Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-02
INDIAN ARTS AND RITES.
Talks Before the Anthrop0I0gical So
ctety - Secret Soctesies Among the
OtibWas.

O1i0W0ss
Mr.. W. II. Holmes read q paper before the An
thropological Society at the Cosmos Club last
night on some Primitive Phases of Esthetic
Development" He said that the earthen vessels
OF Aboriginal-American potters were the out
growth Of natural forms and finally acquired
decoration. One means OF ornamenting earthen-
ware Was to mould 1t in basket, or other wicker
work, thus giving TO the soft clay the impress
sions OF the woven meshes OF the mould.
This cumbersome method seems to have been
abandoned, as many OF the specimens
show that there is sort OF Imitation OF this mesh
work, by striking the clay with the hand or a pad
Ole wrapped with strands OF cord. sometimes the
volume OF the vessel was left entirely plain, and
the nm only was ornamented. Wound or wrapped
paddles were succeeded by carved paddles, or
stamps. and thus the patterns were changed into
charming designs. notched wheel was some
times used 10 decorate the rim. There must have
been superstitious Idea connected with the deco
ration OF such common utensils. some association
OF thought. Probably IL was considered that the
vessel was not good for the particular purpose in
number OF curiously stamped and decorated
vessels We're shown as well as some OF the paddles
used in the work
PICTURE WRITING AND SECRET SOCIETIES.
The other paper Of the evening was by Dr. W. J.
Hoffman. on Photography and Shamanlstic Rites
OF the Ojibwa." These Indians dwell in the
northern part of Minnesota. There are three dis
hct secret societies among the tribe OF which the
most Important is the Grand Medicine Lodge. Tn.
hlgh priest or each lodge Is called the "mede,"
pronounced mazda, with the accent on the last
syllable Their duties are no slight task. for be-
You'd their actual medical practices, they
are kept busy preparing candidates for de-
grees There are four degrees The cand-
date spends fully an entire year in hunting, col
ectlng, ana preparing the presents for the priests
The rites occur In spring, and the winter months
are occupied In close study. For two weeks pre-
VlOus TO the ceremonias the priest Is busy in
structlng the candidate in the meaning OF The
characters on
THE SACRED CHARTS
The Grand Lodge is usually about 75 feet long.
20 wide and 10 high; pole Is planted about 90
feet from the entrance, on which Is a rudely
mounted bird, and few feet away is a huge
boulder.
The candidate sits midway between the pole
ana boulder. surrounded by the priests. Drum
ming and chanting open the ceremony, after
which the CHIEF 'mede" takes In his hSnd the
sacred medicine bag and makes a tour Of the
lodge; he welcomes the candidate and relates 10
him the tradition which gives the origin OF the
lodge The sacred medicine bag is the symbol OF
spirit that Is capable OF assuming any form.
Those Candidates who succeed In pass
lDg Iour degrees, and they are few,
are supposed to be gifted with the power OF
prophecy and or curing disease and prolonging
life. Those who take but one degree are special
lists, anu usually Manufacture letlshes A NUM-
Der OF charts were hung on the walls, showing the
picture-wTiIing OF the medes, some OF them giving
the traditions or the origin OF the order. The ap-
pearance or a supposed female figure with a wavy
line IN one hand Indicated That women eligible
10 degrees; although. as matter oil fact, they do
but accessory WORK about the lodge Some OF tnem
are expert at tattOoing
An OJIBwA LOVE LETTER.
Among the charts was a reproduction OF a love
letter from an OJibwa maiden TO her Hiawatha,
calling upon him to come 10 her. The paths lead
ing 10 her lodge were marked and from the lodge
there stretched a claw-like hand to indicate a
loving welcome. The originals OF the charts
were on birch bark, neatly sewed, TO keep the
leaves from tearing DIR. Hoffman said that one
his Investigations for the Bureau OF EthnoioSy
was from the great secretiveDeSS OF the medes,
VINO could scarcely be made TO understand the
reason for interpreting the symbols on one Occa-
sion he sketched on his boot the signs OF a sacred
chart that was being shown him, and II was after
ward seen In another lodge and great cOnSterna-
ton was the RESULT.