Hello boys and girls, how do you like my new hat? I guess you can see that I'm off to adventure.
We're still talking about Indian Americans and Indian Canadians.
May I try the headdress on? It's a little big on me.
Let me handle it.
Hello, who are you? I'm Wolf von Aya from Oklahoma.
And boys and girls, he's really Mr.
Richard West, a very famous Indian American painter and head of the art department at Bay Cone College, Muskogee, Oklahoma.
And here's the man we told you last week would be on off to adventure this week.
Do you have the rest of your costume that goes with your headdress? Yes, I do, Eunice.
Would you put it on for us? I'd be glad to.
Oh boy.
Eunice, Mr.
West has brought some of his very wonderful pictures with him.
Would you like to see them? Oh, yes.
Now, Eunice, this is one of Mr.
West's paintings.
It looks like one of those monty signs.
Yes, it is like.
Look at what this is.
Well, that's the sun, and this is lightning.
And down here is the rain.
And those things, the sunlight and the rain falling on something in the picture.
Corn.
You tell the people at home who looked out for the corn.
The girls and the women looked out for the corn and picked it when it was ripened.
Now, what else do you see on here? Oh, these arrows.
And I think the boys will be interested in this.
Because here are some bullets with tails.
And what are those wiggly tails supposed to be? It means they're going fast.
And what were they going to kill? Buffalo.
Well, let's look to see if there's any sign for a buffalo on here.
Oh, here are two horns.
And what's this right here? His eye.
And this is probably his shabby name.
I think so.
And the buffalo was food and clothing and shelter to the Indians.
Now, Mr.
West has painted another picture.
And we're going to look at that.
This is about the buffalo, too.
See the buffalo headdress here.
And a buffalo skull.
And these dancers are...
Oh, how beautiful.
What are your moccasins made of? These are made out of buckskin.
Were they always beaded? No, not always, Eunice.
In the olden days, the Indians dyed porcupine quills and decorated the moccasins.
Well, what about your shirt? What was it made out of? Usually buckskin, sometimes elk skin, and sometimes buffalo hide.
Is that a real warp on it? Yes, it is, Eunice.
The Plains Indians, usually the chiefs.
Wore the eagle feather warp on it.
Do you just have eagle feathers, Eunice? No, the Indians liked the hawk feathers because of his ability as a bird of prey.
So you'll find them in the back of the warp on it.
And what is this here for? This is stone marten.
And they were also copying the ability as an animal and his ability to stalk his prey.
So they like to wear the skin of the marten or the weasel in their war combat.
How do you like my painting, Eunice? It's good.
Oh, is that the way you say good? My people say good this way.
This is good in sign talk.
Do you know sign talk? What did you just say? I can speak or use sign talk.
Do you know any stories of the buffalo in sign talk? Yes, I'd be glad to tell you about the buffalo of the Plains Indians.
Once, long ago in the past, there lived a woman and a man that were Indian.
They lived in a tepee.
The woman spoke to the man and said, I'm hungry.
You go and hunt for meat.
The man got his bow and his arrows.
He went out of the lodge, got on his horse, and went to hunt for the buffalo.
He went along until he came to a hill.
He got off and looked.
To his surprise, there were many buffalo.
He got on his horse, got an arrow, put it in his mouth, got another one and fixed it in his bow.
His horse went fast, chasing the buffalo.
When he got up on the side, he drew and released the arrow.
The buffalo fell.
He was dead.
He got off the horse, drew his knife, and cut the meat.
He tied up the meat in the hide and packed it on the horse.
He got on and came back to the tepee.
He got off his horse, went in, spoke to the woman, said, I have killed meat of the buffalo.
She went out, got the meat, put it in a pot, and built a fire and cooked it.
They sat down and ate until they were full.
They were happy.
That is the end.
It would be good if you taught me some sign language.
I would be glad to, Eunice.
Sign talk was the common language of all the tribes before the coming of the white man.
