Ear on Chicago; Pow Wow For Christmas: Chicago American Indian Center

Speaking to you from the All Tribes American Indian Center, which is located in Chicago on the near north side at 411 North La Salle. We're doing the story of this American Indian Center. Our American Indians gather every week to have themselves a real lot of fun as they're doing tonight. This is the Christmas season and tonight there will be a Christmas program. But along with the Christmas program of course they will have the traditional Indian dancing which you just heard. There'll also be some Indian singing and of course some singing of Christmas carols. We'll hear all of that on our program tonight. Our guide for the program is going to be Ben Berskin of the Sue Winnebago tribe. Ben is a member of the Board of Directors of the All Tribes American Indian Center and is also chairman of the Center Dance Club. Now Ben, while you and I talk, I suppose they're going to get into some more dancing so let's move back here and a little bit away from the noise of it, the music and where we can be heard, where you and I can hear each other. Ben, first of all I'd like to ask you something about American Indians in Chicago.

How many are there? Well sir, according to the latest estimates there are about six or seven thousand. And how many tribes would you say Ben? Oh, possibly 35 or 40 tribes. Now tell me something about the Indians who are here dancing. First of all, I would like to describe the scene that we saw as we came in here this evening. It's a room of about 20 feet wide and approximately 150 feet long. In other words, a long, narrow room. It's well -lighted. There's a drum sitting over to the side and a drummer, a young man who is not dressed in costumes. All of the dancers are dressed in costumes. There are five men, a young boy who is in costume. He is about 12, about five years old, isn't he? Three. Three years old. Then there are some women who have just entered the dancing group. There's one, two, three, four, five, six women. Above the drummer, there are some pictures of Indians. I suppose those are famous Indians, aren't they Ben? Well, they were painted by an artist who

is from the Chicago area. They didn't have the artist's colony in Taus, New Mexico. And the model you see in each one of these paintings is the same person. In fact, he's a relative of the young lad sitting by the drum in costume there. It's the same man in each case with a different uniform or costume as you call it. A different pose, a different scene. Yes. Well now, let's get back down to the specific endings in the dance here. What tribes do they represent? Well, just off hand, we have Chief Paulus, who was on either. And Nakmioma, who was a hoki, a bird who was Winnebago, and Bege was Chippewa and Navajo. That's counting the men only. And among the women, you have Papago, Mesquaki, Mohawk, and Winnebago also. Is that a pretty good cross -section of the tribes that are represented in Chicago? Well, I think that's a pretty good cross -section of our members of our dance club. But there are other tribes who attend the center who are of different

tribes who do not belong to this particular group. Ben, in just a moment, I'm going to ask you to tell me a little more about what you do here, other than dance. But let me listen again to some of the dancing. It's very interesting. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. Let's move up closer. This is the pipe dance. Ben, does

this dance have any special significance? Yes. It's a dance that has origin among the woodland people. Tribes such as the second box, Winnebago, Matawata, and Tukapu. It really gets lively after a while. In the olden days, it was meant as a prayer. But like all other folk dances, it sometimes evolve into something a little bit different. Now, the way it stands nowadays, more or less the context, each dancer trying to outdo the other. We've got a different dancer now. They all wear different kinds of costumes and also different headdresses. Yes. Well, that depends on your, pretty much on your tribe. The hair roach that other land has on it. It's more or less of the Blaine's influence. Tribes should find out in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota. Well, now

