| Show INDIAN NAMES how their fantastic are acquired literal translation of some of the very expressive titles by which the bed men are known amone their people E many suppose that such name as sitting bull white gat etc arff but cognomens omens of convenience gian the indians by army officers vt traders and other white men ha raaf dealings with them this is case says a writer in the chicago esven ing journal the fantastic names are literal translations of thereal names ot tho indians abo united states bureau of ethnology has devoted a great deal of attention to the subject of nomenclature among he aborigines with very unsatisfactory results this much is established the indian boy has 1 no name lie is boy until he grows up and becomes a buck or a warrior then he is christened not formally but by general consent A name is given him that may indicate a physical excellence a physical peculiarity prowess in war or the chase a men lal trait a habit a resemblance to something in nature the possession or absence of property or a dozen other things in making a treaty with a tribe of indiana it is necessary to secure the ot overy male member of the tribe these documents as filed in the archives of the government very curious reading the last volume published of the session sets of tha united states congress contains in full certain treaties as to reservation boundaries made with blaak foot gros contre piegan blood and river crow indians in each instance the name 0 the indian and tho translay lion is written out follow ellby tha ais X mark and a seal for chief we cha je tonka is big star A casual glance over the columns of signatures will give some idea of the fantastic diversity of indian names there is a preponderance of such names as big bar iron horn bull fast horse white bull wolf panther mountain illon physical peculiarities arc indicated by such names as the thigh booc shoulder blade walks like a boy hawk tracks wrinkled red all over throaty bull left hand squint eyes one eye no eyes iron voice comans womans hip no hand turns crooked iron legs loud voiced elk yellow teeth swings his thigh one big leg brocky lazy man laughing face standa high alcad like an arrow and crooked arm cengr nel habits and disposition may perhaps ba indicated by such names as shaved clean dirty ear strike s his breast smokes at night smells ofa tobacco Tobi cco 1 steals tobacco 1 beats nis wiep lying white man the glumon robab kicking woman cold feet chief coward stole a gun at night alan who steals women aman loves tobacco within a epoco taken up by fifteen names is found in a treaty warriors bold answering to the abla combination of stands hiim off wets his mouth whisky hard looking man and bad hat exploits and physical prowess are perpetuated petua ted in the names of the braves and glancing over the list at random the eve is beruck by such designations aa big brave strangled the wolf ceif 0 p the prairie chief all ove stabber under swimmer goodshield good warrior ready to hoot man who dont run fight the bear take it alive good shot and many j wounds of the names bestowed carry with them contempt and derision of puch aro stays ancamp in Camp grandmother temporary married lots sot sleep cat shooter squaw beater takes back gifts un lucky gambler all goes yellow liver bad tempered bear scared out poor goose nearly dead captured some idea of ibe worldly possessions of certain indians is armied with such namo aa twelve blankets heavy gun two guns many horses many arrows many apes lwort lW olt teeth necklace plenty to eat bear skin cap leather leggin and Tain jat the variety of jamea indicating famed resemblances in appe arnoe manners or voice to birds andi i swells the strange list to such extent as to permit only of passing mention |
