University of Virginia Library

POKAGON'S LETTER.

I have read with much interest the article in the March number of your magazine on "Naming the Indians," which I have regarded for many years as of vital importance to the future of our race. The instructions therein given by T. J. Morgan, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, to Indian agents and superintendents of government Indian schools, I consider, in view of our citizenship, of the utmost importance, and ought to have been construed as obligatory upon teachers and superintendents in government schools in naming their pupils, as to naming Indian employees to be appointed as policemen, judges, teamsters, laborers, etc. In looking over the names published in the article referred to of pupils at the Crow Agency boarding school, Montana, I really felt in my heart that most of their surnames, translated from their language into English unexplained, might well be taken for a menagerie of monstrosities. Think of it—such names for girls as Olive Young-heifer, Lottie Grandmother's-knife, Kittie Medicine-tail, Mary Old-jack-rabbit, Lena Old-bear, Louisa Three-wolves, and Ruth Bear-in-the-middle. And then such names for boys as Walter Young-jack-rabbit, Homer Bull-tongue, Robert Yellow-tail, Antoine No-

hair-on-his-tail, Hugh Ten-bears, Harry White-bear, Levi Yellow-mule, etc.

In looking carefully over the above list, I thought in my own heart, what if those girls should request me to give them some fatherly advice as to which one of these boys each girl could marry, so that all might in some respect improve their maiden names? The best I could suggest (and that is very unsatisfactory) would be to have Miss Ruth Bear-in-the-middle marry and become Mrs. Ruth Yellow-mule, Miss Louisa Three-wolves to become Mrs. Louisa Ten-bears, Miss Kittie Medicine-tail to become Mrs. Kittie Yellow-tail, Miss Lena Old-bear to become Mrs. Lena White-bear, and Miss Olive Young-heifer to become Mrs. Olive Bull-tongue, which would leave Miss Grandmother's-knife no choice but to marry Antoine No-hair-on-his-tail; but doubtless she would rather carry Grandmother's knife all her days, living and dying an old maid, than to accept of such an outlandish name. Such names are ridiculous and shameful in the extreme, and I hope and pray they may be discarded as soon as possible. Indian names are generally a sort of titles expressive of some act done by the person, either good or bad, subject to change according to the acts of the individual, and by native custom were never inherited by our children, hence should never be translated into English, to persecute them with a name they abhor, well knowing it creates a prejudice against them.

Let us take, for example, "Chicago," which is derived from the Indian word she-gog (skunk), lacative case, she-gog-ong, or won— hence the name "Chicago." In and of itself it is a pleasant word, and the pride of America. Our fathers so called it on account of many skunks, as well as wild onions and skunk's cabbage that once grew there. Had the early white settlers translated it into English, the millions who breathe the morning vapor that rises from the modern Chicago River would almost instinctively exclaim, "This city was properly named;" and in my humble opinion it never would have reached its present greatness, in consequence of which the World's Fair never would have been held there. Be that as it may, it is certainly very important that any one starting out in a new life should have a name as free from meaning as paper unwritten upon.

As stated in the article referred to, many bad mistakes are made in translating Indian names into English. Take, for example, "Michigan," my native State. I have seen in some histories the word meant in the Algonquin dialect "Fish weir or trap," which its shape suggested. It appears the historian stopped not to consider that the natives had no correct idea of the real shape of the lake or of "fish weirs or traps" as used by the whites. In our language "Mi-shi-gan" simply meant a monstrous lake. Translate it into English and we have for our State a monstrous lake. The renowned chief Me-che-kau-nau (Great Turtle) is called in United States history Little Turtle.

When a young man I attended school at Winsburgh, Ohio, with a son of an Awteiva chief, "Nlack-a-de-pe-neesy" (Black Hawk). Some teacher of authority in languages, learning that ma-kaw-te as a qualifier meant "black," and that "pe-nay-shen" meant "bird" in Ottawa dialect, called him Andrew Blackbird, which to him was very humiliating. I speak of these cases because I realize that the points in the article referred to are well taken along this line and should be well considered. When the Po-ka-gon Pottawattamie band were converted to Christianity, my father, who was chief at the time, was named by the priest Leopold Pokagon and I was named Simon Pokagon. Had we been given a new surname my father would have deemed the act downright robbery. The same rule was applied to each member of our band, all being given respectable Christian names, retaining the Indian surnames. Those who were old enough to take pride in their name were permitted to make a choice. Several names would be suggested, out of which they would select the one that pleased them best. As the names were decided upon they were entered in the church book with the Indian surnames. If too long, they were shortened by leaving off one or more of the last syllables of the name, which was an ancient practice of our own people when words or names for any cause became unreasonably long. Our band received several annuities from the Government prior to 1860, at which time we received thirty-nine thousand dollars, partial payment of moneys due from the Government on the sale of Chicago by my father as chief of the Pokagon band. Last autumn we received the final payment of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Different bands and tribes, through shrewd and able attorneys, sought to impose upon us by sharing the moneys due the Pokagon band; but owing to the church records above referred to and our practice of following the rules of white men having each family bear the surname of the husband, we were enabled to show who were members of our band and who were not, thereby saving time, money and much trouble. It would appear to me that if for any cause teachers and superintendents in government employ should find it difficult to carry out the reasonable request of "naming our Indians," an efficient committee should be appointed by the Government to cooperate with them in carrying out a measure which lies at the very threshold of Indian citizenship.

It has afforded me much pleasure in life to know that the rivers, lakes and nearly all the waterways of America retain the names our fathers gave, and that those of our race who have long since gone to the spirit land have been honored by having a majority of the States of this mighty Union given Indian names pure and simple.

Hoping this letter may be considered in a spirit akin to the one prompting me to address you,