The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-23
/ remember; this darkness, then, must
symbolic the awful night that came upon

remember; this darkness, then, must
symbolic the awful night that came upon
him.
Sur that the winged light" will Goat
into the room from some place, l wink my
eyes wider open. and at last l see II faint
light where the table stands. Yes, the light
that comes and goes IS clearly defined. l
know there is nothing supernatural in the
ceremonies of the Ne-gar na- Gar-ah, but l
still wait and wonder.
NV host whispe q: "Watch, they have
uncovered the incidence"
comprehend. / had been told that the
Ne-gar-na-gar-ah, possessed OF certain
phosphorescent elements, would nit n
luminous glow when first exposed to the
air and da tkness.
At the same instant q small blaze CLOVIS
from the top of the stove. By this brighter
and stronger flame the medicine-light fades
away.
Outlined i'll the darkness l see the vsnef-
able chanter standing by the stove. Sud
denly a pleasant odot fills the room. He is
throwing the sacred tobacco on the blaze,
in a low voice saying: "Oh, thou, the
| great spirit, the giver of the darkness and
| repose, We thank thee for all the silences of
the night
This invocation is followed by an otfer.
! ing of gratitude, also Numerous petitions
for the preservation of the medicine, the
| quick recovery of any to whom it may be
administer I'd, and the spiritual! and tenn
| poral welfare of each member of the 60
ciety.
He also asks of each life that may be
% eparing to fly unasked from some human
| body to remain a while longer and not 90
until the Great Spirit is ready and invites
it, At the end of each sentence he rests
and throws tobacco on the emo until tn,
little blaze has expired and darkness 10
again in the room. Then the chief. in the
invitation rite, requests all the night folk
in the forest, including those who run
under the ground" to protect us on our
| Journey in the morning.
The chanter then r~ecites, in a weird
melody:
THE DARKNESS SONG.
Ha go wa nah-u-na.
Ha go way Dah-u-na ha-ah ha go way.
Ha una ha nah ha-ah,
Ha go way.
Nah sa ha nea gah-la-do way-he-ah
Ha u-nah ha-nah ha- ah ha go way,
We wait in the darkness!
Come, all ye who listen,
Help in our night journey;
Now no sun is shining:
Now no ttar Is glowing;
CONE show us the pathway;
II Q night IL not friendly.
She closes her eya,ids;
mhe moon has forgot u;
We wait in the darkness!
There is n short parse. the chiefs take
their rattles and the Invitation song be-
gins, the chanter singing alone, the chiefs
softly sha king their rattles i'll rythm with
his voice. and ths members of the clans in
turn responding to the Invitations" by i'm
itating the call, or cry, of their bird or AMI
nal totem.
Preceding this song the crv of the whip
poor-wlll (the bird-p otector that guided
the chief III his Journey is wond, ously i'm
tated bg the flute player,
As literally as possible | translate:
THE INVITATION SONG.
Ha wa gah no no
lila no gah-nne
Nah ho-oh hama
hah non no hi-a.e-e-eh.
So says the whip-poor-will,
"Fol-low-me, fol-low- mel"
So says the chief To him,
Eyes, | will follow thee"
see the night darkening;
The shadows are hiding,
No light to follow for
so aays tho waterfall
So sings the riyer-yoice!
Some one Ia nearing me-,
Soft he comes creeping here,
Two eyes glare clio o to me,
Lighting the forest path
Hear how his breath blows by!
"Fol-low.m fol-low-me'-
so sings the whip poor-wilI
Eyes, | am following
|, to tho chief answers him.
Cries announce thnt the wolf and it
mate have entered the room.
Here there ia a rest interval; the lam
= Ia lighted, the sweet strawberry water !