The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-08-17
pEATA AMoNo &c oMAHAs.

SHr. Frank Ia Flesche, an Indian
VIC has for some years been employed
in the Indian office. read an interesting
paper before the ARCHAEOLOGICAL SO.
ciety Tuesday evening. says the WASH
ington Star. on Funeral Customs Of
the 0mahas THE approach Of
DEATH he said. 'fs believed to be
foreshadowed in various ways not
only to the person himself. but by 9TH
ers. who, by reason Of their supposed
skin in seeing the coming Of death.
gain reputation prophets. They
either have visions, or pass through
apparent death. The dreamer lies
in the open air. in the midsummer,
with the thunder rolling in the heay-
ems. and listens fol- voices. These come
to him from animals, clouds. or merely
the air. Such persons as can foresee
death are eligible to membership In
the Ghost society" One vision Is
that of a woman walking, but not on
the ground, surrounded by q halo Of
brightness. and always leaving . viii
lage or lodge. II one wear a placid,
pleasing expression the death will be
from natural causes. from accident or
In war; but if the face is distorted 1t is
an indication chat the person will die
while in a quarrel with another and
the soul is full of bittssness. Those
who foresee can always prevent death,
and are often called upc1 TO render
this service. One method Is pouring
hot waser at right angles to the path
leading Il the lodge; while another
consists Of occupying, with one whose
death is foreseen, a sweat-lodge built
by the latter, pronouncing certain in-
carnations, and sprinkling the body OF
the client with the powder Of the art
emsia, supposed to be the food of the
ghosts.
1.-The bowling Of a dog is also a
token Of coming death. but is not so
infallible as the spectacle Of a dog
mounting the side Of an earth
lodge aud peering through the
opening i the top. Then with trem-
bling limbs, the warriors sea ted around
the fire seize missiles, base the dog
and kill him to propitia to the ghosts.
To see or hear the voices OF dead rela-
tives is also a sign Of ap preaching
death.
':As soon as the person reaches the
last moments of life those around be-
gin to wall in voices that can be heard
for two miles or more. This cry has
sometimes been mistaken for a song or
chant. but II is merely a cry of deep
anguish, interspersed with terms of
relation. When the person is known
to DO dead those near est related to him
strip themselves, with frenzied zeal Of
syery article Of ornament on their
body. and even clip their hair. The
young wome n only cut it a little. and
the young men often not at all. but
the elders of both sex s cut ii short.
The young men and women cut the
desh off the legs below the knees.
With every fresh arrival the wailings
begin anew. The relatives become ex-
hausted Big the wounds they inflicted
on themselves and the constant crying
long before the time Of burial. AS
soon as death occurs the body is
propped ia a sitting position SO that il
may stiffen in that attitude and is
dressed in gala costume. The face Is
painted first a deep red, and then a
black linl about the width Of q finger
is drawn across the forehead and
down the cheeks meeting another line
drawn horizontally across the chin.
thus forming a square.
/. IF the deceased be a member OF
one Of the societies the organization
takes entire charge Of the funeral. It
is carried to the lodge 81 the society
and is placed at one end IN the posi-
ticn Of a host painted and dressed as
in life. Members Of the society cali
and pay respect TO the dead, bringing
gifts and singing the fayorite songs
the deceased brother One Of the
MOST impressive o all the customs OF
the Omahas occurs at this time. while
the body is lying in state. The young
men, anxious to do homage and pay
to the memory OF the degd
in the village. strip themselves
to the breechcloth and cut ia the right
arm a slit in the skin between the eli
bow and the shoulder. Willow twigs
bearing leaves are then thrust through
this slip OF the skin. with the foliage
hanging down. The wound is kept
open and the blood trinkles down and
spatters the leaves. The young men
then march in silence to tho ledge con-
the body, and. standing in q
line acrpss.t she entrance, sing. This Is
The only fanerai song Of the Omahas.
and has been sung in the same way for
years.
Mr.. TX Flesche then asked a young
Omaha Indian ID the audience to come
forward. he did 50. bringing with
aim four short paddles Of willow
wood, two Of which he gave to the