THE INDIAN WOMAN.
BY MRS. A. L. RIGGS.
To describe an Indian woman is no easy task for one who lives among them, for every peculiarity becomes so familiar, and so interwoven with our common everyday experience, that we forget how strange and unlike white women she appeared to us at first. But she is a woman, even though she wears her shawl over her head and carries her baby on her back.
How uninteresting, you must think, and she probably thinks the same of you. She does not know that you care for her. She feels that she is different in some way, and most likely if you smile upon her she will not know it, for she is too modest even to look at you; but speak to her in a pleasant tone and offer to shake hands with her and notice her baby, and she begins to think that you are a woman. In her no trace of dignity nor Pocahontas beauty are discernible, but she is untidy in person and attire, her movements are decidedly lackadaisical. An uninteresting object, indeed, to one who does not care to help her. But we believe that she has a woman's heart; and more than that—she has a soul.
Her aspirations for herself are limited, but she wants her child to grow up in the white people's way. Yet how small her conception of how this is to be accomplished!
She is a heathen—hemmed in on every side by fear and superstition. Her gods are gods of fear. She believes in witchcraft, is afraid of a world full of evil spirits. Under a pagan religion her place is next to the mere animals. She goes with her husband to the hunt, not as a companion, but as the drudge, the human pack-horse; she prepares the food, and her husband devours it regardless of her needs; he may boast of his "old woman" as being "nina mimi heca" (swift or good to work) for that is the only accomplishment required in his selfish, egotistical mind. "The Indian woman comes into the world under a species of protest—every Indian parent desiring to have boys, rather than girls, hence she grows up into a condition of servitude." "In the Indian nation to purchase a wife is the honorable way, all other ways are dishonorable, and the man having bought his wife, although the custom of the country does not allow him to dispose of her to another, yet he may put her away, or leave her, at his pleasure. He may also whip her and beat her, for she is his money." I never shall forget one poor woman who came to me soon after we went to the Indian country. She showed me her back covered with the marks where her husband had beaten her.
Now I have given you a brief description of the Indian woman as we find her. What can be done for her? What would you do for her? There is only one thing. Help her to become a Christian. This is not to be accomplished in a hurry, for she is in bondage to her husband—to her religion. But faith and prayer, together with a genuine interest in the Indian home, can accomplish much. Desolate and comfortless though that home may be, it can be transformed, and the husband even can be made to see that there is something more real, something that is more satisfying, something that is more comforting than this life of fear and bondage to his heathen gods. "The man has more to give up than the woman if he becomes a Christian. If a woman changes her gods and her religion, no one cares very much; it is 'only a woman.' But a man must abandon his ancestral faith, which binds him more strongly than the woman, for the very reason that he is a man, and has been inducted into manhood through the ceremonies of his religion."
He can be led to see that his wife is worth more to him than his horse or his dog; and he begins to see that he can do some of the work which she has been obliged to do, and thus she is enabled to make home more attractive. With the dawn of Christianity comes the first effort toward civilized ways. The husband now brings the wood and water, and little by little a few household conveniences appear, such as chairs, a table, a few dishes; also knives and forks are used instead of fingers; even lambrequins are sometimes seen—hung, however, in the most absurd way, outside the shades—and we are astonished to see in some of the houses white counterpanes and ruffled pillow-shams. Also a U. S. T. D. blanket is often spread down for a carpet, and the rude, rough walls are covered with pictures cut from illustrated newspapers.
We find them ready and anxious to be taught many simple and needful domestic arts, such as making light bread and preparing wholesome dishes of food for the sick. The teaching of making light bread became quite an important part of my duties as a missionary's wife, and for the Indian women to take lessons in bread-making became quite fashionable.
Then she shows a desire to dress like white women, and instead of the broadcloth skirt tied around her waist with a string and the short calico sack, and moccasins upon her feet, she appears with a kilt plaiting around her dress skirt, and, what probably in her mind is an improvement upon white woman's taste, the plaiting is headed with two or three rows of bright worsted skirt braid. As she admires the thin and lightly covered head of the white baby, she closely clips her own baby's hair so as to have it as nearly like a white baby as possible. But all this is the mere outside of life—one benefit which Christianity brings to her personally. She begins to show that she has become a missionary at heart and that she has a desire to send this great blessing which has wrought such a change in her home into other homes; and as others like herself, near at hand, have been treasuring up the blessed words of the Lord Jesus, "Go ye and preach my gospel," they begin to think that they can do something to send the good tidings to those who are in the darkness which so recently surrounded themselves.
Now, in the Dakota mission, we have thirteen churches, and in every one a woman's missionary society, and the money raised is used to support native missionaries—that is, Christian Indians are sent out among the heathen Indians as missionaries, and are supported by Indian societies. The Indian woman's society is conducted very much like any sewing society among white women. Some woman is appointed to lead the devotional exercises, and we have our officers appointed annually. They make children's clothing after the white woman's fashion, and many useful articles similar to those usually made in sewing societies. Those women who are able make articles after their own styles, such as moccasins, pretty bags handsomely ornamented with porcupine, bead or ribbon work. These articles are gifts to the society, and we have no difficulty in disposing of them to those who wish specimens of Indian woman's skill in fancy work, or who may wish to help this native missionary work which is being so nobly carried on. Some of these women are really wonderful in their zeal and faithfulness, walking six, seven, or eight miles to the meeting every week. I could tell you many things about these faithful Christian Indian women, but do you wish any better proof of the hold Christianity has upon Indians?
As I said before, an Indian woman's aspirations for herself are limited, but she wants her child to grow up in the white people's way. Now, if we are to elevate the Indian nation, let us plant in the homes the desire for the Gospel, and as we do it gather the children as fast as they are old enough to leave their mother's care into Christian training schools. Now out in the Indian country we are all the time carrying on missionary work in the homes, planting schools, organizing churches, and sending out native missionaries.
We have at Santee Agency, Neb., a large school of advanced grade, well established for the education of children and youth. So well known is this school among Christian Indians that our accommodations have become very limited, and last year we were obliged to refuse many who wished to come. I think you cannot know how hard it is for us to say, We cannot take you.
The great Dakota nation is ready to receive the Christian religion. We have the Bible in the Dakota language—a monument grand and beautiful to one who has just gone to his reward. Years of patient, quiet toil were spent in translating the precious words from the Greek and the Hebrew into the language of over fifty thousand savages. Then what hinders the work? We have hymns in the Dakota tongue. Who will go and sing these precious words to those who never heard them? There are those who are ready to go, but where is the money to send them? If you cannot go, what hinders you from sending some one? To be sure, this is a work of difficulty, for how can we expect a few years of training to so revolutionize a savage's live that he can withstand the heathenism which still permeates his native home? But we have those whom we can trust, and who are filling places of responsibility and usefulness. Besides those who have gone out as missionaries and teachers, we have in our school at Santee native teachers, and our own children are taught by them. One of our pupils is assistant matron in the Dakota Home. One who has been under our care is in the little city of Pierre, D. T., giving music lessons to white pupils. I give only a few instances, to show that we are beginning to see the results of our work.
Then give the free Gospel of the love of Christ to this great heathen nation right here so near us. Here is the Bible, here are the hymns; who will provide the means to scatter them, and who will go to carry them? We are preparing those who will go with you as assistants and interpreters. We hear of those who wish to get rid of the Indians; the surest way to do it is to educate them and Christianize them.