Ben, you have a lot of interesting people up here. And we're going to wait until the dancing is over. And make some interviews with some of the Indians who are here and talk to them. See what they do and so on. Okay? Well, things have sort of quieted down a little bit now. The dancing is over for a while and so is the singing. But while we have a break, I'd like to talk to just a few of the people who are up here tonight. First of all, the young lad who's been playing the drum and doing some singing and doing a grand job of it. Could I have your name? Kenneth, the fun maker. Oh, yes. You're the young lad we're going to talk to a little bit later. Well, I'll save that for a more opportune time. You're going to sing for us, aren't you? That's right. Good. Okay, could I have your name? It's a, um, name is Frank Marcus. And I'm from Towson, Purple, New Mexico. What tribe are you with? Towson in in Pebble. That's a beautiful costume. Is that authentic

from your tribe? Yes, sir, that's it. Did members of your tribe make it? Yes, they make all my people make this kind of costume. The most colorful feather and head dress that I've ever seen. It's certainly the most colorful up here tonight. You're wearing. Is those special colors mean anything? Oh, yeah. I just very few of them. I mean, red for Indian, white for sky and something like that. For our Indians, you know. Yes. Nice. Okay, thank you. Do we have your name, sir? My name is Eris Nakoyuma. What tribe are you with? I hope you try from Northeastern Arizona. What significance are the two feathers that you have? I noticed, for example, a little while ago, a fellow had a whole set of head feathers on. Well, that's the representing that the tribe and I belong to the Hopi's, where the two feathers, but of course, there are many, many other dances that we do. We wear only two feathers in these

particular dances, so that's why I got only two feathers on. What do you do here in Chicago? Oh, I've been working here for a number of years now, and I work for the steel strapping company here in Chicago. What's going to have your name? Linda Benson. Where are you from? I'm from Iowa. And what tribe? Second Fox. Could I have your name? Iva Thomas. And what tribe are you with? Papago. The what? The Papago. The Papago. Where are they? Tossai Arizona. And yours? Second Fox of Tima, Iowa. What was the... Did you give me your name? No. Gratis. Gratis what? Benson. Okay, Gratis, thank you. And you? My name is not arrest, but I'm from Michigan, Chippewa. Chippewa. What, uh, what do you do in Chicago? I work in an office in the department store. Oh, well good for you. What's your name, son? My name is Julian. Is what? What's your name? Tommy. Tommy, what? I know what your last

name is. Do you know? This is Tommy Segunda. Tommy, how old are you? Five. You're five years old. I heard a lot of laughter. I don't think you're quite five yet. What are you going to get for Christmas, Tommy? I... I... I... I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm a big choo -cho train. A big choo -cho train. Well, good for you. What's your name, honey? Lenovo. What tribe are you with? Uh... Papico. And what are you going to get for Christmas? I don't want tiny tears doll. Tiny what? Tiny tears doll. Tiny tears doll. What school are you from? Race school. How about you, Tommy? You're not in school yet, are you? I'm going to be a big boy. I'm going to go to school. Oh, you're going to go to school? Okay, Tommy. Thank you very much. Now, as I said earlier, there are some interesting people involved with the tribes up here, and one of them is standing right over here. Babe, suppose you and I talk for just a minute. Now,

I asked you your last name a little while ago, and I can't remember it already. Uh... It is Brigade, you. Babe? Brigade. Yes, sir. Now, babe, the story that I hear is that, was it your father or your grandfather? Was the one that was... It was my paternal grandfather. Fought against Kit Carson. That's right. Can you tell us the story of that? Well, for four years, four or five years, the United States Army carried war against the Lenovo tribe. They couldn't get them out of their festivities after mountains and the canons. While my grandfather held out against him, as I say, for five years. Was he the chief? He was the chief, and he had about 8 ,000 brazed following. Uh... Finally, Kit Carson contacted the chief, and Kit Carson told the chief that if they would come to Fort Defines, which was the garrison then,

they would be issued out wagons, teams of horses and mules with harnesses, food supplies, farm implements, and so forth, if they would quit fighting. So the chief thought it was a good deal. So they quit fighting, and followed Kit Carson to the garrison for defines. When they got there, they were totally were captives. They were held at two years. Then after the two years, they made that infamous march of 400 miles into the desert of New Mexico. And is that where they tribe is now? They spent another year there. Finally, they made a final treaty with the United States government through the general whoever it was in charge. And they were allowed to return to their homes then. Uh... This I got directly from my father. He said he was 13 years old when