The sign language was needed because of the many differences between the tribal languages.
How would you say hello in sign language? The sign would be friend.
And I? As shown as this.
And you? And you.
Now man and woman.
Woman, she combs her hair, and man is in this manner.
How about child? Child is a small man.
House and tepee.
House is done in this manner, showing the rim of the white man's hat to identify the white man.
And the tepee is the Indian sign of red as in his cheek.
Horse and buffalo are almost alike.
How do you show the difference between them? This is horse, and this is buffalo and the hump.
I am hungry.
I, this is hungry.
And thirsty.
To drink.
And if someone knew that you were hungry and said I understand, what would he do? I grasp it.
How about making a fire? To cook something you build a fire by the flames.
And to cook meat on it? You would indicate the cutting of the meat and placing it in a pot and building the fire.
And if you liked it? The meat of the buffalo was good.
Eunice, do you remember any of the signs that Mr.
West has been showing us? Yes, I remember a few.
Like buffalo and tepee.
I wish I could remember all of them.
Eunice, I have an idea.
I'll draw them for you.
Oh, that would be just wonderful.
Mr.
West, I've got a better idea.
Would you be willing to draw these for all the boys and girls? I would.
Well, we were planning on sending them a map about Indians this week anyway.
And on the back we can put your drawings.
And you know how to get these? All you have to do is write on a two penny postcard, off to adventure, that's this program, Box 6, New York 10, New York.
And put your name and address with the state and province on the other side.
And we need a code word.
Sign language? Indian talk.
That is good.
Good, that's good.
Now remember, to get this map and the pictures by Mr.
West, this is what you do.
Use a two penny postcard and on one side put off to adventure, Box 6, New York 10, New York.
And on the other side, print your name and address and be sure to include the province or the state.
And the key word, Indian talk.
Mr.
West, we've been talking about hunting and food.
Do the Indians have a sign for God? Yes, they do.
Would you show it to us? This is the sign.
This is God, chief on the mountain in the heavens.
And is it possible to pray in Indian sign language? Yes, it is.
Would you do the Lord's prayer for us? Yes, I'd be glad to.
Our Father, God that lives in heaven, Blessed is what you are called.
God's kingdom comes to earth, Thy workings in earth the same as in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread to eat.
I think no bad of those that hurt me.
Lead me into no bad ways.
He draws me from bad.
God's kingdom comes on earth.
It is strong and good.
My heart goes out to the heavens and to God.
Forever.
Amen.
Thank you very much, Mr.
West.
We're very happy you're going to be on our program again next week.
And boys and girls, a big surprise for next week is that Mr.
West's two sons, Rich and Jim, are going to do Indian dances in costume for us.
Is there some way to shut off this program with Indian sign language? I think so, Dr.
John.
No more talk is cut off.
Off to adventure.
No more talk.
Cut off.
Boys and girls, don't forget to follow Dr.
John's advice and send in for your free copy of the picture map of Indian Americans.
On the face of the map, you'll find the location of Indian reservations and the schools and churches that Indians attend.
And around the side, you'll see the occupations that Indians engage in, such as weaving, basket making, sheep herding, and many other things.
And on the back of the map, you'll find those wonderful drawings that Mr.
West has made of the Indian sign language.
And by the time you've studied them, you'll be better sign language talkers than Eunice and Dr.
John.
Now, here's what Mr.
West has drawn for us.
Such signs as the one for the buffalo and for cattle, for the bear, for food and eating, the sign for the white man, the sign that you use when you want to talk about your brothers and sisters, and the sign for the chief who stands up above the rest of the tribe.
Now, these and all the other signs are on the back of the map.
And all you have to do to get your free map is to send a letter or postal card with your name and address and the key words Indian Talk to Off to Adventure, Box 6, New York 10, New York.
Now, remember that address, Off to Adventure, Box 6, New York 10, New York.
And we'll send your map to you by return mail.
