 The
adults played and the babies entertained themselves while neatly stashed
in what looks to be a wooden box, padded with a checked cushion.
For all that is known about prejudice,
between the races, between the tribes, thin people against heavy, strong
against weak morals, well against handicap and on and on it goes, for all
that is known, this picture has something good to say against prejudice.
It is the early 1900's but here the American Indian and the Anglo were
starting their children together as playmates. Maybe this is why there is
such a broad mix between these two races. It is most common today to speak
to some one who appears to be Anglo, only to have them say, "my
grandmother was full blood Indian." The surprise is because the
person speaking is usually as handsome as those of the Native American
race but most fair, often with blue eyes, as my children have.
A word of commendation must be given these
Scottish people, the Collins, who married into the Indian families most
readily. The Scots have a strong, brave culture, and they had no fear of
the equally strong Indian culture. This seems to be demonstrated through
these pictures.
Some have even called this a form of
genocide, a destruction of the race. But maybe this isn't possible. One
has to only hear the beat of the drum, the prairie wind on your face, the
sound of an Indian lullaby to your baby and if one has but 1/600th degree
of Indian blood, it is still there, and it is strong. Of course, no doubt,
there is a gradual changing of the Native American customs, however much
they have tried to keep it from happening. This is noticed by some of the
elders who complain it is no longer possible to identify separate tribes,
but all dress alike today. It is true, the changes that have come about
are sometimes hard to accept. |
