Gros Ventre Stories, continued.
Takes a Prisoner
Blaine County November 17, 1941
Fred Gone
Hays, Montana
TAKES A PRISONER
A full blood Gros Ventre woman who is now ninety-four years old and is the oldest living of the Gros Ventre tribe, she was born at the mouth of Clear Creek where it empties into the Big River, Montana. Clear Creek is now known as Poplar Creek.
Takes A Prisoner’s fathers name was Holy Weasel and her mothers name was Little Woman, both full blood Gros Ventres. Her grandfather’s name was Peals who was of the Dusty Face Clan, and her grandmother’s name was Turtle River, who was of the Frozen Clan. Both her grandparents were full blood Gros Ventre. Takes A Prisoner was married at an early age, about sixteen years old, to a Gros Ventre man named White Clothes, her husband she bore him three children, two boys and one girl, the girls name was Wa tzin’I tha, which means Plume Woman in the Gros Ventre language, Wa tzin’I tha had early in the 1890’s gone to St. Peter’s Mission Convent and acquired a record that is worthy of note.
During the course of her time there, she accompanied the Superiors
Of St. Peter’s Mission, who was called to Washington D.C. on business, and spoke with President Cleveland, this was in the year 1893. Wa tzin’I tha stayed at St. Peter’s Mission Convent until she was of age then asked and was received as a postulant, and after receiving the religious habit and the white vial distinctive of the Novitiate probation, her health broke down and at the close of 1901, she passed away, but not before pronouncing her final vows, which united her as she desired, with a union close and lasting to her God. Wa tzin’I tha on her deathbed signed her name “Sister Immaculata”.
After the death of White Clothes, Takes A Prisoner was then given in marriage to Head Dress, but not satisfied with Head Dress, she left him shortly after she was given to White Weasel, again she was not being satisfied with White Weasel she left him soon.
When her hand was sought by, a Gros Ventre man named Small Man, who after years was known as Deafy, and who had distinguished himself as a brave and fearless warrior, had acquired the name of “Owns A Roan Horse” for short was called, “Roan Horse”, this last name he got from a certain battle, where he rode a roan horse and defended his people in a running fight with the Sioux. Takes A Prisoner and Small Man had ten children, of which there are only two living now, a man and a woman, of her children there were seven boys and three girls.
Takes A Prisoner’s grandmother Turtle River lived to a ripe old age, and it was from Turtle River that Takes A Prisoner received what information she has, out side of her own life experience.
Takes A Prisoner has lived up to the code of her ancestors traditions faithfully until she too had finally succumbed to the strange and foreign ways of today, and in the many years that she has lived on the reservation under the control of the White man, her earlier experiences of life and the knowledge of the life of her ancestors has undoubtedly got a little rusty or coated with the dust of time, that it will require a little effort to brush up, especially the stories of the generations before her grandmother’s time, never the less she has a wide knowledge of it right at hand.
Takes A Prisoner, still has a strong heart and a clear mind, she lives alone with her son who is a invalid and she does her own house keeping and keeps regular hours, she is still spry and scorns the idleness and helplessness of old age which she seed exist all around her of those who are younger than her.
She has the spirit of a young woman and a heart that’s true and kind, and a disposition that’s beyond reproach.
Evidence of the best of training could be seen in her make up, as she goes about her duties in her daily life, could be seen the reflections of a stern and strong body, although slightly stooped now; she shows the courage of a once brave and proud race.
She has no regrets other that that the white man has robbed her of, and of the future she does not worry, she is ready to meet it.
TAKES A PRISONER
GROS VENTRE LEGENDS
Source: Information given by Takes A Prisoner
I will tell the truth so that I’ll live to see this day again next year as it comes again.
My Grand mother, Turtle River, told this information I am given you to me.
War Party Temporary Shelters
Way back in the real early days, the Gros Ventre war parties (Turn Toes) use to build small huts with poles and drift wood, in the wintertime to live in. They didn’t have any thing like an axe so had to pick up poles that were blown down by the wind there were plenty of such poles.
