Morning journal and courier., 1889-07-17
THE RILQULA INDIANS.
An Interesting Account of Their Mar
rlage Ceremonies.
From Science


From Science
Mr.. Ph. jacobsen, in a letter to his we'll
known brother, Captain A. Jacobsen, gives
the following description of the marriage
ceremonies of the Bilqula Indians of British
Columbia. An Indian who intends to marry
calls upon his intended wife's parents and
arranges with them how much he is to pay
for permission to marry the girl. Among
people of high descent this is done by mes
sengers, sometimes as many es 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 eight or nine
years old. The messengers 60 in their boats
to the girls house, and carry on their nego-
tiations without going ashore where the rela-
tives of the girl are standing. The messen-
gers of the young mans parents praise his
excellence and noble descent; the great ex-
ploits of his father, grandfather and ances
tors; their wars, victories and hunting expe'
ditions; their liberality at festivals, etc.
Then the girls relatives praise the girl and
her ancestors, and thus the negotiations are
carried on. Finally a number of blankets
are thrown ashore by the messengers; and
the girls relatives protest and maintain that
the number Is not sufficient to pay for the
permission to marry the girl. In order to
obtain their consent new blankets are thrown
ashore one by one. the messengers continual
ly maintaining that the price paid is too
great Generally from twenty to fifty blan-
kets, 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 q
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 Zone who woos." After a
year has elapsed the marriage is celebra-
ted, At this time great festivals are cele-
brated. Seven or eight men perform a
dance. They wear dancing aprons and leg
eings trimmed with puffin-beaks, hoofs Of
deers, copper plates and beds If the groom
should be wealthy man, who has presented
to his wife many small copper plates, such
as are used as presents to a bride, these are
carried by the dancers. The singing master,
who beats the drum, starts song in which
the dancers join. The song used at the mar
riage festival is sung in unison, while in all
other dances each dancer has his own tune
and song. The first dancer wears ring
made of cedar bark. His hair Is strewn
with eagle down, which flies about when he
moves and forms a cloud around his head.
The groom presents the first dancer with a
piece of calico, which the latter tears to
pieces, which he throws down in front of
each house of the village, crying "Holp!" in
order to drive away evil spirits. These
pieces of calico which he throws down in
front of the houses have lucky meaning,
and at the same time express the idea that
the groom when he comes to be wealthy
man will not forget the inhabitants of any
house when giving festival. The dancers
swing their bodies and arms, stamp their
feet and show the copper plates to the look
ers on. Then the brides father brings 6
great number of blankets, generally double
the number of those he had received from
the groom, and gives them to his daughter
The bride orders few blankets to be spread
before the groom. She sits down and hi
puts his hand upon her head. Then the
groom is given for each of the parts of his
body one or more blankets. Finally he ii
given a new blanket After the brides faith
er has given blanket to each dancer and te
| the drummer the villagers are invited to {
great feast. At this time groom and bride
| eat for tho first time together.