Indian Congress
The Indian Congress occurred from August 4 to October 31, 1898 in
Background
In a report on the Indian Congress published in the American Anthropologist in 1899, its chief ethnological consultant, James Mooney credited the realization of the project to "the grit and determination of the exposition managers, foremost among whom was
In 1898
It is the purpose of the promoters of the proposed encampment or congress to make an extensive exhibit illustrative of the mode of life, native industries, and ethnic traits of as many of the aboriginal American tribes as possible. To that end it is pro posed to bring together selected families or groups from all the principal tribes and camp them in tepees, wigwams, hogans etc., on the exposition grounds, and permit them to conduct their domestic affairs as they do at home, and make and sell their wares for their own profit.[6]
Description
The entire Indian Congress was managed by ethnologist James Mooney and Army Captain William Mercer of the 8th U. S. Infantry, under the direction of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs acting on behalf of Cornelius Newton Bliss, the United States Secretary of the Interior.[5] The original intention of the organizing committee was to illustrate the daily life, industry and traits of as many tribes as possible. However, once the congress was open authorities realized that the average person attending the Exposition wanted to see dances, games, races, ceremonials and sham battles. Soon the main activities of the Indian Congress were re-enactments and the Ghost Dance.[7]
Weather
According to Captain Mercer's report, the weather "has been trying in the extreme ... Most of the time we have had extreme heat accompanied by dry, hot winds, which rendered camp life anything but pleasant, the conditions being rendered somewhat worse by our location. Following close upon the heated period we have just had a week of cold, heavy rains which made the camp and life in it more disagreeable even than it was during the hot spell."[2]
Criticism
Ethnologist Mooney sought for the Congress to display customs of the various tribes. Instead, promoters erected a 5,000 seat grandstand, and arranged the tribes in re-enactments of battles.
Frank A. Rinehart
Mooney contracted with
Speaking of his photos of the Indian Congress, Merry Foresta, director of the Smithsonian Photography Initiative at the Smithsonian Institution said, "Rinehart's portraits are really quite extraordinary and put him above the average workaday photographer who might have also made photographs for similar reasons. There were other people working, but he seems to have really, because of the quality of his work, stood apart."[9]
Attending tribes
35 individual tribes were represented by more than 500 Indians. The tribes in attendance included the
Mooney's above-quoted observation that ethnology would be "a principal feature at future expositions" proved prophetic, for Indian Congresses were also convened at the Pan-American Exposition in 1901 and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904.
See also
- History of Omaha
- Native American tribes in Nebraska
Image gallery
Photos taken by Frank Rinehart and Adolph Muhr at the Indian Congress in Omaha.
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Hattie Tom,Chiricahua Apache.
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Touch the Clouds, Minneconjou Teton Lakota chief
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Sarah Whistler,Sauk and Foxwoman.
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Hunkpapa Siouxchief.
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White Buffalo, Cheyennechief.
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Wah-Ta-Waso, Iroquois woman.
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Kicking Horse, Flathead Salish chief.
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Freckle Face,Arapahoewoman.
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Bonie Tela,San Carlos Apache; and Hattie Tom, Chiricahua Apache.
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Omaha Tribeinterpreter.
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Moni Chaki, Ponca chief.
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Naiche, Chiricahua Apache chief.
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Geronimo, Chiricahua Apache leader.
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Geronimo.
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(standing) Joe Merrivale, Young Spotted Tail, Antoine Janis. Seated: Touch the Clouds, Little Big Man, Black Cool, unknown
References
- ^ "About the Trans-Mississippi International Exposition" Archived 2008-12-10 at the Wayback Machine. Omaha Public Library. Retrieved 8/20/07.
- ^ a b c "Indian Congress" Archived 2006-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, Omaha Public Library. Retrieved 8/20/07.
- ^ a b "The Photographs of Frank Rinehart and Adolph Muhr: American Indian Portraits. 1898 - 1900," Haskell Indian Nations University. Retrieved 8/20/07. Archived July 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c Mooney, J. (1899) "The Indian Congress at Omaha," American Anthropologist - New Series. 1(1) pp. 126-149.
- ^ a b "Westward the Empire: Omaha's world fair of 1898", University of Nebraska at Omaha Television. Retrieved 8/20/07. Archived September 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (1898) Report of the Board of Management. Trans-Mississippi International Exposition. Retrieved 8/20/07.
- ^ a b "Indian Congress Activities." Archived 2006-10-07 at the Wayback Machine Omaha Public Library. Retrieved 8/20/07.
- ^ U.S. Department of Interior Museum online gallery of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition. Archived June 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Paget, M. (2005) "Native treasure: Haskell photos capture pivotal time in history", Lawrence Journal-World and News. 3/13/05. Retrieved 8/20/07.
Further reading
- Rydell, R. (1981) "The Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition: "To Work Out the Problem of Universal Civilization", American Quarterly, 33(5). Special Issue: American Culture and the American Frontier. (Winter) pp. 587–607.
External links
- The Indian Congress of 1898 - Photos, stories and research from the Omaha Public Library
- The Indian Congress of 1898 Photo Gallery - Portraits be Frank Rinehart