The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-11-11
A BOO%-IZI-TAN.
An Annual Ger, mruy Among the Creeh
Indians. Its UScs.


A MuScog"c, !. T.. correspondent Of
tho New Orleans Times Democrat
writcs:
Th" Creek Indians of III. Hickory
Ground town o. nrighb0rhooI held
This is commonly called "b lsk," and
Is the occasion when all of the Indians
of Il certain section. un,lcr Local chief,
meet for the purpose of taking their
''possan", or blaze drink. The ground
is selected by tho town chief near some
running stream, and Il brush shed is
constructed in the form OF II cross. ono
end to tho north, one to tho south and
tho others to the east and west The
chief occupies tho west end and his
subordinate officers tho ends to the
other points of tho compass. After
everything is got in readiness, COM
mittee is appointed to go out and bring
in four round logs about four feet long,
which are placed with ceremony in the
center of the arbor, tho outer ends
pointing to the four cardinal points,
but all touching together in tho con-
ter.
Fire is produced by friction, which is
then placed in tho center of this cross.
1t is estimated with q slow fire these
logs will last four days, the usual length
OF the busk. After tho black drink is
made the women, who are fasting,
dance around the fire. and from i2
O'Clock TO the middle of tho afternoon
take draughts of the medicine, which
is powerful emctic, and also wash
their faces. hands, and feet with it.
When the women all get through the
men join them and they
DANCE ALL NIGHT,
tho women wearing terrapin shells
filled with gravel, and tied together
with Duckskin thongs, fastened to their
legs or ankles, which rattle and aid in
keeping time in the dance They sing
their peculiar songs, intcrspcrsed with
yclls by the men, and it is wonderful
tho amount Of labor that is endured
are tastcfully and brilliantly dressed
and decorated with thoir finest clothes.
ribbons, aud ornaments. Tho next day
the men go through pretty much the
same ceremonies, and take their med
icinc.
Aftor this. on tho third day. the wo-
men bring i'll the children, who are
made TO drink. They are washed in
~ SSt"'N"St oL liiC tti lis anu IcnS with
scratchcr of many points, so the med
lcine can the sooner penetrate. These
scratches are usually made of yarlish
teeth, or in the absence OF those they
are made by sticking numerous pins
through 4 feather. After each class
get through with their duties of drink
ing and dancing they arc permitted to
60 to the stream and bathc, when thew
rptI'rn bn "a
food and prepare for thc dance at
night. During all these ceremonies the
women and children occupy ono camp
and the men the other.
On the fourth day the ashes are all
cleaned up,and eacn participant sprink-
les some OF it or himself.
THE FIRE Is RENEWED,
and then begins tho final dance. Tho
men all come in with sticks, in the ends
of which are inserted four white feath-
ers. With these they keep time in all
sorts of motion during the dance. Ali
this is the ceremony that has to be
gone through with before any of tho
members arc allowed to eat groen corn,
and is, properly speaking, tho "grcen-
corn dance"
In some towns OF old standing these
ceremonies arc Kept up eight days with
much formality and strictness. In
Tookabatcha town thcro now oxist
brass plates that havo boon handed
down from one generation to another,
probably for hundreds of yoars. They
are now in possession of old Captain
Tookabatcha Halo, ono of the finest
looking old Indians | have yet met, and
is said to be one of the best men
throughout the Territory. These meet
ings arc 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 mon and explain to them the
Jaws of the country, and exhort them
to be obcdient to these laws, to main
tain friendship among themselves and
neighbors, and all return thanks for
tho blessing of tho past year. and ask
the Great Spirit to continue them for
the year to come.
--------zo-o -