Huntsville gazette., 1882-12-02
Corn Dance OF the Senecas.

According to the Indian legend the
corn plant sprang from the bosom of the
mother OF the great spirit After her
death ard burial, and when the green
| corn became fit for use, the season of
plenty with the Indian had emphatically
arrived. They cultivated the corn plant
from the most remote period to which
tradition reaches, and prepared it for
food in a great many different ways,
making it the basis of their sustenance.
In their own language corn is figuratlye-
ly called sour life, = or g our supporter"
and it being their only grain, was cor
rectly named. The dance, or feast,
lasts usually. sap- days, each days pre-.
ceedings closing with a feast from 4
huge caldron of succotash.
1t is held in the council house, on the
bank Of the Allegheny River, near
Steamburg. The council-house is q
long wooden building, and at either end
huge stone fireplace yawns gloomily
at the dusky participants. Members Of
the tribe are seated or standing around
the room, and the music is furnished by
two male singers seated in the center of
the room, each provided with turtle
shell rattle
The songs were series of measured
verses, which required two minutes each
for their recitation. They were all re-
ligious songs praising the great spirit,
various objects in nature, and the corn.
The rattles were used to mark time, and
were struck upon the seat as often as
twice or thrice a second, the song and
step of the dancers keeping time, not
wlthstanding the rapidity of the beat
The dancers were in single file and
| danced around the council house.
When the music ceased they walked
slowly, keeping time with the beat of
the rattles. After an interval Of two
minutes the rattles quickened their beat,
| the monotonous chant began, the leader
of the column commenced the step and
the others followed, and though the
dance led them into a great variety Of
positions their movements were ex-
tremely graceful, dignified and i'm DOS
ing, and displayed none of the passion
ate contortions OF face or body seen i'll
the war dance. The step is peculiar
one. Each foot in succession is raised
from two to eight inches from the floor,
and the heel is then brought down with
great force as frequently as the beat of
the rattles. One OF their aims was to test
each others endurance and skill, and
any specially fine exhibition gave the
performer the head of the column. The
women also participated, but moved
| from side to side of the column in q
quiet and not ungraceful manner, merely
raising themselves alternately upon
each foot from heel to toe, and then
bringing down the heel upon the floor
with each beat of the rattle Some
there were free-limbed, 1.-THE, and by no
means bad-looking, who for freedom
and ease of movement, for modesty and
beauty of form, might put to envy the
corseted belle OF town or city.
This dance was kept up for hours, and
we did not lose interest in it, for one
unconsciously singles out his favorite,
whom he hopes to see hold out to the
end. At the close of the dance the peo-
pie adjourn to large green, and there
witness a variety of athletic sports, such
as running, leaping, ball plays, etc.
After this comes the sumptuous feed of
succotash, which is made of corn, beans
and sduashes so cooked that it is not
uiipdldtdDIe. l. uo Au2e Acbti6S VI SuC-
cotash, steaming hot from the fire, were
brought in, simple prayer was repeat
ed, and the dusky worshipers fell to with
great gusto.
The remaining three days were all
celebrated similarly to the first with only
change in the dancing step, and the
"grand finale" was the game of the |
peachstones or beans, which is merely
game of chance, in which the winning
side carries off several dollars in money
which have been collected for the occa-
sion.
Originally the Indian had no Sunday,
no sacred writings to furnish him foun-
tain of instruction; but his gratitude was
awakened by every returning manifes-
tation of divine goodness. When the
seeds he had committed to the bosom of
the earth in the spring brought forth
their fruit he recognized in the event
the watchfulness of the great spirit.
Selling upon the moment when the
most conspicuous evidences of the pro-
tecting care of Deity where before him,
he acknowledged both His existence and
His benefcence, and manifested at the
same time his gratitude and devotion by
those simple rites which the piety of his
heart suggested. .-RandOlph (N. ~
Cor. Buffalo Courier.