EMPTY POCKETS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1934, Page 6

EMPTY POCKETS

AMERICAN INDIANS RETURN. MELBOURNE’S HOSPITALITY. Not everyone who visits the Melbourne centenary celebrations returns happy and smiling. There arrived at Wellington on Monday by the Maunganui three Red Indian chiefs, who were returning to the United States in high dudgeon. They went to Australia to attend the rodeo organised by the Wild Australian Stampede, and their disappointment was occasioned by the company’s failure. Chief Willow Bird, arrayed in traditional glories of eagle feathers, wampum vest and moccasins, made a picture to delight any schoolboy, as he told his troubles to the Press. “We bear no animosity toward the Melbourne populace for the failure of the stampede,” said the chief. “Actually, we have in our hearts a deep love for the Australian people, and shall carry back to America the message of that hospitality which our young braves, Iron Eyes. and High Eagle, are even now enjoying.” The failure of the rodeo company, he explained, could be attributed to the bad weather, and to hostile criticism from organisations that alleged the show to be cruel for the animals involved. The Wild Australian Stampede had brought the Indians from America on a six-days-a-week contract, which Willow Bird alleged to have been broken. The show was billed for October 18, but had been postponed until the 20th owing to bad weather. When it had finally opened, it had run for a fortnight only, and had then been cancelled. The company had since gone into liquidation; and a committee was invesigating its affairs. Chief Willow Bird stated that the Indians had been paid no money; only the interest of a young American had prevented their being ejected from their hotel, and they were • obliged to return to San Francisco with empty pocketbooks. “I shall not have five cents to get on a street car when I land there. No, sir!” said Chief Willow Bird. 1 All the same, I don’t regret the trip; it has surely been worth while.” The party travelling by the.Maunganui comprised Chief Willow Bird, Chief White Eagle and Chief Big Tree. The two latter were accompanied by their wives. Chief Willow Bird hailed from Denver, Colorado. His father was the original Willow Bird, who, after a 12months’ journey across the continent on foot from Santa Fe in New Mexico to Washington, was officially recognised by the Government as head of the Apache and Pueblo Indians. Chief White Eagle came of that Mohawk tribe which seceded from the Senecas and accepted Canadian protection as subjects of Queen Victoria. Chief Big Tree, a magnificent Seneca standing 6ft 2in tall, is one of the oldtime redmen who realised that the day of hunting the buffalo, the elk and the antelope was over and would not return. He stated his belief that the redman would take his place alongside his white brother, on an equal footing commercially. By fostering that idea wherever he went he was trying to render to the United States Government and to his own people a lasting service. Chief Big Tree was now 74 years old; in his prime he had excelled at canoe-racing on the Hudson River. Even to-day he weighed 15 stone and was much sought after by American artists as the true type of American aboriginal.