38 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 195 



their enforced removal from their home to the Indian Territory and 

 inquire into their present condition. 



The committee took testimony at the Ponca Agency in the Indian 

 Territory and then proceeded to Niobrara, Nebr., where they heard the 

 testimony of Standing Bear and his followers. The commission 

 made its report to the President on January 25, 1881, showing the 

 incredible ineptitude, indifference, and mismanagement that had made 

 the experience of the Ponca needlessly disastrous and cruel. 



As a result of the inquiry, an appropriation was made by Congress 

 on March 3, 1881, of the smn of $165,000 to indemnify the tribe for 

 losses sustained in consequence of the removal and for other purposes 

 intended to ameliorate, make restitution, and promote their welfare. 

 Under the adjustments provided by this act, the 537 Ponca then in 

 the Indian Territory began to reconcile themselves to their new lot 

 and settle down in the new reservation. A large brick industrial 

 boarding school began operations on January 1, 1883, attended by 65 

 children. Others, equally desirious to enroll, were prevented by lack 

 of room. 



On the Niobrara Reservation, 170 Ponca under Standing Bear were 

 living and cultivating the soil; raising corn, wheat, and potatoes. 

 Formerly known as the "Poncas of Dakota," they became in 1882 the 

 "Poncas of Nebraska" when the boundary line between the States 

 was established on the 43d parallel. In September 1908, Chief 

 Standing Bear died and was buried with his fathers. By his suffer- 

 ings and courage he was instrumental in putting an end to enforced 

 Indian removals in the United States. 



It was only after the final arrangements had been made subsequent 

 to the Eemoval that the Ponca tribe was permanently divided into 

 "Northern" and "Southern" bands. The Southern Ponca, probably 

 owing to their greater numbers and a lesser degree of White inter- 

 marriage, seem to have had through the years more resistance to the 

 forces of Wliite acculturation. In spite of the early "liquidation" 

 policies of the Indian Bureau they have been able to preserve some 

 of their tribal life up to the present day. Sun dances were performed 

 by them for many years, and even today the Hedusha dance is a going 

 concern. 



The Northern Ponca, however, a small island of Indian culture 

 in a sea of Wliites, quickly began to assume their conquerors' ways. 

 They were too few to stage the Sun dance, and even relatively minor 

 ceremonies such as the Hqhe-ioatsi tattooing required the services of 

 Southern Ponca bundle owners. By the turn of the century most of 

 the old Ponca religious ceremonies had disappeared in the north, and 

 the last Northern Ponca Heduska dance took place in the 1930's. On 

 April 16, 1962, Senator Church, at the direction of the Northern 



