The Silent Language
of the North American Indians referred to in our last issue, anent our ethnological studies at Colonel Cody's wonderful exhibition at Earl's Court, has induced a correspondent to write to us on the subject of Indian dialects generally. He informs us that the Indian language is not permitted now in the Government Indian schools—only English is spoken. So far as religious teaching is concerned, lessons are given in the Bible just as in geography. The Indians have no heads for religious matters. Most of the children are Catholic, so far as they are anything. The Indians, we are informed, are badly in need of missionaries of some kind to teach them better morals. There are certain things, our correspondent continues, which tend to show that Indians are of Jewish origin. The Wichita Indians, it is said, operate on their children in a manner supposed to be exclusively Jewish. Then again, Indians wrap their blankets about them in exactly the same manner as the ancient Hebrews, and the blankets bear some resemblance to the Roman toga. At other times our correspondent thinks that they are of Chinese origin.
Title: The Silent Language
Periodical: Science Siftings
Source: McCracken Research Library, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody Collection, MS6, MS6.3778.091.04 (1892 London)
Date: July 30, 1892
Topics: Lakota Performers
Keywords: American Indians Catholics Chinese Delaware Indians Indians of North America Jewish way of life Missionaries Religion Romans Wichita Indians
People: Black Beaver Columbus, Christopher
Places: Earl's Court (London, England) Great Britain Wyoming
Sponsor: This project is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Geraldine W. & Robert J. Dellenback Foundation.
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