Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-03-31
CURIOUS INDIAN CUSTOMS.

CURIOUS INDIAN CUSTOMS.
The child (of the Guiana Indiansl is
not weaned until an extraordinary late
age. sometimes not till the third or
fourth year. When the child is young
a great deal Of affection is bestowed
upon it by both father and mother.
The latter almost always, even when
working, carries it against her hip,
slung in small hammock from her
neck or shoulder The father, when
be returns from hunting, brings it
strange seeds to play with, fondles it,
and makes it necklaces or other orna-
ments. Only once have l seen Indians
mingling in the games of their chill
dren. Indians rarely, if ever, ill-trcat
their offspring, of whatever age they
may be. AS soon as the children can
run about, they are left almost to them
selves, or, rather, they begin to mimic
their parents. AS with the adults, so
with the children. just as the grown
up women work necessarily, while the
men alternately idle or hunt, so the
boys run wild, playing, not such con-
certed games as in other parts Of the
world, more usually form child's play,
but only with mimic bows and arrows;
but the girls, as soon as they can walk,
begin to help the older women. Even
the youngest girl can peel few casa
va roots, watch pot on the fire, or
collect and carry home some sticks Of
tirewood. The games of the boy are
all such as train him to fish and hunt
when he grows up; the girl occupa-
ton teach her wOmans work.
After by no means unhappy child
hood comes the age for marrying.
The young men choose their wives
Boys and girls are often betrothed at
man brings the game that he shoots.
and such other presents as he can OBJ
tain, to the girl. But when the proper
age of marriage comes, the youth is
free to choose his wife, and need not
necessarily take the girl to whom he
was betrothcd. Strangely enough, if
he deserts his first love. he, as mat
ter of course, reclains from her all the
durable presents, such as beads and
other ornaments, which he has given
her, But before he is allowed to
choose at all, he must prove that he is
| a man and can do man s work.
Without flinching, ne suffers the indic-
ton Of wounds in his flesh, or he al
| lows himself to be sewn up in ham
mock full Of tire-ants; or by some 9TH
er similar test he shows his courage
And he clears space in the forest, to
be planted with cassava, and brings in
as much game and fish as possible, to
show that he is able to support himself
and others.
Unfortunately, the nature of the
bargain for wife is another obscure
point. 1t is certainly, sometimes, if
not always, by purchase from the
parents. | was once offered wife in
this way, and that it was an exorbtant-
| ly high price was the probably owing
to the fact that l was rich in such
wealth as An Indian covets. The price
asked was two guns, two cutlasses, an
axe two raZors, some knives, and a
piece of blue cloth called salemporas
for her father, aud twelve lunches Of
beads for the daughter. Sometimes,
again, girl is given away by her
parents to q man in recompense for
some service done. The marriage
once arranged, the husband imme-
diately transports his possession to the
house of his father-in-law, and there he
lives and works. The head of the
family, for whom he is bound to work,
and whom he obeys, is not his
own father, but his wife's. A complete
final separation between husband and
wife may be made at the will of the
former at any time before the birth of
children; after that if the husband goes
away, as very rarely happens, it is
considered not lawful separation, but
desertion.
| On one occasion marriage took
place among the people of the Macusi
village IN which 1 was living. The
old father, very conservative Of the
customs of his tribe, refused to allow
his daughter to be married at all.
unless her husband would take her
with the old orthodox Macusi cere-
mony. A few square yards of the
savannah were cleared of grass and
stones. Over this mats made of the
parallel strips of the ata palm were
spread. When all was ready the bride
and the bridegroom were placed in the
clearing, round which the whole
population of the village gathered;
and the marriage was then and there
carried out,
In some tribes the man for some
time before marriage abstains from
meat. Once, during an expedition.
We were for some days entirely with
out provisions except a little venison;
but one of my companions. who
intended to take wife as soon AS the
expedition was over, refused TO take
his share of the meat, and went with
out food rather than break through the
restrictions entailed upon him by his
coming marriage.
The life of almost constant exposure
which Indians lead, acting on very
weak constitutions. kills them at an
early age, generally by dysentery or
consumption. And even when one
does live longer. life can hardly be en-
joyable to them, for powerlesS cid age
meets no with no respect. When old
and past work they are indeed allowed
to remain in their hammocks in the
houses which once, perhaps, belonged
to them, and are fed by the Younger
relatives in a rough and grudging man
ner; but nc further care or kindness is
shown to them.
When death comes, either to the old
Tor to the young, the survivors. except
in rare Instances. show but very few
outward signs of grief. More than
once have seen an Indian die-hus-
band, wife, OF son--and sometimes I'M
tdcr the most painful and distressing
circumstances, but the surviving wife.
| husband. or parent. annarantlH almost