Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-19
FORESEEING DEATH.
Funeral Customs Among the Omaha
Indians.

| kOHESEEING DEATH
Funeral Customs Among the Omaha
Indians.
Mr.. la YLRsCHEs INTERESTING PAPRR-PRorHErs
AMONG THE INDIANS AND THE GHOST SOCIETY
| SIGNS OF APPROACHING DEATH-How THE oxAHAs
BURY THEIR DKAD-FUSERAL CEREMONIES.
Mr.. Frank La Flesche, an Indian who has for
some years been employed in the Indian once,
read an interesting paper before the Anthropologi-
cal Society Tuesday evening on Funeral Customs
| OF the Omahas." "The approach OF death" he
said, sis believed to be foreshadowed In various
| ways, not only to the person himself, but TO
Others who, by reason Of their supposed skill in
| seeing the coming OF death, gain regulations as
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 heavens. and listens for 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.
4 one vision Is that OF man a woman walking,
but not on the ground, surrounded by halo OF
brightness, and always leaving village or lodge.
death will be from natural causes from accident,
or in war, but II the face is distorted it is ind
cation that the person will die while engaged in a
quarrel with another and the soul is full OF bitter
| ness Those who fOresee can also prevent death
and are often called upon to render this service.
| One method is pouring hot water at right angles
| TO the path leading TO the lodge while another
| consists Of occupying, with one whose death Is
| foreSeen, sweat lodge built by the latter, pro-
nounclng certain lncantatOnS and sprinkling the
body OF the client with the powder Of the arteme
| STA, supposed TO be the food of the ghosts.
FIRST APPEARANCE OF GHOSTS.
''There Is story often told and always believed
among the Omahas relative to the first appear
ance Of the ghosts. certain woman left the vii
! lage with the tribe on hunting trip, but quar-
rellng on the way with her husband she refused
TO go farther, and determined to return to the vii
lage. Her sons pursued her, but in vain, and she
was given up for lost. She hid by day and trav-
eled by night, both for fear Of the Sioux, who
| were then &C war with the Omahas, and because
she did not want to be found and taken back. A
gray wolf accompanied her until she came In sight
Of the deserted village when 1t disappeared. She
entered her empty lodge, and lay down on her pile
OF the lodge calling her fathers name. soon
afterWard the lodge became filled with ghosts
which she could not see, but could hear In their
movements and their conversation. They be-
longed to the Haluska, society OF warriors, and
dust rise from the floor. They kept this up for
days, going and coming. AT first she could not
see any portion OF their bodies, but at last sue
ceeded In distinguishing their feet, and finally
they became visible as high as the knees They
talked about her, but never spoke to her. sud-
denly one day, while they were dancing, one came
running In with the news that the Omahas were
coming back, and the ghosts disappeared When
the tribe returned they found the woman worn
and haggard and detected. She refused TO talk,
and sat for days in silence. At first she would not
eat, but at last she was persuaded to take some
wild sage, and then began to grow better. Finally
she told them about the ghosts and then they un-
derstOOd why she was changed.
''THE HowLING OF A DOG
is also token OF coming death, but is not so in
falible as the spectacle OF dog mounting the side
OF an earth lodge and peer1ng through the opening
at the top. Then with trembling limbs the war
rors, seated around the fire, seize missiles and
ghosts. To see, or hear the voices Of dead rela-
uves Is also sign OF approaching death.
AT THE APPROACH OF DEATH.
Gas soon as the person reaches the last moments
OF life those around begin to wall In voices that
can be heard for two miles or more. This cry has
sometimes been mistaken for song or chant but
1t Is merely cry OF deep anguish, interspersed
with words and terms OF relationship. When the
person Is known TO he dead those nearest related
to him strip themselves, with frenzed zeal, of
every article of ornament on their body and even
clip their hair. The young women only cut II
little and the young men often not all, but the
elders OF both sexes cut 1t short. The young men
and women cut the flesh on the legs below the
knees With every fresh arrival the waIlings be-
gin anew. The relatives become exhausted by the
wounds they have inflicted ON themselves and the
constant crying long before the time of burial.
AS soon as death occurs the body Is prOpped in a
sitting posture so that 1t may stiren In that attl
tude and Is dressed In gala costume. The face is
painted first deep red, ana then a black line
about the width OF a finger is drawn across the
forehead and down the cheeks, meeting another
line drawn horizontally across the chin, thus FORM
Ing square.
'.Ir the deceased be a member OF one OF the So
cetes the organization takes entire charge OF the
funeral 1t is carried TO the lodge OF the society
and is placed at one end in the position OF host
painted and dressed AS in life. Members OF the
society call and pay respects TO the dead, bringing
gifts and singing the ravorte songs OF the deceased
brother one or the most impressive OF all OF 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 respect to the memory OF the
dead gather In the village, strip themselves to the
breech-clOth, and cut in the right slit in the
skin between the elbow and the shoulder. Willow
fNuftr
slip OF the skin, with the foliage hanging down.
The wound is kept open and the blood trickleS
down and spatters the leaves. The young men
body, and, standing In line across the entrance,
sing. This is the only funeral song OF the Oma-
has, and has been sung In the same way for years.
THE DEATH SONG.
Mr.. La Flesche then asked young Omaha In
dian In the audience to come forward. He did so,
bringing with him four short paddles OF willow
wood, two OF which he gave to the lecturer. The
two Indians then began the funeral song or chant
which sounded weirdly amid the surroundings OF
civilization. There were no words audible, simply
nasal drOne or wall that and fell In accented
cadence much as the wind sounds through the
eyes and threw back his head In native junction.
but the lecturer sang without movement. Both
kept time with the movement OF the chant by
beating the paddles together at regular intervals
"At the close OF the song" continued MI La
Flesche 1.-THE chief Inourner energies from the
lodge and all sound dies away. The mourner
passes down the line salutng each OF the visitors
Then, passing back, he pulls from the arm OF each
the bloody twtg, which he casts aside. The COM
pany or young men is then presented with horse
which is usually given back 10 the family after
the funeral.
THE BURIAL
"Thl5 custom was last observed In the tribe
about years ago. The burial takes place about
three or four days after death, and during that
time the members or the family kept busy col
lecting from the relatives presents TO be distrb-
uted among the poor OF the tribe. The grave Is
dug by poor man, who is paid for his services.
The body Is carried to the grave on litter made
by Interviewing willow branches between two
poles. Robes are spread on this with the hairy
side upward, and the sitting corpse is placed on
them with the feet covered with a blanket The
litter is carried by four men by two horses The
horse OF the warrior, TO be killed at the grave is
led behind the corpse. When the procession. fol-
lowed by the whole village, reaches the grave the
bearers while the robes are placed in the grave
The body Is then lowered on them. facing the east
The relatives, gathering around, drop into the lap
| OF the deceased articles OF value owned by the
person. The warriors horse, painted as when in
battle Is led TO the side OF the grave and srrangled
by four men, who tie around It's neck q raw-hlde
and pull until the animal falls dead Each OF the
four men receives robe war jacket, or a pair OF
leggings. In modern times the horse Is shot III
storm threaten the grave is closed at once but n
the sky is clear and the air is calm it remains open
for some time.
FORMING THE MOUND.
"Two crotched poles about feet in height are
driven at the ends OF the grave aud ridge pole
| laid across them. Sticks are then laid from the
stdaS praya n the rtdoa apd nm tho,o ..-z.