They filled in the chinking with bark and the tall grass called rye grass. The war parties (Turn Toes) used this same rye grass for mattress like, next to the ground, they would pick lots of it then make a thick layer of it, then would cover the rye grass with a green buffalo hide with the hair side up and the flesh side next to the rye grass. Then over the robes they wear every day they would use a green hide on top of these robes for covers.
Awls & Fleshers
The Gros Ventre used to make their awls for needle purposes, out of bone, the front foreleg bone below the knee joint that has a small ridge and that small ridge was the particular piece that the awl was made of (Mrs. GV John). They would use rough stones, granite, (Mrs. GV Johnny) to file the bone to a small point. For knives they used what they called the short rib on the buffalo’s hump, they also used stone to file the rib to sharp edge with. They used elk’s skin or the bone below the knee, to make what is called flesher, an implement to scrape the flesh off of a green or fresh hide with, they would break the bone to the required length desired, then make a face on it, then would break a stone so it would have a sharp edge on it, and use the sharp edged stone to file grooves in the face or blade of flesher. The other implement that is called, hair scraper, is made out of the elk’s horn, it also is broken just past the first prong of tine of the elk’s horn, to form a shape like a hoe, then the prong or tine is also broken off to the required length, say about four or five inches in length and this broken prong or tine is filed to a thin blade and used to scrap the hair off the dry hide with.
Clothing
Their clothes, they used for leggings, tanned buffalo hides, of course they would use the softest parts of the hide, they also made shirts out of tanned buffalo hides, the men would have shirts with the hole for the neck cut to a V shape down the chest and a small flap sewed just under the V, which was called the bib. The women would also use the tanned hide for dresses, and both men and women would the tanned hide for moccasin only that the moccasins they had at that time didn’t have soles on like they were made later. Those who could afford them tanned hides would distribute what they could not use to those poor Indians who could not get the hides for themselves. Very few were able to afford deer skin clothes, before the Gros Ventre had horses. Of the clothes above mentioned, they would wear them until old then condemn them, some were able to condemn their clothes for new ones sooner than others. The Gros Ventre had a way of cleaning the clothes, they used white clay, by wetting it they would rub it on the clothing like painting them, then would take a shoulder blade of a buffalo after its dry and where its the thinnest, then the bone is cut off as straight as can be made, and this bone is used to rub the clay off and to re-tan the hide and clean it off at the same time, when the clothing is done worked over they are clean and like new, this process of cleaning is done every time the clothing gets greasy and dirty therefore will last a long time before they are condemned (Mrs. GV John). The wearing of tanned buffalo hides for men and women was all alike; the men use it altogether for everything they had to wear to cover their body. This tanned buffalo hide they wore for clothes would be a little rough and the hands and the skin of wearers would show like a kind of fuzz like fine hair all over their body where this tanned buffalo hide would tough them.
Belts
For belts the Gros Ventre would cut a strip of rawhide about from two to four inches wide and to the length desired and make holes on each end and tie it around their waist.
Horses
The generations that Takes A Prisoner’s great Grandparents lived were the first of the Gros Ventres to have horses. The Gros Ventre of today hears of horses in existence as far back as when the Feathered Pipe was given to the Gros Ventre, and the size of the individual herds at that time proves that the horses was in existence before that time. Of course when the Gros Ventre moved into this territory of Montana they found large droves of wild horses that belonged to the Snake Indians who occupied this territory before the Gros Ventre came, those who desired caught some and claimed them for their own. In a statement made by Old Prairie Dog, was that the Gros Ventre drove the Snake Indians away from this territory and also kept the Sioux Indians away. They got them from the Canadian half-breeds through trades, and these horses were mostly colts. But before they had horses the Gros Ventre used dogs for beast of burden in moving from place to place.
