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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1898)
. I THE COURIER dian rites, and their only daughter, Mary, still living as an honored mem ber of the Omaha tribe, Is the venera ble mother of Bright Eyes. From Mrs. La Flesche haB been obtained much of the very valuable folklore contained in the book Oo-Moh-ha T-Wa-Tba. The twelfth article of the Omaha treaty of 1854, of which Bright Eyes' translation into Indian is given here, is as follows: "The Omahas are de sirous to exclude from their country the use of ardent spirits, and to pre vent their people from drinking the same, and therefore it ib provided that any Omaha Indian who is guilty of bringing liquor Into their country, or who drinks liquor, may have his or her proportion of the annuities with held from him or her for such time as the president may determine. (See page 19 of book.) Wajapa, whose picture is printed below, is the author of a strong letter concerning Indian citizenship, which is given on pages 53 to 56 of the book IH i"T-2"'''ffirHftiBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBi iuEW3 AS T week a short notice ofOo-Ma-HaTa-Wa-Tha was given by The Cou- bikb. Today are pre sented some of the illus trations which grace that very delightful little book. It is to be regretted that in addition to the excellent likenesses of Mrs. Fannie Reed Giffen and Mrs. Susette La Flesche Tibbies (Briglit Eyes), pic tures of the father and mother of Mrs. Tibbies cannot be given. Joseph La Flesche, or Iron Eye (EStaMab Za), father of Bright Eyes, was per haps the foremost name in the Omaha tribe during the period from 1854 to his death in 1888. He advanced farm ing, encouraged schools and churches, and was himself the best example of industry for his tribesmen. Bright Eyes' mother, Mary Gale La Flesche (Waoo Winchtcha), is one whose roman tic history reach es back to the lo cation of Fort AtkiLSon on the site of the pres ent town of Fort Calhoun, Wash ington county, Jebraska,inl819. Here came as a surgeon John Gale, of Xew Hampshire, who soon fell in love with a beautiful Ioway Indian by the name of Neko ma. Later they were married by In- QhU, dLfJh-JL BRIGHT EYES. BBBBBBr" 3BBBBBBBb BBBT -f-T'BBBBL BTBBBBJBBBBBBBBBT aBBBk 'ep - Bk BtBBft 2k BBK? 07m - - --C3 cZL?--. z -&jj , z - , MUD LODGE. SCjX tLB-" ' teKW"j'liik,iv( " V' jyir&veJt r&oJ0 MAJl-wnSZdL JHr'!r'yT -. & &s WAJAPA. '7&-t&vU&- is&Z!&23&- tfottWC ICrcjrmr. afeBa, r ifiC w! &a zfrt&r'?yr? 7. -StyJgUAr dWWTItHMK; rtr C5C c m BIG ELK. He still lives on one of the big reser vations. Big Elk is a man much rev ered among the Omabas. He seems to have been a very great benes?ctor of his tribe. HE followiog short selec tion from an Indian folk lore etory will suffice to show the character of such In- '' dian tales: "There was an old woman who lived all alone, the Rabbit was her son and the old woman was Mother Earth. Rabbit had a magic skin, the perfect image 6f himself. Rab bit lived with the old woman and broight her game. The old woman was the mother of all living creatures, feeding them on thicgs which grew up out of herself. Grandmother Mazhun (barth) said to her grandson, 'All the people are my children, all the men are your fathers, all the women jour moth ers, and all the children your uncles and aunts.' "And God made a man and put him on the earth to take care of the people, but the man Goo sent hated the people, and looked on them as bin property. TniB man took all the buffalo and deer and put them in here, and and made the people take care of them, but did cot ollow them to kill any to eat, 8) me people werri nearly etarved. "Grandmothei Mazhun said tc Rabbit: 1 ' thought I told' you to be kind to your father and mother.' "That was ail she said and spoke no mare. " I will see about this,' said Rabbit "Then Rabbit went on a journey to see this man and took his magic skin with him. He said nothing to Grand mother Mazhun about his project. As he was going along he passed a hand some man. "I have been waiting a longtime,' said the man. 'You have been slow in coming.' "I hurried,' replied Rabbit, 'but 1 was slow after all,' and in an instant be was transformed into a handsome young man himself. "This splendid young brave whom Rabbit met was Umba (Light o'c the Sun.) They traveled on together and soon overtook another handsome map. He had a war club aad a tobacco bag. This was Ka (Turtle.) '"I have been, waiting a long time,' said he, 'and you did not come.' "The three walked on together until they came to where the herders were taking care.of the buffalo and deer. A little fawn had been neglected by the herders, or escaped by accident, and Rabbit said, 'I will take this fawn with me.'" Jay Amos Barrett. liSBBBBBBH t3H -m tBSBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBK" iBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBK '.HHHHHHH: mmam ' "SBF53 1 I I
