Monday, December 05, 2022

Two Indian Villages, 1950s

Disneyland used to have several Indian villages in Frontierland; a "friendly" one, and the one where guests could visit, and another that was on Tom Sawyer Island, not far from the Burning Settler's Cabin (sometimes referred to as the "unfriendly" Indian village). 

This first photo was taken over near the Dance Circle, with one of the performers in the foreground, and the "Chief", who acted as the master of ceremonies, facing away from us. I don't know if he addressed the passengers aboard the Mark Twain as it went by, or if he just stopped and waved. 


A little way north of that is the famous Friendly Indian Village, looking very homey and cozy. If you had to move around the plains to follow the buffalo, this is a pretty clever way to go. The telephone poles and wires kind of spoil the scene, but let's tell ourselves  that they were telegraph wires put there by Western Union.

15 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-
All the colors in the Indian village(s) are so photogenic, they just naturally seem to stand-out or even 'pop' in some way.

P.S. From yesterday... Denny's was founded by Harold Butler and Richard Jezak, who opened Danny's Donuts in Lakewood, California in 1953. In 1956, a year after Jezak's departure from the 6-store chain, Butler changed the concept, shifting it from a donut shop to a coffee shop with store #8.

Thanks, Major.

JB said...

#1) I think there's another performer sitting down in front of the one dressed in black and green. There's an exposed part of a leg (?) with a white decorative ankle ruff thingy. It doesn't look like it belongs to the man in black.

#2) Hey! Where's Shiny Boy and his dog? Or is he just off to the left standing on another canoe?
Major, the Friendly Indian tribe always made camp near the power lines. How else would they be able to pop their corn in their microwave ovens and watch Days Of Our Lives on their flat screen TVs?
That IS a nice clear photo of the FIV.

Thanks for the photos, Major.

K. Martinez said...

Those telephone poles and wires don't spoil the Friendly Indian Village scene. Don't you remember what Walt said? Anything can happen at Disneyland!

Thanks, Major.

Anonymous said...

The other Indian Village wasn't so much "unfriendly" as it was distant and aloof. After all, they really kept to themselves and didn't interact with guests or other Indians. I'm pretty sure they ordered meals in and only entertained visitors by appointment. Think of them as the Club 33 of the old west...

Bu said...

I was also looking for shiny boy, papesse on the grill, and the fish jerky production area...also: where is scrappy dog? Guess I wasn't the only one strolling around the park shirtless. I always thought it was weird that face characters wore body suits, etc. when they were "exposing" "skin"...like Mowgli, Ariel, etc. It looks weird, like "why are they wearing clothes that look like skin when they have skin?" I suppose during the Christmas parade it gets cold, but suck it up cupcakes! Do you see Rockettes in ill-fitting body suits when dancing about at Holiday time in NY? It's California...how cold can it get? ***GOMA*** (Grumpy old man alert). I did some looking around after the entire Denny's thing yesterday. Architechturally, they did change the landscape of America, and I prefer the Anaheim Neon sign to the plastic of today. Denny's in Hollywood in multiple locations always seemed to be watering holes for obscure stars of the screens. Denny's on Sunset was known as "Rock and Roll" Denny's and there was always someone of "note" eating a grand slam. Just goes to show: everyone goes to Denny's...and Costco...and Target...I think I have told the story of Zsa Zsa Gabor shoveling a Costco hotdog into her face....Burbank Costco...another watering hole where the "elite meet". Just like the "Cub Room" in the Stork Club. Costco=Stork Club. All the same. Thanks for the slice of America this AM Major. Resplendent in Power wires...now, TRE'd. I heard a TG say "all the power wires in Disneyland were buried because Walt said so" Well perhaps maybe kind of.

Melissa said...

Well, hello there, Chief! Nice, er, beadwork.

I guess I didn't realize the dance circle was so close to the river. Its not always easy to visualize the old layout of the park in my head. Still giggling at Western Union.

JG said...

“It’s was the best of times…. …it was the worst of times.” A Tale of Two Villages. I’m sure there’s a woman knitting in one of those teepees.

This FIV pic may have been before the tableau settled into the familiar setting with Shiny Boy and Biff the Wonder Dog. Might have been some experimenting with different layouts.

I’ve noticed in videos of the New River that Shiny Boy’s grandson and his dog are featured with more animation. The static figures remind me of those in the Knotts Mine Train, in a good way.

