Show 44 ADOPTION BY INDIANS RACKET writer declares it merely a jake fake ceremony Adopt adoption lon of white men into indian tribes has developed into a moneymaking rocket racket according to some indian leaders adeis le regular as well as fake ceremonies are discussed in nn an article in the christian science monitor by miss mabel alabel knight upon whom the name ta ue de gln was conferred when she was adopted by the omaha tribe in gratitude for her lectures and writings on indian subjects when indians indiana don war paint dance around a white man and then give him a name miss knight writes it may flatter the latter and the former will be richer perhaps by 5 but ut these indians indiana will not consider such a one an adopted member of the tribe for this bought and paid for ceremony Is only a mock adoption this fake adoption Is a getting to be a racket said charlie wilson prominent nez perce indian during a recent celebration of the tribe the adoption of white people into the tribe and then giving them the indian equivalent of chief fine white whiskers and princess brook with the silver voice as names should be stopped indians with no tribal standing continued wilson have been inviting whites with no tribal connections to attend our ceremonies and to become members after an exchange of gifts the gifts of tho the indians being native trinkets of little worth while the gifts of the whites are large amounts of the good old cash 11 no white man ever becomes a bonafide bona fide member of a tribe by asking for that favor first he must prove his worth bortl by really hel helping p ing the indians indiana out of deome some difficulty and those who the indiana indian well w ell enough to do that would not think of imposing upon them by asking for the greatest of all honors that of being adopted into a tribe probably no tribe numbers more than a half dozen really adopted white members when a white man Is judged worthy of adoption the honor comes upon him quite unaware usually and the ceremony Is dignified with the president or chief of the tripe tribe pronouncing noun cing in his native tongue the words which give this now new member a name not only a tribal name but one which also makes him a member m aber of some clan of that tribe with all the honors pertaining to it when the indians finally decide to honor a man or woman by making him or her a member of their tribe the indians give not take and impress this fact upon the new members so that the latter Is prohibited at that time from showing his appreciation by making presents to the indians quite the reverse the indians like ilka to show their gratitude by giving the new members such valuable gifts as blankets par fleches cases and ancient beaded buckskin pieces instances of legal adoption are comparatively rare mrs harriet maxwell converse of new york was made a member of the seneca tribe and later given a chieftainship in the six nations but that happened only after aiding them by preventing unfair legislation both in albany and washington more than that her home in new york was open to any indian who found himself robbed or swindled in the city and frequently an indian would leave her home the richer by a new lew suit of clothes in small email things and big ones mrs converse proved a real friend to the in deans and the trite delighted to honor her in every possible way A white man an cannot a t buya buy a membership bers bill into any tribe bather li must earn it |