Telegram-herald., 1889-05-16
INDIAN BURIAL RITES


NaeI o2s > u tie @ylag 2ggay l1s & g
tiEcs glys vent ~ tEe.F krlE1 II sd - -
TIE eFyiag cozrnues at iatcrvals uRt4
de4la t4zes pace, a1d 80 gp 70 TIE tlEs
of O.rlaL Elas cry, says a writer ia tle
Jo-rEAl of American Fc4klsarS. n4s oee2
by s0aae white persoLs l11stakea f9r scos
CT caaEt b1L Il IA 10 way p2rt4kes q thai
ckzrzelsrs Il is = genuine expression ca
ANGUISH 2ad grief The al or cry - inter
spersed with terms walca express the relA-
tloEshlp Del sseea tie deceased znd The per
soa grieging Tue writer LIS EaDy tines
he4rd TIE cry II Iad.aa sen aDd wouaen,
snd has seen the tears HOW down tLlelr
checks There is something truly awf4i "a
the sound " Ten men and HC1nea togctGer
LIT up their voices ia the waA of gr-ef. II
Is Tar from beng iAe 3 song or chant
When tie breath has LETT the body of the
one dying the nearest relatives saca IS
parent or child, brothers or sisters, husband
/ or wife. begin with mad zeal 10 strlp them
selves OF every ornament and cut their
/ hair. sc2tterlng sh0rn locks about the nfo-
/ pace. The older married women Who have
borne children clip the hair short 10 the ear,
/ while the young women part WITH an inca
| or Two. Young men DO not sacrifice their
| locks, but the older men shear theirs short
/ The older women pull of their ieggings
and noccasins and cash the flesh OF theIr
| legs below the knee, lengthwise and cross
wise, till the blood flows freely. All the
while they wall aud call upon the dead
| The Young men who are near relations 10
| the deceased remove their leggings and
| moccaslns and pierce their legs with
| sharp knife until the blood runs fast from
the wounds. Tue old men do not scarlfy
| themselves.
With every new arrival, whether the per
son be OF near kin or not, the wailing starts
| afresh. BY this lopg-continued crying, the
excitement df grief, and the pain OF wounds,
the relatives become exhausted before the
| time for burial arrives. and unable 10 speak
! above a whisper Soon after death the
corpse is placed in a sitting position facing
the East, and dressed in gala costume. or
naments are put upon the hair and person,
and sometimes the face Is painted in the
same manner as the Hunga IN the cere-
mony Of the sacred pipes. thls IS, II the de-
ceased belonged 10 one OF the gentes owning
a sacred pipe. The "Hungakeunzae," as
this mode OF painting Is called, Is done 10y
painting the entire face red with vermiion;
then a black line about the breadth of the
little finger is marked across the forehead
horizontally aud down both checks TO meet
q line drawn across the chin. thus forming
a square A center line starts from the one
across the forehead and falls along the
nose TO its point. This black paint Is made
of charcoal aud prepared fat. Men, women
ard children belonging TO the Nenebatan
(sacred pipe owners) gentes or the tribe,
with few exceptions, are painted In this
manner after death
When q member OF society dies the body
is taken care Of by the fraternity. and the
burial ceremonies are transferred from the
| family To the management OF the society.
For instance, when a member OF the Mawa-
dane Society dies the body is taken immedl-
ately after death, while the body Is yet linn
Der, to the lodge where the society Is accus-
toned TO meet. On its arrival 1t Is placed
in sitting position, facing the East, and
decked with the regalia Of the society. The
face of the corpse is painted in the manner
in which the man while living was accus-
, toned to paint when attending the meetings
of the society. In his right hand is placed
the Ta-sha- gaze" or deer's hoof rattle
, which is carried only by the leader of the
society. This preparation of the body Is
, done by the relatives of the deceased
and one or two members OF the society
When all is complete the crier summons the
members and these wend their way TO the
} lodge where the dead man sits as silent
host.
The Mawadane songs which were the
fayorites Of the dead member are then sung
and the rhythmic steps taken, while pres
ents are laid on the drum; these latter are
offerings toward the funeral ceremonies
As each gift is made the crier sings fortt
the name of the giver, that all the village
, may hear of the deed. While the body hes II
I state in the lodge, either of the family OF
the society Of which the deceased was
+ba h far a rp -
I In high respect by the tribe, the young men
4 those between the ages of twenty and thir
, ty, gather together TO perform ceremony
expressive of their esteem and grief Hav
ing stripped themselves of their garments
. except breecn cloth, "a loop is cut through th'
, | skin Of the arm, midway between the point o
. the shoulder and the elbow, and the end O
willow twig, about foot long, having th'
leaves on it, Is thrust through the loop o
skin. The blood trickles down the willow
stem and spatters the hanging leaves. Th
0 Young men then walk slowly 10 the lodg
where the dead hes, and stand abreast be
fore the tent entrance. singing the funera
U song, each man accenting the time by striE
ing together two short sticks OF willow. Al
shed tears as they sing. This song is an OLE
one, having been handed down from an IN
o known past 1t is the only funeral song o
lDt Olll4A6 II ASN-
At the close OF the song the chic
5 mourner, whether man or woman, step
forth from the lodge, waiiing. The youn
men ioin in the wall of the mourner, wh
= advances with uplifted hands, aud passc
along the line, pausing an instant at cac
:, person. This act is an expression Of thank
(. aud acknowledgement Of the sympathy an
honor shown. When the end OF the line !
, reached. the mOurner retVaces his steps an
" pulls from each young mans arm the blood
stained willow twig throwing il on ID
ground. Some relatives prepare a horse
the gift being an additional acknowiedl
- rnout of the honor shown the dead whic
Is often returned 70 the donors after tn
: funeral IS over. The young mon, after b'
. ing relieved OF their willows, return {
their starting point. where they dress an
disband. This custom was last observe
= about five years ago.
: The bu rial takes place on the third q
: fourth day after death. The interyenin
: period is a busy time for those having u
!, funeral arrangements in charge Goods az
collected from the kindred, 10 be gwen
>. the poor at the time Of the interment ID
- grave, never more than four feet deep.
dug b. a poor man. who ia paid for his laoo
The body i borne upon \ stretcher made
4 binding two cross-sticks On two poles ten {
twelve feet long. tent pcles arc sometlmf
!. used Tor this purpose The bed of u
ssretcher il woven Of willow wands- q
which a robe ia spread. tbe hairy side uppc
!. most. and pillows are used % keep the 81
! ting corpse IN position. the feet oelng CO
ered With robes or blankets