Many Feathers and Much Paint Don't Make an Indian

Most of the time, non-Native Americans had a love-hate relationship with Indian dances. They were both appalled by the "barbaric" and "superstitious" practice, all the while wanting to see the dances for themselves, and often copying them. So the US government would prohibit the dances, then allow them for exhibition purposes, then prohibit them, then allow them, and so forth.  1883 - The wild Sun Dance was held. 1886, Aug 4 - The wild Sun Dance "will never again be repeated." 1909, Dec 17 -  Uncle Sam Puts Indian Dance Under the Ban. 1911, Aug 20 - Indian Dances to Become Thing of Past. Education by Government of Red Men Takes Interest From Former Customs 1911, Nov 11 - Fearful that the Indian agent at Segar will carry out his threat to abolish the "willow" and "gift" dances of the Cheyenne and Kiowa tribes, a delegation of braves has requested the Governor of Oklahoma to use his influence at Washington to prevent it. 1911, N...

Great Revival of Indian Dances - 1914  1914, Jan 16  Great Falls Tribune  1914 - Indian dance steps, it is predicted, will be the rage next season. Their popularity will be short-lived if they are as dreary as the average popular song writer's conception of Indian music. 1914, June 21  Democrat and Chronicle  1914 - Members of the Improved Order of Red Men in Delaware are doing much work trailing over the reservations. Many pale faces are being scalped. [In the day time they run races and play baseball.] In the evening there will be a sham battle followed by an Indian dance... [then mock initiations.] 1914, June 13   The Evening Journal  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INDIAN DANCES PUT UNDER BAN Uncle Sam Assumed Role of Official Censor for Red Men WAR STEPS ARE TABOO 1914, May 10   The Washington Herald        Uncle Sam has assumed a good many roles since 1776, but nothing Uncle S...

Wierd [Weird] Indian Dances Oklahoma Indian Writes of Indian Ceremonies and Medicine                                                                                 1913, Feb 4   The Pantagraph       J.W. Gibson, Kansas City Star -- I notice where someone was giving his experience with the medicine men and ghost dances, which are being held by the Indians of Oklahoma. He as a given a good description of those dances and the ceremonies, except he does not understand the Indian language. I am a member of that tribe and have taken part in all of the dances and know at least one hundred Indian songs - the wolf dance, buffalo turkey dance (not turkey trot), medicine and ghost dance songs. The medicine he speaks about is no more than what is known as the mescal bean,...

INDIANS ANNUAL DANCE STOPPED BY BLUE LAWS When Great Event Was Forbidden to Begin.. Red Men Folded Their Tents and Filed Away 1911, July 13 The Wichita Daily Eagle  Calumet, July 12 -- Indian amusements have their failures much like the white man they are not discouraged by one failure. Disappointed in enjoying the annual dance here they packed their goods and started for the next one scheduled.      Little Chief is a Cheyenne. Each year, at his farm, the Indians have enjoyed their dance and the dance was named after that most desired by them, rain, sun or corn, and if nothing was desired then it was just an Indian dance.      The 1911 dance was scheduled to begin Saturday noon but owing to the non-arrival of some invited guests it was postponed until Sunday evening. That's what started the trouble for there are some blue law advocates among the Indians and these declared, Sunday morning, that the dance should not be held on Sunday. [Note: Blue...