Col.A.B.Welch takes Chief Drags Wolf and his Friends to the 1940 Minnesota Aquatenniel

Col.A.B.Welch takes Chief Drags Wolf and his Friends to the 1940 Minnesota Aquatenniel   Negotiations and Arrangements and Contract  “Aquatennial to feature Indian Village”…                June 19, 1940 Full Page, Minneapolis Times Tribune “Indians are Coming”…                June 23, 1940 Rotogravure Section, Minneapolis Times Tribune    Welch Article                June 26, 1940 Full Page, Minneapolis Times Tribune Indians attending the Aquatennial and Welch’s Summary “Indian Chief forbidden to make Rain during Aquatennial”…...

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Col. A. B. Welch’s Adoption Ceremony, at Two Shields camp on Porcupine Creek, June 5, 1913

Sioux Nation Adopts Col. A. B. Welch with thousands present  (Welch’s letter to his family of June 12th, 1913 describes the ceremonies while still very fresh in his mind….letter added to end of this post September 21, 2013) ** Index     John Grass’ invitation to A. B. Welch      Sioux Indian Name Given Welch: News Report     Adoption Escort comes to pick up A. B. Welch.     Adoption Escort Leaves with A. B. Welch     Adoption Escort progresses toward Ceremony Site Welch “under arrest” and being brought to camp by the Escort: Formal Adoption Ceremony of A. B. Welch Speech by A. B. Welch at his Adoption Ceremony Indian Dancers at A. B. Welch’s Adoption...

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Presentation of Historic Tipi to Col. A. B. Welch, at Two Shields Camp on Porcupine Creek, July 6, 1915

Captain A. B. Welch honored with presentation of Tipi.   July 29, 1915 Article   Photo of Palladium News article of July 29, 1915 describing gift of tipi to Welch      Photo of Camping Circle at the presentation followed by enlargement of Welch’s and Adolph Wise Spirit’s tipis   Photo of tipi presented to Welch with enlargement highlighting inscriptions   Photo of Adolph Wise Spirit’s tipi     Photo of Welch’s tipi in...

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Feast at Fort Yates, Sept. 9, 1915. The Indian Agent had just forbidden ‘Dancing’ at Celebrations, much to the distaste of the Tribal Members

  Feast at Fort Yates, September 9, 1915 ******************************************  We drove across the camp circle to the Wakpallas, where a feast circle of interlaced boughs had been erected in front of two ceremonial tipis.  An invitation to a dance had been made by the Herald but when the dance was started it was stopped by the Indian Police on order from Major Covey, the Agent. There were at least twenty police there, led by Captain Tom Frosted (Mato Ska). After the excitement had subsided a herald called all the Oglala women to the center and a Wakpalla presented each of them with a new blanket or quilt, as they sat in the inner circle. The outer circle was given meat or bread by some young men helpers.  A herald then sung a song about...

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Formation of a War Party, Cannon Ball, July 4, 1917. Col. A. B. Welch and the young warriors who had also volunteered for service were given “an old time” send-off to France.

On July 4th, 1917 I motored to Cannon Ball to a celebration of the Indians.  About 2000 were present from many parts of the country.  Devils Lake, Fort Peck Montana and other places sent representatives.  I was in the uniform of a Captain North Dakota National Guard, on account of the war with Germany and, as I entered the ceremonial enclosure, the musicians started up the Song of Mato Watakpe (Charging Bull, my Indian name). A. B. Welch, early 1918 I always expected to start the dance when this is sung, and did so at once.  Several old warriors joined in.  These men had all been wounded in battle.  After another grass dance or two, my song was started again and I started the dance a second time. In a few minutes I was joined by many...

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Col. A. B. Welch returns from World War I, Cannon Ball, late Sept. 1919.

A. B. Welch’s Indian Friends Celebrate his return from the 1918 Trenches of France, World War I. **************************************** Mrs. Welch and myself went to Yates at invitation of the Indians to be there on the second day of the Fair.  Drove from Cannon Ball in auto driven by Richard White Eagle.  As we entered the circle of tents at NW corner of camp we halted and shook hands with the Fair Officials, Basil Two Bears and Marcellus Red Tomahawk and many others crowded around to shake hands.  The women gave the tremolo and some old men started songs about Mato Watakpe.  Mrs. Two Bears, the mother of Albert Grass, killed in action in France, shook hands and ran into her tipi crying loudly.  News that Mato Watakpe had...

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