Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-04-25
" ArERTowN, Wis, April 20, 1883.


EDITOR MISUNDERSTANDING been
asked great many times for descrip-
ton of the religious ceremony of the Sioux
Indians at the time of death of one of
their number L beg leave to answer all, at
once, through your columns.
When an Indian is dying the Indians
paint their faces in bright colors, chiefly
red, and manifest but little sorrow. The
Indian Medicine Man is in constant at
tendance, and with his medicine pictures,
drums, &C., does all in his power to re-
lieve the sufferer or render such assls-
lance as will enable him more readily to
reach the Happy Hunting Ground. But
when he is dead the ceremony changes;
the squaws wrap the body in his best
blankets, robes, &c. The beautiful col
ors are removed from their faces and
black is substituted, while the men and
women nearest of kin ride or walk around
the camp stripped of all clothing, except
the time honored breech-clout, and make
the night hideous with their terrible cries.
Their long hair is cut off inot banged)
aud offered to the Great Spirit as sac
riice. This ceremony is not conducted
alone by the relatives, but all their earth
ly treasures such as ponies, clothing,
lodges, bead work and skins of all kinds
are given to those who Will take upon
themselves the task of going the rounds
of the camp and lending their musical CD
voices to the already unearthly noise. So
it is with the Indian, as it is with their
white brothers, the rich have more atten.
tion showed them than the poor.
After lying day or two in state be
side the teepee the corpse is followed by
the friends to the spot selected as its final
resting place and laid away on a scaffold
supported by four poles, or in part by II
tree, or perhaps it is surrendered entirely
to the arms of some large tree whose
shade has furnished a pleasant resting
place to the deceased when returning
from the ar-path crowned with success.
His weapons aud such other articles as it
is supposed he will need in the Happy
Hunting Grounds are enclosed in the
wrappings. His favorite horse is shot
and left OH the ground near the scaffold
so that the horse's soul may be with the
mans.
During this time the loud and bitter
wailing is kept up in which the chief
mourDers are sincere, and, as | said be-
fore, their neighbors, for consideration.
[ remember an old chief who came to the
agency, naked, to beg for clothing, and
when asked the cause of his deplorable
condition, he told me his daughter had
} died, and that he had given away all he
possessed, consisting of eighteen ponies,
eleven buffalo robes, all his clothing,
lodge, skins of all kinds ia large num-
bers and such other articles as an Indian
will gather around him for comfort, beauty
aud the satisfaction of the inner man. He
was referred to the y S. Indian Agent
who refu,ed him aid and gave him the
wholesome advice to beg back enough OF
his own clothing to cover him.
The women relatives of the dead will
cut their limbs to a frightful extent in
their paroxysms of grief and | have
known cases of death to result theretrom.
These were the customs OF the Sioux
in 1879 when I first became acquainted
with them, but under the superior direc-
tons and advice of Major n. 5. Porter,
U. S. Indian Agent, they have adopted
the custom of burying their dead under
ground instead of leaving them to decay
on ecafolds and poison the air. The Gus
tom of sacrificing ponies is also fallen in
to neglect, and could Major Porter have
been induced TO continue in the service
great good would be the result, but in the
hands of q successor, who is totally ignor-
ant of the manner and ways of the Indians
(Which is generally the case). | fear all
their old customs will be revived.
G. D. RICHARDS.