Indian Congress Activities

Activities Synopsis:
The original intent of the Indian Congess of 1898 was to document the life style of Native Americans. The backers of the Congress recognized that the move to reservations, the land rush in Oklahoma and the Dawes act had all resulted in the elimination of traditional tribal culture.
The purpose of the managers of the proposed encampment was to make an extensive exhibit illustrative of the mode of life, native industries and ethnic traits of as many of the Native American tribes as possible. Once the congress was open the Government authorities realized that the average person attending the Exposition wanted to see dances, games, races, ceremonials and sham battles. "The authorities endeavored to meet these ideas, but of course the Indian of the people's fancy had passed away." (Secretary's Report page 629)

Opening Day:
Opening day was August 4, 1898. The activities of the day included a flag raising and a parade through the midway and main court of the exposition.

The Ghost Dance:

Background: The year was 1890. The Sioux had been forced to give up the Black Hills of Dakota three years earlier. The Dawes act of 1887 had reduced the size most reservations by 50%. President Harrison revoked the Cherokee leases and land which was once a source of income for the Cherokees was now fodder for the sooner land rush.
The Ghost Dance was the vision of a Paiute prophet, Wovoka. It was a movement that was spread among the Plains peoples during the 1880s, its focus was the preservation of Native American culture against the encroachment of the white man. The movement promised that the earth would be returned to the way it had been before the white man had taken all the Indians' land.
Believers participated in ecstatic dances and communal ceremonies so that a new age of peace and prosperity would dawn for Native Americans. This activity worried some whites. The agent in charge of the Pine Ridge Reservation sent the following telegram to the bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington.
Telegram to Washington, D.C. Nov. 15, 1890
"Indians are dancing in the snow and are wild and crazy. I have fully informed you that the employees and the government property at this agency have no protection and are at the mercy of the Ghost Dancers. ... We need protection and we need it now ... nothing [short] of 1000 troops will stop this dancing."
Dr. Daniel F. Royer, Agent,
Pine Ridge Agency

The Omaha World Herald was not convinced that any danger existed. A newspaper article commented:
Omaha World Herald Dec. 1, 1890
"Mr. Royer seemed determined to believe that there would not be carnage. After a time it became apparent to me and to every Army officer in the post - and most are Old Indian fighters - that Mr. Royer was trying to substantiate the fright which had caused him to call upon the troops. To hold his job Mr. Royer may succeed in aggravating these Indians into some sort of warlike demonstration, but it will be fighting against their will. ... "

On December 29th, the movement ended when U.S. soldiers attacked a group of dancers at Wounded Knee, killing about 150 people.

During the Indian Congress, recreation of the Ghost Dance was encouraged by the managers of the Exposition. The Omaha Bee reported that this was a popular attraction. In another part of the TransMississippi exhibition the Ryan Collection of Indian Curios from Chadron Nebraska diaplayed the ghost shirt of Big Foot. As reported by the Omaha Bee; " .. the ghost shirt of Big Foot, the leader of the Sioux uprising of seven years ago. It is soiled and stained with blood, and was cut from Big Foot's body by J. H. McKnight of Long Pine Neb. after it was cold and stiff in death on the battle field of Wounded Knee."

Sham Battles As part of the entertainment for the exposition, Sham Battles were conducted on the fair grounds. The sham battles were fought between tribes, using blanks in their guns and shooting arrows at nearby targets instead of each other. The sham battles were also a part of the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.