The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-08-20
Mythology OF the Halda Indians.

Careless ard Casual observers term all
Indian carvings as idols or objects OF
worship. But the Indian is not an idol
ator; he does not bow down or worship
the image of created things. HIS wor-
ship is secret, and performed in seasons
of retirement in the depths Of the forest.
His ideas of the existence Of deity are
vague at hest, and the lines Of separation
between it and NEGRO nancy, medical mag
ic and demonology are too family sepa-
rated TO allow him to speak with discrim-
ination. The Indians necessities of Ian
guage at all times require personifica-
lions, and his carved columns are picture
writings readily understood by all. They
are legends of adventures OF giants and
dwarfs, and while he amuses with the
tales of the conflicts between monsters
and demons, fairies and enchanters, he
also throws in some few grains of instruc-
ton in the form Of allegory and fable,
which enable us to perceive glimpses of
the heart and its affections. The myth
ical belief of the Haidas is similar to the
Algonkin. The Raven, or Nckilstas, of
the Haida is like ManabozhO of the Al
cries and Hiawatha of the Iroquois. He
has all the powers of deity, and can
assume any shape he pleases; and 50 of
the Hoorts, or Grizzly Bear, the Skana,
or Killer (orca), the Helinga, or Thunder
Bird, etc. This play between the zoonic
and mortal shapes of heroes must con-
stantly be observed in high as well as
ordinary characters. To have the name
of an animal, or bird, or reptile, is to have
his powers. The ordinary domestic life
of the Indian is described in plain words
and phrases; but whatever is mysteri-
GUS or abstract must be brought under
NEUROLOGICAL figures and influences. Birds
and 'quadrupeds must be made to talk.
and even the clouds, which chase each
other in brilliant hues and constantly
changing forms in the heavens, consti-
tute species Of wild photography which
he can interpret. The phenomena Of
storms and meteorological changes con-
meet themselves, in the superstitious
mind, with some engrossing mythos or
symbol.
There seems to be a great variety OF
stories which are recorded by these pic
turegraphs. Some are grotesque, some
disgusting, and some instructive, but
whether they are orally related around
the lodge fire, in the family circle, or de-
picted in their carvings or rude paint
ings, the dramatis personp are true tran
scripts of Indian life; they never rise
above, it or express sentiment or Opin-
ion which is not true to Indian society,
nor do they employ words which are not
known to their vocabulary. Ii is in these
legends that we obtain their true views
of life and death, their mythology, their
cosmogony, their notions OF astrology,
and often Of their biography and history,
f,r the boundaries between history and
fiction are vaguely defined. Some Of the
ancient legends Of the Haidas are pro-
phetic, and told by these ancient skagas,
or medicine men, to the Indians, then
dressed in robes of furs. They were told
of the strangers with white faces who
would come and buy their furs and give
them in exchange other articles of cloth
ing and other kinds of food to eat, and
they were warned to treat the strangers
well when they came, as they would
bring with them many things new and
strange which would be of great benefit
if they would learn and adopt what was
good of the white mans ways. School,
craft says in his Myth of Hiawatha y:
These stories are often told, in seasons
of great severity in the depth of the win
ter, to an eagerly listening group. to
while away the hour and divert atten-
ton from the pressing claims of hunger
Under such circumstances, to dole away
time which has no value to him, and to
cheat hunger and want, is esteemed
trait of philosophy. If there is morsel
to eat in the lodge it is given 10 the
children. The women initiate this stole
ism end devotion of the men. Not a
tone of the narrative tells of dismay in
their domestic circumstances, not an eye
the influence Of grief The
dignity of this position is worthy OF re-
membrance. The man, it may be, shall
pass away from the earth, but these trib
utes to the best feelings of the heart will
remain, while these simple tales and leg
endary creations constitute new point
of character by which he should be
judged. They are at least calculated to
modify our views of the man, who in not
always savage, not always fiend-
The Haidas seem to be advanced i'll
their works of art in carvings in wood