Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-12-12

marry, and was made to do womens work. |
These ceremonies were common to all
wild Indians, although under different
names AT times some warrior would
announce that on certain day he would
undergo the torture in expiration Of some
deed which he had committed. A plant
pole was planted, and after the rope was
run through the incisions the other end
would be tied to the top of the pole
which was bent over for the purpose.
This is the most exasperating form OF
the torture, for the pole would give with
his struggles, but at the same time re
tain its CHASTITY hold, and the victim
would frequently be several days free
ing himself.
AS rule each tribe had at least one
purely religious dance each year. If a
tribe was in good circumstances they
sometimes had two or more. OF all the
ceremonial dances the medicine dance
took precedence, and the scalp dance
came next in Importance. This always
occurred the day following the return
OF successful war party and was only
participated in by the members of that
party. Before the dance ceremony
was performed by the warriors who took
the scalps, no one else being permitted
to be present or to see what was done.
The Indians who took part in this would
sit in a close circle and during the cerc.
mony the scalps would be trimmed and
cleared of all fleshy matter and the skin
cured. Each scalp was then stretched
on wooden hoop and the hair dressed.
After this each warrior attached his
scalps to small pole. This ceremony
was looked upon with great reverence
and was preparatory to the scalp dance.
When it had been finished all the war.
riors marched in single file back to the
camp and planted their poles with the
dangling scalps in circle in the center
of the spot chosen for the dance. Those
who had scalps were then joined by the
others of the party who had taken part
in the fight and had won the right to
participate in the dance.
All assembled around the circle facing
the poles. A signal was given, all the
warriors Joined hands and commenced
a monotonous song, keeping time with
slow steps while turning about the
scalps. AS the dance progressed the
warriors loosed their hands, and whoops
and yells were interspersed in the song.
Wilder and wilder became their actions,
and they leaped and bounded in the air,
brandishing their weapons until they
had worked themselves into an intox-
| ication of mad excitement. Suddenly
one of the dancers would spring to the
center of the circle, and, in the vain
glorious language of his race, recount
his story, and by his actions 60 through
the performance of taking the scalps
over again. When each one who had
taken scalp had finished his story,
each of the others who had been in the
war party would recount his action and
tell of the great deeds he had performed
and at the same time tell how the in
fluence of the Dad God" had prevented
him from acquiring any scalps. This
was continued until each dancer had
time to recount all his wonderful ex-
PLOTS, and by this time the whole band
was wild with frenzy.
These two were the great ceremonial
dances of all the wild tribes The Sioux
and the Navajoes had dance which was
called the ''green corn dance" from the
fact that it was in honor of the ripening
of the ears of corn. In this both men
and women participated, and it was O
test of chastity as well as areligious Ger.
emony. This dance had counterpart
among the Seminoles, but their rites
ended in the widest voluptuary orgies.
But it was in the social dance that the
Indians of all tribes took the greatest
delight. The social side of the Indian
has been so little written about that to
the popular mind he is only known as q
taciturn individual who never laughs noI
has any amusement. This is wonderful
from the fact that the Indian race takes
more enjoyment in pleasure than any
other portion of the human family, and
the social dance has such attractions
that men and women will ride many
miles to participate in them. 1t is il
these dances that many courtships are
carried out, and not only do the younger
members OF the tribes get their partners
for life, but often the arrangements arr
made by which woman transfers hel
affections from one husband to another
One of the most noted and most favor
ably received dance is the kissing dance
or dance of love. This is participated il
by both sexes, and many an opportunity
is given to kiss the object of the affec
tions while none may say nay. The
husband must stand perfectly unmoveC
while he sees his wife lavish endear
ments on some other man, and any SHOW
of resentment on his part either then o
thereafter brings down on his head tn,
censure of the whole tribe.
Probably the most curious, and at tn,
same time most unusual of all dance
was the begging dance. 1t required tw,
tribes who had been at war, and who ha,
become friendly, in order to consummat
the dance, which was surprise upol
one of the tribes. All of the warriors o
one tribe rush suddenly into the cam
of the other, yelling and firm
guns, with every semblance of
furious attack. The assaulted Indian
recognize the nature of the infictiol
and form circle in the center of tn
camp. At signal the attacking part
laws aside its arms and performs
series of dances, during the progress Q
which the dancers spring from tn
circle and each seizes a warrior fror
the other tribe, whom he hugs wit
every evidence of affection. Each In
, dian receiving such an embrace is rt
i ouired by custom to make a present I
J the one who embraces him, and, as h
is expected TO be liberal, begin
: dance is generally looked upon as bein
: as grave calamity as hostile raid.
The dances mentioned were ccmmo
} to all tribes. In addition each trib
, had numerous social dances, and i
} good seasons, when every thing wen