Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-10-31
BllQULA INDIANS.
An Interesting Account of Their Singular
Marriage Ceremonies.

Phi. Jacobsen, in letter to his we'll
known brother. Capt. 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 messengers. sometimes as
many as twenty being sent to call on
the girls father. They are sent
by the young mans parents be-
fore the young man is of age. In
many instances both man and girl are
not more than or 9 years old. The
messengers go in their boats to the
girls house, and carry on their nego-
tiations 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 expe-
ditions; their liberality at festivals, etc.
Then the girls relatives praise the girl
and her ancestors, and thus the nego-
tiations are carried on. Finally
number of blankets are thrown ashore
by the messengers; and the girls rela-
tives protest and maintain thatth mum
Der is not sufficient to pay for the per.
mission to marry the girl. In order to
obtain their consent new blankets are
thrown ashore one by one, the mes
sengers continually maintaining that
the price paid is too great. Generally
fromstwenty to fifty blankets, each OF
the value of about so cents, are paid.
After this the boy and girl are con-
sidered engaged. When they come to
be grown up the young man has to
serve 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 ''one
who woos." After a year has elapsed
the marriage is celebrated. At this
time great festivals are celebrated.
Seven or eight men perform a dance.
They wear dancing aprons and leggins,
trimmed with puffin-beaks, hoofs o.
deers, copper plates and bells. If the
groom should be a wealthy man, who
has presented TO his wife many small
copper plates, such as are used as
presents to 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 marriage 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 eagie-down, which flies
about when he moves and forms a
cloud around his head. The groom
presents the first dancer with piece
of calico, which the latter tears to
pieces, which he throws down in front
of each house of the village, crying
"Hoipi'' in order to drive away the
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 lookers-on. Then the
brides father brings a great number
of blankets. generally double the num-
Der of those he had received from the
groom. and gives them to his daugh-
ter. The bride orders few blankets
to be spread before the groom. She
sits down and he puts his hand
upon her head. Then the groom is
given for each parts of his body one or
more blankets. Finally he is given a
new blanket. After the brides father
has given blanket TO each dancer
and to the drummer the villagers are
invited to great feast. At this time
groom aud bride eat for the first time
together. Science.