White Elk and Running Wolf, 1925 (Plymouth Corn Exchange)

The Plymouth Corn Exchange was part of a larger market complex that occupied the site from Tesco's to McDonalds on both sides of New George Street until the 1950s. On 5th January 1925, the building was "gaily decorated" and filled with the "shouts of glee of nearly 150 delighted, romping youngsters." All orphans living with foster parents in the local area, the children were given tea and gifts at this annual New Year's party and entertained by bands and performers.

Among those entertaining the children were White Elk and Running Wolf, who were visiting Plymouth to publicize the movie The Covered Wagon. The Western Morning News reported that they exchanged greetings with the children and one of them, to the guests' "intense enjoyment," "afterwards sang in his native tongue to the tune of 'Annie Laurie' and also played a banjo selection." The performers' links to Native nations remain unclear. They were sometimes identified as Sioux, other times as Bannock and Pawnee, often as coming from Wyoming, U.S.A., but occasionally as being Canadian.