The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-11-19
A BOOS.IxF-TAN.
An Annual Ceremony Among tho Crs
... Indians. -Ita UspR,

A Muscogce, l. r., correspondent oi
the Now Orleans Times Demoera,
writes: .." '"'...
The Creok Indians of tho Hickory
Ground town or nrighborhood held
their annual "boos- -kc-tan" last week.
This is commonly called "busk," and
Is tho occasion wheH all Of tho Indians
of certain section, under locsl chief.
meet for tho purpose Of taking their
''possan", or blacH drink. The ground
is selected by tho town chief near some
cunning stream, and brush shed is
constructed in the form OF q cross, one
end to the north, one to the south and
the Others to tho east and west. The
chiof occupies tho west ond and his
subordinate officers tho ends to the
other points of the compass. Attor
everything is got in readiness, q COM
mittee is appointed to 60 out and bring
in four round logs about four feet long'
which arc placed with ceremony in tho
center of tho arbor, tho outer ends
pointing to the four cardinal points,
but all touching together in the con.
ter.
Fire is produced by friction. which is
then placed in the center of this cross.
1t is estimated with slow fro these
logs will last four days. the usual length
OF the busk. After tho black drink ia
made tho women, who are fasting,
dance around the fire. and from II
O'Clock to the middle of tho afternoon
take draughts of The medicine, which
10 powerful emetic, and also wash
their faces. hands, and feet with it.
Whom tho women all got through the
mon join them and they
DANCE ALL NIGHT,
the women wearing terrapin shells
filled with gravel. and tied together
with buckskin thongs, fastened to their
legs or ankles, which rattle and aid in
keeping time in tho dance. They sing
Sheir peculiar songs, intorsporsed with
yells by tho men, and it Is wonderful
the amount of labor that is endured
during these exercises. Tho women
are tastefnlly and brilliantly dressed
and decorated with their finest clothes.
ribbons, and ornaments. Tho noxt day
the mon go through pretty much the
same ceremonies, and tako their med
icine.
After this. on tho third day, tho wo-
men bring in tho children, who arc
made to drink. They are washcd in
1t, scratched ON the arms and legs with
scratcher Of many points, SO tho med
icine can the sooner penetrate. These
scratches are usually made of gartish
teeth, or in the absence of those thoy
are made by sticking numerous pins
through q feather. After each class
get through with their duties of drink.
ing and dancing they are permitted ia
60 to the stream and batho, whom thew
can return to the camp and partake OF
food and prepare for tho dance al
night. During all these ceremonies tho
women and children occupy ono camr
and the men tho other.
On the fourth day the ashos arc al
cleaned up. and cach participant sprink.
les some of it On himsolf.
THE FIRE rs RENEWED,
and then begins tho final dance. The
men all come in with sticks, in the ends
of which are inserted four white fcath.
ers. With these thcy keep time in all
sorts OF motion during the dance. All
this Is the ceremony that has to be
gone through with before any of the
members are allowed TO eat green corn,
and is. properly speaking, tho "greon.
COl III uauCc.
In some towns of old standing theso
ceremonies arc kept up eight days with
much formality and striotness. In
Tookahatcha town there now oxist
brass plates that have been handed
down from one generation to another,
probably for hundreds of years. They
arc now in possession of old Captain
Tookabatcha Hajo. one OF the finest
looking old Indians have yet mot, and
is said to be one of the best men
throughout tho Territory. These meet
ings are not altogether for the purpose
of taking medicine, but arc productive
of much good. Tho chiefs of those clans
tako occasion to call together all the
young mon and explain to thom The
laws of the country, and exhort them
to bo obedient to these laws, to main.
tain friendship among themselves and
noighbors, and all return thanks 70,
the blessing Of tho past yoar. and ask
tho Great Spirit to continue them for
the year to come.
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