The Rope
Before the Gros Ventre got to know the use of raw-hide or tanned hide rope, they used hair, they would take the hair of the buffalo that was the longest, which grew on the head and the fetlocks which grew on the front legs, and either twist or braid it into a rope. In making a twisted hair rope, one end was fastened so it would hold, and then the process of twisting was begun. The splicing was done by laying small strands of the hair every so often so as not to be too close together which would weaken the rope, and this was done until the required length was reached then it was twisted for all it could take then it was doubled in two and the two loose ends fastened so not to come apart and loose.
Braided Hair Ropes
In braiding the hair rope the Gros Ventre had two ways of braiding it. One way was in braiding it into three strains. This fashion made a flat rope, one end was fastened to something solid and then the process of braiding begun, and like the twisting process, small strands of hair was placed every so often so as to keep a supply of hair on hand to braid, this was kept until the required length was braided. The other fashion of braiding the rope was braiding it into four strands. The same process of placing the small strands of hair every so often was used until the required length was braided. The last process of braiding the hair in four strands made a round rope. The length and size of the hair rope depended on the amount of hair on hand.
Cottonwood Dishes
Before the Gros Ventre had acquired the use of the several kinds of dishes to place their food on when eating, the Gros Ventre war parties used clean cotton tree bark for plates to eat on.
The Saddle
The Gros Ventre had three types of saddles, one type was of that which had two horns, one in front and one hind, in making this type, a forked cotton wood tree was cut, then whittled to the shape and size required, the two sticks of about six inches in diameter were whittled into boards about two feet long, these boards were of the tree called “Big Willow” this wood is especially used for the purpose of saddle tree. Then the two forked sticks were fastened to each end of the two flat boards of Big Willow with rawhide thongs. Then a soaked buffalo hide with the hair off was stretched over the saddletree and sewed with sinew, then left to dry after which stirrups and cinch were fastened. Another type of saddle was that which did not have any horn at all. This type was made from elk horn and the same kind of wood as used for the other saddle above-mentioned, which was made into boards. This type of saddle didn’t have what is called saddle horn, but instead it had bows both front and hind these bows were made of an elk’s horn cut to the length desired so to reach over the horses back. Then these were fastened to each end of the two willow boards and the same kind of rawhide was stretched over the saddletree and sewed with sinew and dried. This type of saddle was used mostly for packsaddle. The other type of saddle was made of tanned buffalo skin and no wood or other materials was used only the tanned hide and grass. The tanned hide was cut into an oblong shape to the size required then another piece of tanned hide was sewed on top of this other piece, first the outside edges sewed together then the inside edge of the top piece sewed to the bottom piece with room enough left to stuff grass into before closing the top piece, the grass is stuffed into the hollow between the two pieces of tanned hides and when enough grass is stuffed into the hollow, then the top piece of hide is sewed closed. Which lefts an oblong cushion. After which a band is fastened over the center of the saddle to fastened stirrups and cinch to. This type of saddle was used by the men and generally for hunting trips and chasing buffalo.
Small Pox
The Gros Ventre in their knowledge concerning the Small Pox was that this epidemic would come every forty years, storyteller’s grandmother (Turtle River) seen two of these epidemics of Small Pox in her time, and it was announced that the third was long pass due when she was getting feeble from old age according too her statement the two Small Pox and the one pass due would place her age around in the 90’s, Turtle River, was a child yet when the first Small Pox struck the tribe in her time. …it was always told that the Small Pox epidemic comes every thirty-three years; it was proven by the old timers of our day. It was predicted by the old timers when the epidemic was due, but instead of that year which they predicted it was due, it came the next year, and it was the thirty fourth year after the last one came.