Bu, my single LA celebrity sighting was seeing Jane Fonda in the grocery store in Brentwood. She was buying fresh herbs, which were a novelty to me at the time. I’ve always assumed the body suit thing was a modesty factor. Can’t have Disney audiences ogling Jasmine’s real midriff.

Thanks Major, good start to the week.

JG

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, these slides tended to lean towards the warmer spectrum, giving the photos a sort of antique look that is very appealing. Thanks for the info about Denny’s! “Danny’s Donuts”, who knew?

JB, I think you’re right about the other performer, he’s definitely hard to see though. That looks like an arm to me? I’ve seen other photos with no Shiny Boy or his faithful dog, these photos might be from before those two showed up. I don’t think they were there from the beginning. You make a good point about being able to pop their corn, not to mention use their Atari game consoles.

K. Martinez, hmmm, somehow I thought that Walt was referring to something a little more magical! ;-)

Stu29573, I think the word you are looking for is “emo”? They had long hair that hung over their faces, and they wore lots of eye makeup. A dead giveaway.

Bu, mmm, fish jerky. You can keep it in your pocket, and then your clothing smells like fish. Your cat will love you. I know what you mean about the face characters wearing “skin-colored” clothes, but then again, Mowgli pretty much only wears a diaper, so I will be grateful for the skin tights. I did not see the Rockettes in their ill-fitting garments, but it really does get cold in NYC, so I can’t blame them for wanting to be warm. A few years back I saw the Christmas show at Radio City, I’m afraid I thought it was pretty lame, though I was glad to see a show in that wonderful theater. You’d think that rock stars would have someplace cooler to hang out than Denny’s, but in L.A. your late-night options are limited. I did used to see a lot of famous people in the Sunset Blvd. or Melrose Avenue area, it was fun, and of course it is not cool to get excited about it. Although I would have loved to see Zsa Zsa eating a Costco hotdog. Just as long as she didn’t slap me. Ha ha, hey, I think I heard a tour guide say the same thing! ;-)

Melissa, you can see photos of the Dance Circle as seen from the Mark Twain, it really was pretty close to the river. And I wish I could say that I was trying to be clever with “Western Union”!

JG, “It was the best of times… (etc)”, say that would make a great beginning to a book. A book about aliens coming to take over the Earth, but our brilliant scientists create werewolves to fight the aliens. Call me, Spielberg! Yes I agree, the boy and dog had not yet been added to the FIV scene. I like the way the new Indian Boy and his dog look, but the boy is looking down into the water, you can’t really see his face because of his long hair. I suggest some barrettes. Hey, I’d be happy to see Jane Fonda. One time Susan Sarandon was eating at a table behind us, and my friends all turned to gawk at her, it was NOT COOL!

Chuck said...

I wouldn’t characterize the Indians who lived on Tom Sawyer Island as “unfriendly;” they were really more “grouchy” than anything else. I don’t blame them - you try sleeping with a 24-hour gas torch blazing away next door.

The tour guides must all use the same spiel. I could swear I’ve heard that line about power lines myself.

Melissa, I once wore a loincloth as an Indian guide in a Scout ceremony when I was in the 8th grade. One of my female classmates had a couple of older brothers in our troop and was present for the event. Next morning at school all I heard about was how Charlotte had seen Chuck’s butt.. We never used the loincloths again.

Anonymous said...

I vote for calling Shiny Boy — “Chuck,” from now on. A GDB “inside” joke.

Chuck, I tease you cuz I love ya!
;oD

—Sue

Major Pepperidge said...

Chuck, I guess you just have to know them. It’s like Norwegians! Sure they seem reserved, but once you “break the ice” (hey, that’s a pun!) they are as giddy as… well, something really giddy. Maybe the gas torch was sort a nightlight, and they couldn’t sleep without it. I’ve really missed out, I’ve gone my whole life without ever wearing a loincloth. Count yourself lucky!

Sue, I will probably forget, but you can remind us!

Anonymous said...

Major, JB won’t let you forget, either.

—Sue

Anonymous said...

Major, one of the best photos in my collection is one you posted from the MB, taken from beside Shiny Boy with the Mark Twain coming around the bend. It's like we are shoulder-to-shoulder in the FIV.

I'm glad they resurrected Shiny and Chief Wavy. I might be in the minority opinion here, but I think the New River is just fine. I enjoyed the beavers gnawing on the trestle etc. A nod to the old Nature's Wonderland.

JG

Bu said...

Sorry Walt…we almost forgot your birthday. Happy Birthday.

Melissa said...

Two villages, both alike in dignity, in fair Frontierland where we lay our scene...