Name: Joe Medicine Crow

Name: Joe Medicine Crow

Tribal Affiliation: Crow

Interview No.: CR041JMC041304

Topic: Geography: People, Places, and Environment – Early farming, the disappearance of buffalo herds, the sheep ranches, and dry land farming

Language: English

Time Code In: 01:10:37:20

Time Code Out: 01:13:36:06

Tape 1 of 2 - Original

Q: “What kinds of training were provided before the boss farmers came? Was there any kind of training?”

A: “Well, of coarse the training started there at Gary Owen.”

Q: “By the Indian agent?”

A: “Well, yeah the government. Wherever they plow they had some instructors there. Then after they were dispersed - after the various districts - the boss farmers were stationed at every district, you know. And they were their Instructors. All right, by that time they started having good horses – regular work horses - so they were able to pull. And they would teach these people how to use these machineries - how to pull a rake and stackers. And so it started in earnest, and before too long they were pretty good at farming, you know. My grandfather was one of the early ones – Yellowtail. He was slow, but he was a good, hardworking…get up early in the morning till nighttime, just kinda slow moving. So they all did that. All these older people, they were good farmers.”

Q: “How did the others react to it? They were former hunters, former warriors…How did they react?”

A: “Alright. At first, these Crow men, old time warriors and people…hunters, that kind of life, well, they didn’t like the idea of settling down and working like a white man. They’d say, “Work, it’s a woman’s job.” So they balked on working, you know? And they don’t want to be seen working, you know? So, when they try to farm and somebody comes, they’d hide. But, wives would go out there and help, then it was alright. “Come on. You come on, help me.” So the wives would go out there and help farm, you know. Somebody comes by, and why “Well, I’m just helping her!.” [laughing]. I know my grandfather was good at that, and my mother too. Even my mother, you know. My stepfather Drowned Whiteman, he had that idea too, that work is for women. So she would go out there and help and work, or make him feel comfortable farming, you know? But after awhile they kinda got over that idea.”