THE MENOMINI GAME OF LACROSSE 



/)'// .llansDii Sl:iiiiiir 

 I'li()l()i;ra[)lis li\ I lie Audior 



Till-', Mciioiniiii liidiniis, ;il)(Hit fifteen liimdi-eil in nnniliei-, ;ii'e intelli- 

 Uent Jind |)r()i;res>i\-e runners (Iwcllini; Inr llie most |);ii-i in >nl)- 

 stjintial l(i,u' eahins iind tVaine lionses on t lieii- i-esei-\a1 ion in noiM hern 

 \\ isconsin, yet ahont one lialf of tliein adiiei'e to tlieir ancient eereinonials 

 and to tlu' legends of tlieii' face. One of my eai'ly i'\])erienees aftcf reacli- 

 inij; the reserxation in the snminer of liHO' was at tendance upon a cere- 

 monial to tlie 'riuiiKh'rers. >;i\cn to appease the wrath of tliese Indian 

 gods of the storm, so that there might end the (h-on.uht from which the 

 country was snfferinu'; and another consisted in witnessing- a ceremonial 

 game of lacrosse, whicli is interwo\-en with tlie h-gend of tlie Thunderers 

 and revol\-es al)ont the idea of the hirth of these s|)irits in man. 



-4 



THE GAME STARTS 



At tlie lacrosse game ttie Menomini nation was well re])i-esc-iiled. The 

 smooth field stretched before us. The ])rizes, blankets and strips of calico, 

 were hung at one side. Warriors rapidly gathered as the chief moved 

 toward the place where the prizes were displayed. They gathered in a 



" The gratitude of tlio Mu.seum goes to (he Wisconsin friends wiio coiitrihuted to the 

 success of this expedition of 1910. Those to whom greatest indehtedne.ss is due arc Special 

 Agent of the United States Government. Mr. Angus Nicholson, and all his staff, as well as 

 the late agent, Mr. Wilson. As for the Indians, tiiose to whom thanks should be given are 

 very many. Perhaps tlie ones who have been most liberal and helpful are Mr. .John V. 

 Satterlee, Chiefs Perrote. Wiuskacit and Niopet. Messrs. ,Iames Blackrioud an<l Antoine 

 Shibicow. and ,Ianc Shibicow and Mrs. Petwaskim. 



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