1932 Tribe of the Lone Wolf manual

Lone Wolf Tribe only aired on CBS radio for one season, but it made a huge merchandising impact. Sponsored by Wrigley's gum, this children's series offered dramatized perspective on American Indian life. The narrator was the head of the tribe, Chief Wolf Paw, who prided himself on communicating to the listeners with "the voice that flies."

As games like cowboys and Indians and duos like The Lone Ranger and Tonto suggest, American Indian culture has long been a societal fascination in the U.S. Throughout history, sports team names like the Washington Redskins, the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves have served as wince-worthy reminders that our nation has endorsed the mascot-making and mimicry of American Indian culture.

When Lone Wolf Tribe first aired in 1932, the show became part of that tradition. Its spokesman, a fearless warrior in a radiant feathered headdress, sent letters to the Tribe's club members, addressing them as "braves and princesses." Among the club's premiums were the "Lone Wolf Tribe Tom-Tom with a beater stick" and arrowhead badges.

Chief Wolf Paw encouraged club members to trade their "wampum" (or Wrigley's gum wrappers) for more tribe transmissions and premiums, in order to mirror the American Indian practice of trading. Many transmissions were embossed with sketches of a dark, long-haired, stoic-looking man with one finger skewering the air as he offered a written "proverb," such as "Nothing is more important than good health: it is the small things of life that make us healthy," and included sticks of different flavored Wrigley's gum.

Despite the offering of several intricate premium trinkets, Lone Wolf Tribe last aired in 1933, one year after its debut. The closing mailer to club members stated, "My tribe has called me back to its council fires beyond the Shining Mountains. I leave you now because my collection of fine Indian things, which my traders gathered for me from different tribes in the West, is gone. I have traded them to you for wampum. Please do not send any more wampum to me. My trading post is closed.... Chief Wolf Paw"

And so all the braves and princesses bid a fond farewell to their leader, but not before chomping on the Spearmint, Double Mint and Juicy Fruit gum sticks adjacent to his farewell address in the mailer.

Though short-lived, Lone Wolf Tribe still offers a great number of premium relics. The scarce "Treasure of Lone Wolf" 11x17 paper map is worth $225 in mint condition. The Lone Wolf Tribe Book with its original gum inserts (unchewed, of course) is worth $200. And the Lone Wolf Tribe Trading Post Closing Folder is worth a whopping $425!

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1932 Tribe of the Lone Wolf manual		1933 Lone Wolf closing mailer and trading post closing folder		Scarce 1932 tribe necklace
1932 Chief Wolf Paw sterling ring (considered the first radio premium ring)