The Word Carrier of Santee Normal Training School (Santee, Nebraska), 1911-03 - 1911-04

              the Word Carrier.
of Santee Normal Training School.
VOLUME XL
HELPING THE RIGHT, EXPOSING THE WRONG.
NUMBER  2
SANTEE, NEBRASKA.
MARCH-APRIL, 1911
THIRTY CENTS PER YEAR
Our  Platform
for Indians we want American Education! We want
American Homes! We want American Rights! The result
of which is American Citizenship! And the Gospel is the
Power of God for their Salvation !
Early Days at Santee
From way back in the times that the French
traders went among the Dakotas, the celebration
of New Years day has been a most important
event of the year to them. They would call to
shake hands with the traders and receive a gift;
so they called the day Napekiciyuzapi (hand
shakiug day). Now that Christinas was over,
next came New Years day which we were expected to be ready for by keeping open house, and
receive and shake hands with any who might
call; even the babies must reach out and take
a good hand shake—some are jolly babies and
smile sweetly as they peep over their mother's
shoulders while others are shy, or pouty babies, but whatever their mood, they are charming with their rosy cheeks and black eyes.
Then of course the visitors must be seated till
apples or some kind of refreshments are passed.
We had yet to discover that if a large dish of
apples was passed, it would not be over-doing
it if we ware to pour them all into the corner of a shawl held up by a grandmother who
had in mind a flock of grandchildren at home.
So we had to resort to the Indian custom of
taking one in hand and politely presenting it,
receiving the customary response of "ho" if
the recipient was a inau, if a woman, "ban."
Wc were surprised sometimes to hear "tankoo"
from some one who had acquired a little English,aud could also say "goot bye" when leaving.
Thus was passed our first New Years day,
aud a good time it was all around. It did us
good to see the beaming faces and to shake the
outstretched hand of these people who were so
hearty and honest in their greetings.
Every week ou Wednesday afternoon the
women held a prayer meeting—neighborhood
meetings; each woman who was a church member being expected to take her turn in having
and leading the meeting. Mrs. Pond and Miss
LaFrombois haviug seen the desirability of the
women's meetings did their part iu seeing that
they were well sustained, and it was surprising
to see how ready the women were to take part,
most of them being able to read in Dakota, and
they enjoyed singiug. But some of the younger ones were quite shy and preferred to let the
responsibilities rest upon the older ones. One
instance comes vividly to mind, of a young married woman who, when asked by the leader to
speak a few words, retired quickly under her
shawl and became very much interested in her
baby. After waiting a reasonable length of
time the leader said "You are now a member
of the church, are married and have a baby.
I should thiuk that by this time you would
have something to say." Which admonition
seemed to have the desired effect for ever after
she proved herself to be oue of the faithful ones
and ready to do her part.
Along toward spring, the allotment of lands
began, and each head of a family was allowed
to select his own, receiving one hundred and
sixty acres; each child received forty acres.
Most of them chose land lying along the creeks,
thus securing water and wood, though not in
great abundance.
During the time of the allotments it became evident that our neighbors were dispersing, taking their log houses down and
putting them up on their own land. Some
had been living in tents, and so disappeared quickly. We were sorry to see the little
village melt away, but permanent homes and
cultivation of their lands were vital points in
the future welfare of these people. We were
glad to have known them better by having them
near, and all along during that" first year the
men had been coming to Zitkadanwaste for
council and advice regarding their future pros
pects ; for when spring opened they must begin
their work, and many had taken land twelve or
more miles away.
With the approach of spring there loomed up
many things that we longed to do to make our
own surroundings more home-like, but the
school work must receive first attention until
the closing, so that the making of a little garden
was not easily accomplished. But a bit of ground
was fenced in,and our garden became a reality.
Greatly to our regret and loss, the time had
come when Mr. and Mrs. Pond had planned to
leave for the making of their new home near
St. Anthony iu Minnesota. We missed them
in every way, and all of the teaching fell to
Zitkadanwaste and Miss La Frombois, but naturally the number of pupils was reduced by
the moving away of the people, making the
teaching work less.
During the latter part of the year, Miss La
Frombois health seemed to be failing, so that
with the close of school she went away, never
to return. She was a conscientious, faithful
missionary and teacher—we missed her.
The summer was a time of work in many
directions, getting ready for the next school
year, for there were many plans ahead, and
the work would of necessity have to be done
slowly. Even the mission home and chapel
were not completed yet. We found some Indian men who were ready to work by the day,
and notwithstanding their need of constant
oversight, there were fence posts cut and hauled, the post hides dug, and campus grounds
fenced in. The work within doors was some
what relieved by having a capable Dakota woman come in by the hour.
During the summer, father Riggs made us a
visit, which seemed like a benediction on the
efforts made to get the mission work started.
