Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-07-21
CTRIOIS INDIAN CEREMONIES.
Performance OF tli.ious Rite Mar
Washington How Mr.. tushfu. Re
came one ct the Head Chiefs.

came one OF the Head hi"f-.
a brief but Singular and for this !on@i-
tudc entirely unprecedented. kind ~
religious cercnl'nia! was ;rrentiy en-
acted in the wo" /, half i mill. north ot
the out~kirt, OF Washington Mr
Gushing > company 81 /u,,i chief are
intensely religious in their way. a, are
all their tribe. Yesterday .hcv remind
ed their conductor and adopted brother
that il was the full OF the moon and il
tehooyed them to make lin, sacrifices
appropriate to the event. Mr.. Cu>h-
iug, whose social engagements are nr-
mnrous and pressing, persuaded them
towait until today. At three clock
this afternoon the six redskins. bctiCckcd
with their most elaborate irinketI ard
gewgawS, were crowded into Il carriage
by themselves. while six Americans,
intent upon witnessing their intended
rite. crowded into another carriage AMI
led the way tn the hills which bound
the city on the north Having reached
a distance from the city sufficient 10 in
sure privacy the carriages were r!npt
led, and Mr. Gushing taking tie lead.
the five whites following in 4 group with
three of the Indians bringing M the
rear in single file. conducted the party
through the pouring rain down :. mud
DIV lane for distance of about 100
rods. A little brooklet Skiriinga piece
Of woods was selected Il, the scene of
the ceremony. and the Indians lis
persed themselves overa small section
Of the neighboring hillside. searching
the ground intently for an anthill.
Il l..
but they finally selected q spot under
the leaflesS branches of large
chestnut tree. where arnis had pre-
snmably at some time made their
home. and began scraping away the
leaves and rubbish. The ant. is Mr..
Gushing afterward explained. is the
selected emblem of strength. and for
some occult reason this particular rite
must be performed over their homes.
The ground being cleared, one lusty
Indian seized a long pole and dug
hole few inches deep. Each Zuni.
including Mr.. Gushing. who. by reason
Of his membership of their secret Or
der Of the Bow. is under obligations to
take part in all the ceremonies and
sacrifices of the tribe. then produced
from little bags Of skin decked with
silver pinch of sacred meal, and
sprinkled the bottom of the hole. The
next step was the production BY each
aevotee of little bundle of plume
sticks" each bundle being enycloped
in corn-husks. The plume-stcll Is 4
mere twig. little larger in circumfcr-
ence than a lead pencil. having bound
to one end Il duck feather. Ducks
feathers are difficult to obtain 1T the
home of the Zuni, and are therefore
held to b. of considerable value, and
in this value consists the virtue of the
sacrifice. All things being ready, the
worshippers. standing at the places be-
side the hole, began mumbling their
prayers. each apparently upon his own
account. there being no sembincc of
unison. The prayers at this stage of the
proceedings were addressed directly to
the plume-sticks, which were placed
one by one in the bottom of the hole.
the feathers standing upright. The
prayers were continued until all of the
sticks were deposited.
1t was striking scene, but one with
very few elements of comfort three
real pagans wrapped in their blankets
and one counterfeit pagan in the garb
of civilization solemnly shivering in
the rain as they breathed their prayers
to the sacrificed ducks feathers, and
i've skeptical Onlookers trying in vain
to shelter themselves from the swift
rain under two very small umbrellas.
The plume-sticks being disposed of, a
final prayer was addressed to the
spirit unto which they were dedicated.
The sticks were then reverentiy COW
cred up and second hole was dug, in
which the cOrnhusks were solemnly
burned. When the ceremony was con-
clnded the Zunis ran up the hill to their
carriage, into which they were crowd
ed, and the chilled spectators followed
them back into the city.
Mr.. Cushing is a most enthusiastic
investigator, and seemed to be excel
lently well equipped in all ways for the
life he had chosen. His success in es-
tabl;shing himself within the space of
three years upon terms of such intima-
cy that the most hidden mysteries of
this timid and interesting people are.
or are about to be opened to him, is
phenomenal, and is due no less to his
perseverance and pluck than to the
tact. patience and self-contrOl under
trying circumstances with which he
has conducted himself. He was not
cordially received by the Zunis at the
beginning, and the first few months OF
his stay among them were filled will,
discouraging experiences. The name
given him at the outset was intended to
be expressive of little respect, and he
was subjected to innumerablc petty an.
noyances and hardships. He afterward
learned that the experiences of these
months were intended to try him, in
order that the Indians might know the
stuff he was made of. Gradually he
learned their language, and. one by
one, gained friends among them. He
took part in their expeditions to a dis
lance for one purpose or another. and
especially recommended himself tc
them by pluckily assisting to defend
their reservation from the neighboring
tribes. who had a disagreeahie
habit of pasturing their horses in
the corn and wheat-fields of the Zunis
MIR. Cushing became popular among
the Zunis by these means, and
was soon formally adopted into the
Parrot family. the most aristocratit
of the Zuni clans. The ceremonies or
this occasion were those which take
place when male child is born, anu
upon their completion he found himself
the possessor of an adopted father,
with host of adopted brothers and
sisters, all more or less ELUSIVE in theil
attentions 70 their new relative. The
family or clan life had its drawbacks
but was easily endurable. The worst
feature was the free use which the
brothers and sisters made of Mr.. CuSh
ing's property, returning everything
to its place, but making use of it fol-
the time. In return Mr.. Gushing wa:
acceded the privilege of helping him
self to whatever he might fancy. While
he had his own private sleeping room
he was compelled to submit to the
presence during great part of every
night OF dozen or more of his broth
ers. who gossiped and smoked cigarets
for which they have an inordinate fond.
ness. The Zuni cookery he found to
he palatable. and the variety of dishes