Indians in DC
Oneida Sound Recording
Description: A visit to a meal with the president told by George Peters to Dennison Hill and read by Amos Christjohn
Written text: Internlinear Translation (PDF)
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English Translation
Indians in DC
One time many chiefs were called to Washington. They got there and it was a few days that they were there when they reached agreement on whatever they had been called there for. They had never seen where they were so honored and it was quite amazing how respected they were. So when it was nearly time for them to return home, they were brought to some other place when the time came for the chiefs to eat. It was all arranged where they entered. They were given places at a great long table and important people were seated there as well and the president was among them. It seemed that he wanted them together to eat together before the Indians would go home. Then after a bit the important people had finished eating while the chiefs were still eating. Then the president stood up and talked on about various things. He said, “I’d be glad if I could eat that way.” One of the chiefs stood up and said, “Now you’ve taken away the things we used to have and now you want to take our appetites too.”
More Texts
This traditional Oneida story is one of several. For more, see our listing of Oneida Sample Texts.
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