that happened. What year was that, babe? Uh... At my home in a cannon... It's called Cannon Del Merto. On the wall, there's an inscription. The date, the year, says 1868. 1868? Yes, sir. And that was the day that Kit Carson tricked the tribe into surrendering. That's right. Well, babe, that's an interesting story. By the way, are you a chief? Well, uh... In my own right, yes, sir. A chief of the Navajo. Yes, sir. What do you do here in Chicago, babe? Well, I've been following a stationary engineering to support my two boys. One finish lane. He's now a dressman. And downtown, one of the downtown offices. And I have none one finishing, the other son, the younger son. Finishing in January. You ever get a chance to get out west and see some of the members of the tribe? None, then, yes, sir. Okay, babe. Thank you very much for talking to

us. Right here. Thank you, too. We're going to listen to some Indian music now before we talk to Ben again. Help me! Help me! Help me. Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Help me! Help! Help! Help me! Help me! Indian singing in the heart of Chicago at 411 North Los South Street at the All Triumphs American Indian Center. A marvelous thing to hear and see. It's a girl.

It's a young Indian praise. Another whole group. I love you, I love you. I love you, I love you. I love you, I love you. I love you, I love you. I love you, I love you. I love you. I love you. Well, Ben, while they are singing this number, let you and I talk briefly. Once again, I'd like to get back to some of the activities that you have up here. But before I do, let me ask you specifically, what's the song they're singing? This singing that's going on now is a round dance singing. It's a social dance that's popular

amongst all the tribes all the way from New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, clear on up to the Canadian boaters. It's called a round dance in a sound. Among our people, the Winnebago and Sué, they call it a two -step. Further up north, it comes under different names such as Owl Dance or Bush Dance. But it's very popular among all tribes, even today. Ben, what do you do up here besides singing and dancing? Well, Saturday nights, we get together. We have different types of parlor games. Something that is designed to amuse Indian people of all ages. We have storytelling sessions, jokes, and sometimes we even have square dancing, like the type of dance that comes out of the Tennessee Hills. We have a couple of Indian words that are proficient at some of the calls and we have a grand time up here. Ben, I understand you have a flute player, a young girl up here that does very well on the flute.

Yes, she's a Winnebago and Sué extraction like myself. Her name is Mary Lou Williamson. I'm sure that you'll be able to hear her a little while later. Speaking about names, I mentioned that your name has been Bereskin. Bereskin, is that your family name? Yes. Since about three generations back, that has been our family name. About the time that my father and my grandfather entered school. They couldn't go by their just their given name any longer. So he was named Benjamin as his first name and his given name Bereskin, which has been our family name ever since. Now let's talk to Tommy Segunda. Tommy a little while ago, we talked to another Tommy Segunda who was only three years old. Yes, that's my boy. Yes. Well, now Tommy, I understand that you're at the University of Chicago. What do you

study out there? I'm in the Division of Social Sciences. I came here some three years ago to work for a master rate after having served seven years as chairman of the Papago Tribal Council of the Papago Tribe of Arizona. It was my thinking and the reason, of course, that I came here was to prepare myself to do better work in the administrative field. So I was able to work out a program, a three year program, which would give me not only work in the Division of Social Sciences, but also some work in the law and business schools. And do you plan to go back out west then, Tommy, when you complete the studies here in Chicago? Yes, very definitely. As a matter of fact, I came to the University of Chicago on a scholarship. A tuition scholarship, which I received from the University of Chicago, I have been a Whitney Fellow for two

years. And at the present time, I'm a Duke Foundation Fellow so that through the fellowships and the scholarships I've been able to continue my work. And I came here, of course, with the idea that as soon as I completed my work, I would go back to the Papago Reservation in southern Arizona and give a landing hand to my people who need to help very badly. You wouldn't leave your son here. He's the cutest kid I think I've ever seen. He's really a sweet boy. Well, he's the only boy I have. It so happens that I have five girls and he was the only boy. I just couldn't give up until I got my boy. I don't think I'd want to give him up. You really got one, Tommy. He's a really a wonder. And he's got his little costume on tonight and he really is having himself a ball. All these people up here have a wonderful time. Well, I think that you will find that it's very true, this center, which came into being in the fall, as a matter of fact, October of 1953, I