Territory of the Gros Ventre occupied in the early days
The first white man the Gros Ventre came in contact with was called by then, Crooked Rump, this White man has a store or a trading post up in Canada near the headwaters of the Big River in the Forest, Saskatchewan River, the Gros Ventre used to travel up there to trade. From that point they roamed the territories east to the Pine Tree Forest, Cypress Hills. From there south to the Shell River, Mussel Shell River, which forms the southern boundary from its head waters to its mouth where it empties into the Big River, Missouri River, with the falls, Great Falls Montana. They roamed all along the east side of the main range of the Big Mountains, Rocky Mountains, east to the mouth of the Mussel Shell River and from there north to the boundary of the Pine Tree Forest, Cypress Hills in Canada. Storyteller says that she has kinfolks who have died and were buried along points of this boundary above mentioned, in all four directions, east, south, west and north. …the southern boundary was to the Elk River, Yellow Stone River, from its head waters down to its source to its mouth where it empties into the Big River, Missouri River on the eastern boundary of the state of Montana.
Trapping Buffalo Before the Time of Horses
The Gros Ventre method of trapping the buffalo before they had horses was by coaxing the buffalo into a trap that was made under a high cut bank. The trap was made near where there were buffalo sighted, this trap made of poles built into high corrals right under a high cut bank, this corral was built strong enough so that it can’t be pushed over by the buffalo. Then the rocks were piled into mounds large enough to conceal a person, these mounds were strung along in the direction of where the buffalo were grazing, and then just before the sun goes down out of sight in ht e evening, a an goes out to where the buffalo are grazing, disguised in a buffalo robe, he wears this buffalo robe which has a scalp of the buffalo still attached to the robe. With this robe on he sneaks up to the buffalo herd and when close he exposed himself and claps around until he attracts the attention of the herd when the herd see him with robe on they get curious and begin to investigate by approaching this strange thing, when the Indian see that the buffalo are interested in his presence he then pretends to run away from the buffalo, the buffalo seeing that they are not pursued by this strange this would follow it to see what it is then this is kept up until the buffalo have followed this robe covered Indian right up to the cut bank where the trap is built, when the Indian with robe reach’s the edge of bank he jumps to one side and runs out of the way of the buffalo and the Indians concealing themselves behind the rock mounds lump out from behind their concealments and scare the buffalo down off the high cut bank into a corral, then the buffalo is slaughtered and butchered by the Indians of the camp. It was always told that it took several men to do it, these men would circle the herd and after they were all in position with the herd between them and the trap, they would all get up on the highest places nearest to where each man were, and stand up holding their robes out in spread eagle fashion and would holler wolf like and wave their robes, that’s how they started toward the trap and along the line of rock mounds, those men who are stationed at these rocks mounds keeps the buffalo headed into the trap.
Territory of the White Clay Tribe
It was during the time of Takes A Prisoners grandfather, Peals of the Dusty Face Clan and her grandmother, Counts A Coup later changed to Turtle River of the Frozen Clan, that the Gros Ventre moved into the territory around the Fur Cap Mountains, Little Rocky Mountains, and the Many Buttes, Bear’s Paw.
The Snake Indians, Shoshone, use to occupy this territory before the Gros Ventre took it over, when the Gros Ventre first moved in, there was no sign of Indians here but the country was over run with horses that belong to the Snake Indians.
The Snake Indians had the Small Pox, which almost wiped them out and those who did not get Small Pox were not many so they pulled up and left the country, or ran from the Small Pox, and left the horses that belonged to those who had died from the Small Pox. Of course when the Gros Ventre moved into this territory of Montana they found large droves of wild horses that belonged to the Snake Indians who occupied this territory before the Gros Ventre came, those who desired caught some and claimed them for their own. In a statement made by Old Prairie Dog, was that the Gros Ventre drove the Snake Indians away from this territory and also kept the Sioux Indians away (Mrs. GV John). These were the horses the Gros Ventre found running loose over this territory when they moved in. The Snake Indians made all signs of occupation that was found in this territory, when the Gros Ventre moved in. There was water here in abundance, so much so that it was not safe to camp in low places that are why it could be seen today, signs of camping on higher places, rocks in circular position are still found on high places made by Snake Indians.
