this tribe-The oldest man in the tribe at the present time, who has been a chief, about whose life clusters a number of thrilling, and -cruel incidents, and whose word has. always been law among »his people, is old Ma-Xau-E-Qna, who was born at Dubuque in 1S12. In recent years he has. given the exercise of nearly all his power to the present ruling cliief, Push-E-To-Neke-Qua. The old man has most sternly resisted every concession to civUizations and progress, is now in feeble health, and. it is not improbable that his nearest con-'' cession to the establishment of a well-regulated school among his people will b fulfilled in a short time. His last and' final answer has been: “Maybe, after r am dead.”Putfh-E-To-Neke-Qua is the present ruling chief, and presides at the head of a-council of ten. However, nearly all the! business of the tribe is conducted by three-, men and rarely do more than five take^ active part in the deliberations of the-council. Push-E-To-Neke-Qua is a brainy*, conservative Indian, with many most excellent traits of character, but he is at the same time a shrewd politician and a. diplomat of no ordinary ability, who ol-ways puts his ear to the ground to hear the wishes of his people, and from a careful consideration of all opinions makes up his decree, from which there is no appeal.The secretary of the tribe is Ash-E-Ton-E-Quot, more familiarly known as George Morgan, Who was given the advantage ot some education by Agent Davenport, who sent George to school at Davenport, Iowa, for a short time; yet George keeps all hi* accounts in the Indian language and taken no pride in knowing how to read ami write English.Peace a Curse to Them.The peaceful career of the Sacs and Foxes settled in Tama County has been their greatest curse. Had they called their strong men around them on their return to Iowa, inflamed the uvinds of th* young with the ancienx thdrst.-for blood and possession, put on the war paint, beat the drum and called the war dance and summoned their braves to- a^-murderous excursion upon the white settlers.along tho Iowa river, instead of avowiitg-poace to all the world and falling upon their knees, kissing ’ the earth and embracing each other over the joy that they had once again returned to the land of their choice, there to dwell forever in peace, their condition to-day would not be au anomaly in tho history of the Indians of the West, and a rebuke to the civilization with which they are surrounded.The restless, murderous career of the Sioux in the Northwest has secured for him schools and churches, endowed him wU*h the institutions of civilization, and' is rapidly putting him upon a plane to. .carve for himself an enviable position ixri •the industries, and government of the stronger race. The Indian of the plains has been given these things and is rapidly, taking on new life.
Newspaper Details
Cedar Falls Semi Weekly Cedar Falls Gazette
Cedar Falls, Iowa, US
Tue, Mar 03, 1896
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Johnathan B.
IA, USA 03 May 2018
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