think has given the people, the Indian people of Chicago a great amount of joy. This has been a place where they can come to engage in social activities, but it has also been a place, a sort of meeting ground. It has served as a sort of bridge between the Indian people of Chicago and the rest of the people because membership to the association or organization is open to Indians and non -indans alike. And we frequently have a lot of non -indans of all racial and ethnic groups, not all, but many ethnic and racial groups here, just having a good time so that I think that the center, although it is inadequate, we admit that facilities are inadequate, but it has really served the purpose, and I think we have gotten our money's worth. Well, I only hope that in the future,

we will be able to increase our facilities and also that we will be able to have more to offer to the people who need it and want it very badly. Well, perhaps this program can help you out, and I certainly hope so. Thank you very much. Tommy, we want to thank you so much for talking to us. Thank you very much. That was Tommy Segunda, who is at the University of Chicago, as you heard. Now I'd like you to meet Mary Lou Williamson, who is going to play the flute in just a moment, and we're doing this because we want to point out that, although they have a lot of fun up here with the Indian dances and the Indian singing, and of course the Christmas singing, that some of the Indians up here certainly have a lot of talent, and Mary Lou is one of those. She plays the flute very well, and I think that it's true, isn't it, Mary Lou, that you folks up here are going to try and organize a band? Yes, we are. We hope that it'll be very successful. Of course we have to practice hard. Yes, I know that. Well, Mary Lou, what tribe are you from? I'm Winnebago

and Sue. My mother is Winnebago and my father is Sue. What are you doing in Chicago? I'm a secretary. Oh, well now what about the flute? How long have you been playing the flute? Oh, since I've been about 13 years old, which would be about nine years. Nine years? Well, I want to add those together and let the secret out. We'll let the mathematicians do that. Well, now what about your number on the flute? What are you going to play for us? Well, this is an old Indian melody, it's called from the long room of the sea. From the long room of the sea. Okay, let's hear it. That's a beautiful but rather sad

melody, Mary Lou. Yes, it is sad, but it is very symbolic of our music. Do you have another one? Yes, I do. This is a Pueblo Lullaby. All right, let's hear that. Let's hear it. Let's hear it. Mary Lou from the sounds that we heard in the background. And this is certainly

no recording studio, but at the same time, it sounded very, very wonderful. Thank you so much for playing for us. Thank you. Now listen to Kenny Funmaker sing a Indian war chant. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, very, very, very good, Kenny. Kenny,

Kenny, how long have you been singing? About six years. You live here in Chicago, don't you, Ken? Yes, I do. What do you do? Construction. What tribe are you from, Ken? Uh, Winnebago from Wisconsin Dells. Oh. Well, is this drum that you play all the time, Kenny, an authentic Indian drum? Yes, it is. And what about the drumstick? Yes, that's an authentic too. Did you make it? No, I got this done, uh, Taimaawa, second fox Indians. Oh, and the drum, where did you get that? That, uh, it also came from there. What do you do a wonderful job of singing? Do you do all this singing up here for the dances and so on? Uh, I take part way of other singers here too, but I help. Well, okay, Kenny, thank you very much. Well, now for, uh, the final portion of our program on the, uh, all tribes American Indian Center. We're going to listen as the Indian Sing, a Christmas Carol. It will be Silent Night.

And by the way, they take their Christmas songs from Gary Moore's favorite Christmas songs, a booklet which is put out here in Chicago. And of course, that's the famous Gary Moore who is on CBS. Now let's listen to the Indian Sing, Silent Night. Thank you. Thank you very much.

And that's the story of the All Tribes American Indian Center. This is Hugh Hill speaking.