The children and all of us were one day
greatly delighted with the news that grandmother and uncle Fred were coming from New
Yrork to make us a short visit. That was a
memorable event when the great white oxen
with the big wagon were sent to the boat landing ; more enjoyable was it than a more conventional mode of transportation might have been.
The autumn days were far spent when we
realized that the cold, and the uncertainty of
the river crossing would soon make it impossible for us to make our long anticipated visit
to Mr. aud Mrs. Williamson at the Yankton
Agency, so we rather suddenly started out in
the big wagon ; we were to have our first ride
in a log canoe. The river looked very wide,
and the big "dug out" with fresh hay strewn
in the bottom for us to sit on, was certainly a
novelty. Zitkadanwaste with paddle in hand,
kneeled in the front end, while Cetanmani with
his paddle kneeled in the rear end, and the
mother and children were disposed of at intervals. Very tightly did the little ones clasp
the edges of the queer boat as suddenly the
children realized how near they were to the
yellow muddy water.
Safely landed on the Dakota side, we climbed into the stage which was to take us over a
rough billy road of thirty miles. Though tiresome we enjoyed it all. Not so civilized did
the Yanktons appear as the Santees, and there
were many more of them. We had a good
view of them encamped all along for miles on
each side of the road.
Our visit was delightful, but not to be prolonged, for a sudden change iu the weather reminded us of the long ride and river crossing
which was accomplished none too soon, for the
ride was a cold one and we found much floating ice. We were thankful to be on the home
side again.
Cetanmani invited us into his hospitable little cabin while his nephew WTakanhdikokipapi
went to the mission to have the wagon come for
us. Mrs.Cetanmani was glad to see us, and most
a picturesque interior we found. A glorious
fire was crackling and blazing in a rude fire
place. Blankets were spread upon the floor
for rugs, while beds and trunks filled most of
the wall space around the room. The log walls
were nearly covered with pictures cut from
newspapers. There were many utensils and articles hung about, apparently needful for the
daily use of the household. On a tiny shelf lay
a bible and hymn book in the Dakota language.
Mrs. Cetanmani, kind in manner and heart,
treated us hospitably, heaped wood ou the fire
and went to her little cupboard bringing some
genuine Dakota fried bread to the children, for
she knew they were hungry, it being long past
supper time. Fiually the wagon came and we
were glad to end safely our first real outing.
Mary B. Riggs.
CONTINUED
Harriet L. Aungie
Miss Harriet L. Aungie died at Greenwood,
S. D. January 6, 1911, in the 71st year of her
age. She was one of the most remarkable women I have known. Historically she was eminent. Her father Henry was a descendent of
the noted Chief Wabashaw, who about 150
years ago made the most strenuous journey
from Minnesota to Quebec, to give himself an
atonement for the murder of a trader that his
people who were well nigh starving might have
the abandoned trade restored. And her mother Mary was the daughter of Col. Robert Dickson, who 100 years ago was the most noted man
in all the country west of Lake Michigan : being first the head manager of the Indiau trade
of the Hudson Bay Fur Company; and later
Commander of all the Indian forces of the
British iu the war of 1812. He was a Scotchman,
and as his ludian name Pashasha indicates was
red-headed ; and in religion a strong Protestant,
if the bent of his posterity is any guide.
Harriet Auugie grew up before the day of
Government or Public schools iu the laud of
the  Dakotas.     So  all the  schooling she had
was two years in the families of the missionaries Rev. Robert Hopkins, and Elder A. G.
Huggins at   Traverse   des   Sioux,  Minnesota.
This was also all the opportunity she had in
j her youth of attending   regular religious ser-
I vices.    Occasionally when the family were in
that region, her mother would take her to Dr.
I T. S. Williamson's meetings at Kaposia.    This
scanty training however made impressions that
were never forgotten.
When she was about sixteen years old she met
j with an accident by which her lower limbs were
| entirely paralyzed, and she was never after able
to move out of her seat alone. But, the disabili-
I ty. of her physical powers seemed to increase
j her intellectual acumen. So she became the
I depository of all family knowledge. And her
judgement was also relied upon as being the
most unerring. Furthermore her condition led
her to think more of religion. She was not a
member of any church, as she was considered
too young to join when in the mission family;
and for years after that she was not near any
church. She might have beeu baptized by an
itinerant priest, as her father was a Catholic;
but thejr failed to overcome the determination
which she had made to be a Protestant; and
her mother stood with her, as well as her older
sister. But when she was about twenty-five
years old I chanced to pass that way, and heard
of her. And it was not long till she was baptized ; and not only she but several Indian wo-
' men in the neighborhood, who had no other instruction but what they got through her and
her sister, made a very creditable profession
aud were also baptized with their children at the
same time. These other women were Yanktons,
and they were the first Yankton Indians to embrace Christianity, for no missionary had yet
located among the Yanktons. From that time at
least it was known that, whether there was any
minister there or not, wherever Miss Aungie
was, there would be some kind of religious service every Sabbath day.    John P. Williamson.