INTRODUCTORY—THE INDIANS’ PRESENT CONDITION
he present condition of the Indians is very different from that when the tribes roved for thousands of miles either in pursuit of enemies or for food.
Now they are prevented by law from fishing or hunting outside the boundaries of their various reservations, to which they were sent by the government for different reasons. For many years meat and flour were given to some tribes as rations at certain periods of the year, when they also received money and blankets. A number of tribes have become much like the white man, and live in houses and have large numbers of horses and cattle upon the plains or on their farms in the east; other tribes, proud of their ancient customs, still try to live as nearly as possible in the way of their ancestors. [[218]]
Their love for their nation, tribe, and family is very great, and that is one reason why a few of the Indian students become once more Blanket Indians. They cannot endure the taunt that they have forgotten their own people.
The old myths of years ago are repeated in Indian homes, and many of the stories, like those told in the poem of Hiawatha, are familiar tales to little children in western teepees. Hiawatha the Wise we now know is an Iroquois hero; Menabozho, who is called the Foolish or Sly One, is an Algonquin hero, and they are two very different characters in the lore of two different Indian nations. Hiawatha the Iroquois is always dignified; Menabozho the Algonquin is very powerful but full of boyish tricks.
Menabozho, or the Great White Hare
From the east side to the west side of America the Algonquin Indians all have their stories of Menabozho. When the story is of some great deed of Nanabush, or of Missaba, you must remember that these names are only another way of speaking of Menabozho. In the different Indian tribes the languages are different; but those who have been most among these many tribes of red men find that nearly all have some name for this Great Manitou, or Spirit. [[219]]
Whatever was the first cause of their belief in such a being, there is no way of knowing. All people, no matter how wild, believe in God; but the wilder the people the more gods they believe in. It is so with the Indian.
The red man seemed to believe every stone, every bush, and almost every animal had its manitou or spirit. These manitous were something to be feared, and to which prayer ought to be offered. So we will call them the gods of the Indians. But these gods were ruled over by greater ones that had wonderful powers.