Breaking Bones Inside of Tepee
The Gros Ventre had a custom or belief that if a bone of an animal was broken inside of one’s tepee, that man who owns the tepee would meet with the misfortune of having on of his horses break a leg.
Consequently, if ribs are roasted whole or any other part of an animal was cooked where bones had to be broken in order to pass out to visitors or members of family who live there, the ribs are taken outside and broken there then brought back in and served.
Moccasins for war parties
In the early days the Gros Ventre warriors used to take a green hide and cut into strip, a piece say wide enough so that by folding it over the foot and part way above the ankle, so that the two loose edges come together in front, would lace the two edges together down the shin and ankle and down over the instep to the toes, by cutting small holes along the two edges every so far apart and then running a thong through these holes and lacing the green hide like a shoe, then when the green hide becomes tight from drying, would step in water and re-soak the hide, when the hide dries into the shape of a foot. …the green hide moccasins were used by warriors whenever they were able to kill a buffalo while out on a war-party and their moccasins wore out, but those moccasins of green hide also were made with two separate pieces like an ordinary moccasin of today, the upper part was sewed to the sole of the same green hide with the same hide with a small string cut out of the same hide and the string used as sinew to sew the upper and sole of moccasins together with.
Flint Arrow Points
In the earliest days when the arrow points was made out of flint rock, the Gros Ventre used to chip the flint rocks into as many pieces as they can then would select from the chip pile the best pieces for the purpose, the pieces would have to be thin and the size desired then would take these chips of stone and work them then into an arrow point by chipping then some more very carefully. I was told that the arrow points made of flint rock was the work of the Snake Indians who occupied this territory before the Gros Ventre moved in, the art did not belong to the Gros Ventre but belong to the Snake Indians
…the flint rock is a hard rock and there is no rock known that will crush or break it, therefore it must be heated in order to be broken up, the bones and fat were used to build a real hot fire and the flint rocks thrown in the fire of bone and fat, and are watched, when the rock commences to crack and break off then its taken and the chipping process is begun, and if a worker is slow, he does a poor job or the points shows an unfinished job, and the good ones are made by experts.
Bathing
The reason for bathing regularly every day was twofold, it was for keeping healthy and clean, the Gros Ventre used to bath every day the year round which made then immune to cold water in the winter time. When necessity called they use to swim rivers, late fall and early spring, before the freeze up and after the spring break up, in doing this, they would not suffer from colds. If a fire could not be made after crossing a river by swimming it, a little running for a distance would be all that’s required to warm up with. It was a custom of the Gros Ventre to all bathe after breakfast during the spring, summer and early fall. They lived clean and kept their bodies clean.
Water Containers
Before buckets were used the early day Gros Ventre made containers to carry or haul water with, they generally used covering or coating of the paunch of the buffalo. The paunch of the buffalo is taken while green before it dries and the coating of it is pealed off carefully then it is cut round. A green willow stick is used to make the rim or top of the container with, by fastening the cut edge of paunch coating or skin to the green willow stick which is tied in a circular rim or round fashion like a hoop, then the paunch skin is stretched and then stuffed to the size desired and then left to dry. After which a tanned buffalo thong is fastened through holes around the rim or top for handles. The bottom of these containers were round and could not be set on the ground, so were hung inside of the tepee on a pole just to the side of the entrance.
Wood Bowls
The Gros Ventre had a simple method of hollowing out wooden dished, and in the early days the work was very tedious. They had a way of hollowing out the wood with their tanning implements that used the toll that is used to scrape the hair off the dry hide with that is made like a hoe. The wood that’s more preferable for the dish is gotten off the tree called Box Elder. The particular part preferred is found on the trunk of the tree, it’s a growth that’s found on some trees like a wart or a knob, that knob is knocked off or cut off the trunk of the Box Elder tree and is used to make a dish out of. The other tool that’s used also is the one used to take flesh off green hides before tanning.
