Smyrna times., 1889-10-09
TIE eILouLA MARRIAGE KNOT.
The Strange Courtship and Queer Weddings
% q Ny,rf1,ovn Trf1,a


of Northern Tribe.
Mr.. Phi. Jacobsen, in letter to his
well known brother, Capt. A. Jacobsen,
gives the following description of the
marriage ceremonies of the Bilqula In
dians of British Columbia. An Indian
who intends to marry calls upon his in
| tended wife's parents and arranges with
them how much he is to pay for permis-
sion to marry the girl. Among people
| of high descent this is done by messen-
gers, sometimes as many as twenty being
sent to call on the girls father. They
are sent by the mans parents before the
young man is of age. In many instances
both man and girl are not more than 8
or 0 years old. The messengers go in
their boats to the girls house, and carry
on their negotiations without going
ashore, where the relatives Of the girl
are standing
The messengers of the young mans
parents praise his excellence and noble
descent; the great exploits of his father,
grandfather and ancestors; their wars,
victories and hunting expeditions; their
liberaity at festivals, etc. Then the
girls relatives praise the girl and her
ancestors, and thus the negotiations are
carried on. Finally, a number of blan-
kets are thrown ashore by the messen-
gers; and the giEl's relatives protest, and
maintain that the number is not suffi-
cient to pay for the permission to marry
the girl. In order to obtain their con-
sent, new blankets are thrown ashore
one by one, the messengers continually
maintaining that the price paid is too
great. Generally from twenty to fifty
blankets, each of the value of about fifty
cents, are paid.
After this the boy and the girl are con-
sidered engaged. When they come to
be grown up the young man has to serve
a year to his father-in-law. He must fell
trees, fetch water, fish and hunt for the
latter. During this time he is called
Kos, which means lone who woos. "
After a year has elapsed the marriage is
celebrated At this time great festivals
are celebrated. Seven or eight men per-
form dance. They wear dancing aprons
and leggings trimmed with putin beaks,
hoofs of deers, copper plates and bells.
If the groom should be wealthy man,
who has presented to his wife many
small copper plates, such as are used a:
presents to a bride, these are carried by
s the dancers The singing master, whC
beats the drum, starts song, in which
the dancers join. The song used at the
marriage festival is sung in unison
} while in all other dances each dancer
has his own tune and song The frs
dancer wears a ring made of cedar bark
His hair is strewn with eagle down
which flies about when he moves ant
forms a cloud around his head.
The groom presents the first dance
with piece of calico, which the latte
tears to pieces, which he throws dow
in front of each house Of the village
crying "Holpl" in order to drive ava
evil spirits. These pieces of calico whic
he throws down in front of the house
have a lucky meaning, and at the sam
q time express the idea that the groom
when he comes to be a wealthy man, wi
not forget the inhabitants of any hous
when giving a festival. The dancer
swing their bodies and arms, STAN
their feet and show the copper plates
the lockers on.
Then the brides father brings a gre;
number Of blankets, generally double tt
number of those he had received frol
the groom, and gives them to his daugl
ter. The bride orders few blankets
be spread before the groom. She 81
down, and he puts his hand upon h'
head. Then the groom is given for eaC
of the parts of his body one or MOI
blankets. Finally he is given a ne
blanket. After the brides father h
given blanket to each dancer and
the drummer the villagers are invited
a gaeat feast. At this time groom al
bride eat for the first time together.
Science.