The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1876-12-22
CMOCTAW TRADITIONS.


Before civilized customs were intro
luced, the bodies of the dead were not
Inferred, but placed in the open air on
:. .st.siiold, erected near the house.
Here they were allowed to remain until
the flesh fell from the skeletons, when
the latter were turned over to the
ssbone-piclSers." These men, VIII"
formed nething like Il religious order,
ssyaNsztot, the boues, placed them in
rude boxes, W HIGH were branded, and
then deposited them in a hut, or house,
prepared for this purpose. When one
Of these 'bone-housel became full, or
the tribe started OIL a military expeii-
ton, or migrated to another section OF
the country, the boxes were taken out,
placed in a cone-shaped pile, and then
covered with earth /; thus giving r;se
to the mounds which mark the ancient
hoaoes sof, the Indian nations. 1t, is
probable, however, that some of the
mounds were built for other purposes.
The stbone-pickers' are said to have
separated the skeletons into parts, by
means OF their finger-nails, which
were permitted to grow to great
length. These men were, also, box
makers, and from this branch of their
Occupation, the name of the YOmbigby
River,in Alabama, is probably derived.
The Choctaw, for box-maker, is ito1nbi
ikbi, which, twill be seen, easily runs
into 'tomb'ikbi, and this is further
changed into To4bigby. ...,...
The Choctaw duel was always fatal
to both parties. 1t was, therefore, 1t
common saying, that an Indian should
not quarrel unless he was ready to die.
The aggrieved party made up his mind
to die, in order to put an end to the
life Of his enemy. A challenge was
sent and accepted, and then each party
selected friend to dispatch him. This
was a duel for men who had tn.
courage, not only to fight, but to die.
A man who declined to accept II chal-
lehge Was forever disgraced.
A ChoctaW who was tried and con-
demned to death, was permitted to go
free until the day appointed for his exc
cution. So strong was the faith of the
Indians, in the future happiness Of those
who met deathl bravely, that nothing
could inducesOne, under sentence OF
death, to escape punishment by alb
sconding. A Choctaw had been SEN
fenced to death for murder. After
wandering about sunguarded, he APP
pearetl on the day appointed for his
execution. He ate Il hearty meal, and
received presents of belts, beads, and
other ornaments, to be carried to th''
spirit-land, from the friends Of thos.-
around him. Several hundred Indians
them formed in double line. Between
those two lines, the condemned danced
to tho new-made grave, looked into it,
open mouth, then danced back, again
forward to the grave, where he barred
his bosom toreceive the fatal shots from
the rifles held ready by the two Indian
executioners. Only one of the rifle:
fret the blood spirited from tho hole
made III the breast Of the brave man.
His mother, standing near by, caugh,
her son III her arms, and supported him
sd, III HtAihther rit'c could be dischars-
cl;.ir, :tss. lone, the iuli sentence of tn.
lazy was cAncuted. The bleeding body
of the indian was laid in the grave,
into which he had just looked,
"witlln calm and stcudf;,st eye, ". J.
For this Choct,tw WAS q soldier, too, and not