Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-11-10
A s.Ke.TAn.
An Annual Crrem,ny Among the Crock
Inhlans--its Uss.

InhIans--its Uss.
The Crock Ind ans OF the Hickory
Ground town or no'ghborh hood held
their annual "boos-ko.lan'' lust week.
This Is commonly called "buik." and
o the occasion when all the Indians of
q certain section. under q local chief
meet for the purpose Of ialihg their
'possan," or black drink The ground
a selected by the town chief near
some running stream. and II brush
shed IL constructed in the form OF a
cross, ono end to the north one to the
south and tho others TO the east end
west The cllief occupies the west end
and his subord nate oil, ias the ends 10
the other points OF the impa IS. After
everything Is got in rca illness com.
mittce is appointed TO go out and bring
in four round logs. VIII ch are placed
with ceremony in the cntcr OF the
arbor. the oItcr ends pointing to the
fO'ir card nj points, but all toIch'ng
together in the center
ire is produced by ri ton. which Is
ihcn placed in lhe cGnter OF this eros ;.
II Is estimated with II slow fire these
logs will last four days. the usual
length Of the bi'k After the black
\ ink Il made the women. who are
fasting. dance aro n the fire. and
from twelve o'clock to the m ddle
Jf the afternoon take draughts
" the medicine which i u
pOwcrlul emelic. and also wash
thcir faces. hands aud feet
with II, Whom the women
all gel through the men o them. and
lhoy dance all night, the women wear
ing terrdpin SHELLS filled with gravel
an Lonnd together W tn backskin
thongs fastened to their legs or ankles.
which rattle and ad in koeping timo in
the dance They sing their peculiar
ongs. iniotSpersod with yolls by the
mon. aud il is wonderful the amount OF
labor that Is on Il rod during these ox-
crosses. The women are hlslelully and
brilliantly drcsse AMI decorated with
their Inc3t clothes ribbons and orna-
meats. Tho noxt day the men 90
th ough pretty mach the same cere
monies, anil take thoir m ,diuine.
After this. on The third day. the
women BRING the child oi, who are
liade 10 DIR nix They are washed in
1t scratched on the arms and legs with
scratchcr Of many points, so the
medicine can the sooner penetrate.
These scratciers are usually made Of
earlish teeth. or in the absence Of
those they are ma 10 by sticking nu-
merols pins through feather After
each elias, got through with their du-
ties OF dr. nking and dancing they arc
permit d to 90 TO tn, stream and
battle when they can return to the
camp aud parlake OF fool and prepare
for the dance at night. Dnriug all
these ceremonies the women and
childrcn occupy one camp and the men
another.
0n the fourth day the ashes are all
cleaned up. and zach partic pant
splinkles some OF it on linn ielf. the fire
is ronewel. aud then begins the final
danco Tho men all como in with
sticks. in the ends of which arc inserted
four white feathers. With those thoy
keep time in all sorts OF moto during
the dance. All this is the ceremony
that has TO bo gone thro igh W th be-
fore any OF the members are allowed 10
cat green corn. and Is, properly speak
ing, the green corn dance"
In some towns OF old standing these
ceremonies are kept up eight days wi h
much formality and sirictncss. In
Tookabatcha town there now exist
brass plates that have bcon handed
down from one generation TO another
probably for hundreds OF years. They
are now in possession of old Captain
Tookabalcha Halo. one OF the finest
looking old Indians ! have ever met,
and is said to be one OF the best ms
throughout the territory. Those meet
ings are not altogether for tho purpose
OF taking medicine. but are productive
of much good. The chiefs of these
clans take occasion to call together all
the young men aud explain TO them the
laws of the country and exhort them to
bo obedient to these laws, TO maintain
friendship among thomsolye, and neigh.
bors, aud all return thanks for the
blessings OF the past year and ask the
Great Spirit to continue thcm for the
year to come. -h,tsc0ges H. ~ Cor.
a. o. Tines Democrat.