NOTE
For the benefit of the white reader it may be well to state in brief the present conditions of Indian life. With the advance of the white man the Indian has been pushed from place to place, until the several tribes have finally been located on reservations—that is, land set apart for them. The Indians are considered wards of the nation and are ruled by the Federal government. Each reservation is controlled by a government officer appointed by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. On nearly every agency is a government Indian school; there are also several non-reservation boarding-schools.
The reservation system is now gradually being abolished, principally on account of the white man's ever-increasing demand for land. The Indians receive a stated number of acres in severalty, and the rest of the reservation is sold for white settlement.
The national policy of the past for the civilization and education of the Indian has been to abolish tribal relations, native religion, customs, art, language, and dress. This form of racial suicide expected of the red man has not added happiness to his lot. Of late years there has been a desire on the part of many earnest people to see this policy modified, and the present Indian Commissioner, Hon. Francis E. Leupp is the friend of intelligent effort along these lines.
Mr. Leupp came into office after this book was undertaken. Since his administration two important reforms in Indian education have been instituted: the official encouragement of native music in the schools, and the appointment of Angel De Cora, a Winnebago Indian, as art instructor at Carlisle Indian School.
No claim is made that all work in this book is without error.
The short sketches of the tribes have been compiled by the recorder with the help of standard authorities, but the migrations and early history of Indians form a subject that is still largely conjectural. Though great care has been taken in the preparation of this material, years might still be spent with advantage in further comparing it with the work of students who have made particular Indian tribes the subject of valuable and exhaustive research. Nevertheless, in view of the eagerness of the Indians for their book, it is deemed desirable to publish the collection as it is, without further delay.
