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| The First Parade: | ||
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| They began to assemble before nine o'clock in the morning. As they were to lead the parade, the Indians were the first to take up their position. There were fifteen hundred representatives of the six Tribes of Plains Indians. "It is the finest collection of Indians ever gotten together," said Glen Campbell of the Herald. "Buffalo Bill never had such a band. All these are the real thing, and are wearing the actual old time costumes and war paint. It is a perfect historical reproduction of the Red man as he was before the white man came." | ||
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| It seems that Sixth avenue was a riotous splash of colour. The red man has a real passion for bright colours, and he was in no mood to suppress it on this day. Every Indian, brave, squaw and papoose was rigged out in full war paint and feathers, and in costumes whose brilliant hues were never know in Europe. "Wouldn't you like to have that for a dressing gown," remarked one spectator to his companion, pointing to a portly squaw calmly smoking her pipe in the most wonderful blanket garb of daring yellows, reds, greens and purples. | ||
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| There was some delay in starting the parade. The Indians were told to stand easy, and as they lounged around in comfortable attitudes, talking among themselves or smoking the pipe of patience, the picture takers were given a fine chance to snap the groups. The squaws with their bright eyed papooses on their backs or folded in their blankets, won particular favor, and all showed an eagerness to be photographed that was gratifying to the camera men, even consenting to pose in fearsome attitudes. | ||
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| Chief Yellow Horse of the Blackfoot tribe, showed off his two medal's with pride. One was given to him by Queen Victoria, the other by George V when he was the Duke of York. Another chief, his almost naked body protected only by a coat of yellow paint, seemed to feel the cold, and wished the parade would start. The Husky dogs prowled about, and some of the squaws had difficulty holding them in. The Rev. McDougal held a pow-wow with a group of old time Indians at the head of the Parade, and the latter seemed to enjoy being spoken to in their native tongue. | ||
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| At about 10 past 10am., Guy Weadick and Mr. McMullen showed up, and the Calgary Citizens Band struck up the marching air and the parade was off on a high note. The parade contained upwards of 3,000 people, and was over two miles in length. All along the route they were greeted by cheers and waving hats. The Indians were the object of special applause, especially the squaws with their papooses, and the medicine-men in their tom-tom carts, crooning incantations. The crowd was very orderly; the police had very little trouble in keeping the route clear. At one point the Northwest Mounted Police walked by, and someone in the crowd yelled, "three cheers for the police," and everyone hip hip hoorayed. On they martched to the music of the band, and the beginning of Calgary's very first Stampede. | ||
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| That first Stampede, September 1912, remember the Famous Cowboy Band from Pendleton? The one that that Ad Day had brought back with him from Cheyenne? Well they played the way into that first Stampede. There was a parade of all of the contestants-cowboys, cowgirls and Mexican Vaqueros. There were the skilled riders from the Plains, the greatest the world had ever seen. | ||
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The Famous Cowboy Band from Pendleton. | |
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