Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-07-02
THE DEVILS DANCE. f"
A Weird and Fantastic Ceremony
of Arizona Apaches.

So much has been written recently OF
the ''ghost dance and all its attend
ant horrors, that perhaps brief descrip-
ton of what is known among the White
Mountain Apaches as the devils dance
may not be without interest.
The devils dance, p" notwithstanding
the suggestive name, Is one purely Of
peace, and is celebrated by these Indians
in honor OF their greatest chief, long
since departed. From all that can be
gathered it seems that the White Noun
tain Apaches have been taught by ira
dition, through the medicine men, =
that their great chief disappeared with
the setting of the sun, and that his return
can only be secured by the adherence of
his tribe to the manners and customs
prevalent during his all-powerful reign.
Hence, at stated periods certain forms
and ceremonies, the "devil's dance y
among the number, are observed in
token of their continued faith in his ul-
innate, return.
There are five principal actors or
dancers, four of whom are warriors, sup
posed to represent the head chiefs of
the several tribes located north, east,
south and west, emblematic of his ack-
nowledged supremacy in the four quar-
tiers of the globe. The fifth danceris
small boy, perfectly naked except in the
''gee string" and head-gear he imper-
sonates the spirit of the departed chief,
and is supposed to be invisible at all
times and to all people.
The head-gear, which is mask COW
ering the entire head, is made of black
cloth, with almost imperceptible Sits
for the eyes and mouth, and is drawn
down under the chin and tied wi h
string. Surmounting all is the head
dress proper, which proclairns the rank,
dignity, and special Office of each chief
Their costume is made up of the most
gorgeous medley of colors and material
| Il nd j. I RSHSssSsib!ss 70 Imagine.
blanket Of fantastic color and pattern;
then their bodies are painted an ashy
hue, overlaid with grotesque designs in
black, one painted curiously like skel-
eton, another with pointed bands of
black running diagonally across his
back, third with crescents, each one
apparently exercising his ingenuity to
produce the most uncanny effect.
To realize a scene so weird as the one
here described, imagine yourself in the
wilds of Arizona, the night starlit one
in January, with strong breeze blowing
that chills you to the bone; n grand liv-
ing circle of human beings. numbering
in bucks, squaws, and children not less
Than four hundred, gathered around a
huge campfire of blazing logs; tom-toms
beating, accompanied by u bowling,
rhythmical chant that would terrify the
devil himself, and in the midst of all this
to sec eight, ten. or dozen bucks rush
madly in the circle with some indescrib
able monster, which proves to be raw
hide, but which at first sight reminds
one Of "Old Nick" himself, and which,
indeed, it is intended to represent. This
the bucks fall upon with sticks and
clubs, pounding it as if their very lives
depended upon the violence and rapidity
OF their blows, ut the same time joining
the chant, which rises and falls in weird
cadence TO the tom-tOms.
Then comes from the darkness q
piercing sibilant call, followed by WOO
hoo hoo, which can only be likencd to
the cry of screech-owl; then the
dancers appear, trotting in single file
brandishing bows and arrows and long
wooden sw Ords, bowling, turning TO right
and left, jumping, and making gestures
dSSSSSSss Jble TO describe; up they rush to
fly, leaplng aud yelling, the spirit Of the
great chief (the small boy rivaling all
in feats OF agility aud endurance, the
whole making night one hideous dream.
Then, and only then. can one appreciate
the novel sight witnessed on the banks
Of tho Gila.-L Frank Leslie's Newspaper