Earthen Pots
The larger dish for pot was made of gumbo or clay type was used because it stuck together better than common dirt. The clay is mixed with water and grease of fat and mixed until thickness of clay is of right texture. Then the clay is set on the ground and the process of molding is begun with the hands. It is first hollowed out to the size desired then the process of pressing between both hands in shaping out the sides of the pot is formed and the bottom then a rim is molded around the outside of the top of the pot with a handle and when hot, a cloth is used to keep hands from touching hot pots.
Small Fur Bearing Animals
In the early days the small fur bearing animals were not much use to the Gros Ventre other than personal use. …the skins were used in a tepee for bags of all kinds and covers for articles and they were used for rugs like, and to sit on as a cushion (Thick). …they used the skin for many different articles, especially for children’s clothing, the Beaver, Mink, were especially preferred. The Otter was also held valuable to them, it was used mostly for arrow scabbards, and the Ferret and the cat class were used as cushions or covering of every kind. Even the Weasel was useful for decorating as ornament on clothing and other things such as medicine bags. Therefore the Gros Ventre never trapped for them, but in case one had a personal use for any particular animal of the class they would hunt it and kill it, …the majority of the men knew where each kind of animal lived, their homes, and places that are frequented by them. The Beaver and Otter generally group together, not live together in the same den but can be found close together. The Otter and Mountain Lion skins were the most popular between the Gros Ventre, outside of that if anyone would run onto a small animal he would rather kill it or let it go.
Obtaining Help Through Fasting
The custom of fasting and torturing the body to gain or obtain supernatural power was a custom that the Gros Ventre had kept from time immemorial. The object of its performance was to call down the attention of the Supreme Being, who was known to the Gros Ventre as the Above White Man, to hear the prayers and to grant to the performer of the fasting and torturing of the body the favor or favors he or she is asking. Many favors have been granted through this fasting, such as, becoming distinguished men in battle, medicine men or doctoring, or in wealth.
Visions
There were times when individually someone would in his or her sleep have a dream or a vision, where by they would understand the meaning of its apparition. Now, for instance, in a dream or vision while sleeping the dreamer is attending or sees some performance in process be it a game of some kind, entertainment or an act of magic or something foreign to the present of the time, which the dreamer is to introduce to the tribe and adopt it and use it as it had been shown or performed for his or her benefit.
Above White Man
The Gros Ventre always used the name of Above White Man …tradition told by the early day Gros Ventre was that this name of Above White Man, was taught to the Gros Ventre by the legendary, Old Man, who was called White Man, who was to have taught them all they knew from the beginning in the ways of living, and taught them to know right from wrong (John Buckman) when about to begin in their ceremonial performances. They called the Supreme Being by that name. Takes A Prisoner says her grandmother, Turtle River, told her that it was always known that the Gros Ventre always used that name for the Supreme Being as far back as Turtle River’s ancestors could tell, the name Above White Man was used especially before a sweat tent was erected for the sole purpose of a Medicine Pipe.
Hair Styles
The early day Gros Ventre women never braided their hair, they wore it always flowing down their backs. They all acquired the habit of putting the forelocks of their hair in their mouths and holding their hair from interfering when busy stooping of bending down at work. But the men all wore their hair in braids. The earlier Gros Ventre wore their hair in two braids, one braid behind each ear, and they allowed part of the hair, say above each temple, to come down in front of each and then cut square off about even with the lower ear (side burn fashion). Then the balance of forelocks were cut short enough so would not obstruct view or come down over eyes. Some used to plaster forelocks with Whiteclay (which gave them their Indian name) and trained forelocks to stand up. Later they changed from two braids to three braids and discarded the side burn fashion, instead of the side burn cut hair in front of ears they braided that and used just one braid that, and used just one braid in center of back of head, and still later, the younger men would wear a small braid about the size of a pencil or small just on the front edge of either one or both temples and would decorate small braids with a small white shell.
Stories are courtesy of Davy Belgard, Hays, Montana
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