Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1890-01-21
QUEER BURIAL RITES.


How Ponca Indians disposed of the
I'ody of q Chief-Sport and Sorrow.
Wa-si-lla, head chief Of the Ponca IN
dians, a tribe living in the territory Just
soatl, OF here, died recently and was
buried with all the porlp and ceremony
known to the tribe. His body Yves taken
on & blanket from lis tcpce By his squaw
and three children anl placed III a wagon
drawn by two hcrses, which the widow
guided. This was the Indian hc:.rse.
Behind this followed nearly SEQ bucks
and squaws-the former On horseback, and
the latter trctting along on foot, All the
way to tic GUrying groand tho widows
and orphans noanel increasingly.
When the burial ground w9s reached
the squaWs formed circle about lO0
yards III circumference around The wagon,
and outside CT this circle twelve squaws
Were stationed at intervals Of q few feet,
TO keep away evil spirits by giving vent
to 1IHeart.ly scrccclcs. Gcypad these
there were about l - bucks CT horseback,
LAUGHING, chatting anl trading horses.
After the eirclo had been formed White
Buffalo, head Chief CT the Pcncas, came
forward and III tie Fonca tongue delivered
ar Grafton On the deceased At its con-
tiuSi0n the Dloarncrs, who il, the mean
time had kept their accts IN the wagon
picked up the fGslr corners of the blanket
Oh which rapOsed The corpse, and giving il
q tess threw the body to the 81 ound. TEei.
the widow went to the rear of the wagon
and gathered up sc,:le .'culls,' or refuse
lumber, which she deposited By the side OF
her dead srouse.
During this time an Omaha Indian who
had entered the squaw circle kept fling
saw which l2e he'd in his hands, and the
-.
the Omaha brave had finished filing his
saw, lie began making receptacle for the
remains out CT che cuils. This receptacle
was iE the form OF chicken cocp, being
eight feet long and 1.so feet wiGe and
about five high, securely fastened TO the
ground by posts. Into this the body
covered: with the blanket and other earthly
possessions OF the deceased vas laid.
A foot race was then announced by the
bucks on the outside Of the circle -Four
almost naked Indians were the partici
pants. Then followed two mile horse
race, in which there were eighteen partici-
pants, ell CT whom had tainted their face.
IN hiteous manner. Riding of the re
ft'ired distance, the cl.i2f t.sen sicnaleti
fcr the start with looking glass At ful
speed came the ci2hteen reckless red riders
AS they neared the circle the entire boay
Of 4G0 Indians set up q terrific howl, ana
as the horses canle in past them the ex
| element was intense. During the race,
the body was entirely disrohed There
were four prizes il each event-a jacket.
pipe and tobacco bag and two blankets.
The winner Of the first prize as give,.
his choice Of prizes, the second second
choice, the third third choice ard the
fourth fourth.
After the horse race the attention. Of tl1c
assemblage was once more given to the dead
! chief. The chicken coop to,nb,' having
| been constructed, the body of Wa-si-ka
was thrown inside and the ends nerc
| closed up so as to prevent any animal
| from entering ana carrying CT the bcdy.
| a horse and two calves, tie property o.
! the deceased, were also laid iii the toni
| in order that lie might enj( Y than in the
happy hunting ground. I his e1dtd ths
Itccfemony.- City (kan.) Coz
| Kansas City Times.