New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-15
A CONDOLING COUNCIL.
SOLEMN CEREMONIAL OF THE IRooUoIS.
HOW THE SIX NATIONS INDIANS MOURN THEil
DEAD CHIErS-wORDS OF TWO CHANTS.
n a

received. brings the intelligence that Condong Coun'
ell Of the Six Nations Indians was held at the onon-
daga Long House. the Reserve. near BrahVoru'
last Tuesday, for the purpose OF Inducing four new
chiefs into the Great Council Of the SIX Nauohs'
Peter Crawford chosen as the successor oi 'ohh
sack. who was Chief Councillor when ne dieo ABOUT
seven weeks ago; William Young Tor william House.
as he is sometimes calledl. John Turkey ana Ior-
nenus Gibson were also "raised up" Inc nrst three
are Onondagas. the last Seneca. Inc ceremony
lasted from early afternoon until well into the night
The principal singers were C1ief William Wage HAD
wen-ni-ne. Ills words are moving'h and Chief John
Gibson Kan ri yo). Cayugas. and Robert Da'u'
who Is probably Onondaga. though on THIS point
my informant Is silent. Chlef Gibson was formerly
one of the most celebrated Canadas lacrosse play
ers He Is now blind. and supports himself by max
Ing lacrosse sticks Wage is the leading chief among
the Cayugas. and was formerly constable on the
Reserve.
The ceremony referred to above Is one Of
the most interesting relics Of American aboriginal
civilization. Its historical and literary aspects nave
been admirably set forth by Mr. Horatio Haze
In his work. The Iroquois Book Of Rites, puohsneo
ten years ago by DR.. Brinton in Philadelphia as NO
III OF his Library OF Aboriginal American Literature
To that work. Mr.. lales private journal, most cour
teously and kindly placed at my disposal. ana per
sonal studies pursued the ground last summer
am indebted for the information ut the bottom o the
brief description which purpose giving OF the cere'
mony. To me the task has strangely pa'neuc cast
inc the ancient hymns and recalling the virtues Oh
John Buck In Ontario listening in New York 10
the voice OF John Buck himself chanting the same
hymns for mc-a miracle achieved through 'he con-
serving and recreang capabilities OF the phonograph.
II was the dead chief who last summer AIDED me IN
the studies begun the Reserve. OF the ceremonial
Music of the lroQuos. All that was mortal OF him
has passed away but his voice lives. like another en-
bodiment OF his SOUL be conjured up at Will, but
freighted with deeper. gcnter, sweeter emouon
than it seemed TO have when he was In the body.
NV Photographic cylinders are thus become mohu-
ments OF two civizatons-that OF the ancient heu
Man. so imperfecty understood as yet even by those
who have learned that the Indians were not the
bloodthirsy depicted in trashy tales and short
sighted histories, and that Of to-day marked by lis
wonders Of mechanical ingenuity.
The Rites Of the Condolng Council as Mr. Hale
calls the ceremonial function In question, are
Mt once q memorial OF the establishment Of the 1ro-
ouois League or the Confederation OF the Five Ma
tons means wisely conceived for the perpetuatlon
OF the political institutions OF the lroquois, COM
memoraon of the virtues of the dead chief and his
ancestors and an installation ceremony. To discuss
It's antiquity and the changes that have taken place
In II since II was introduced into the pohty OF the
Iroquois would occupy too much time ana space IL
may suffice say that 1t certainly antedaes the us
covery OF America by Columbus and seems TO nave
been preserved remarkable fulness and correct
ness 1t is at once a political and religious func-
ton and its preservation is due largely to that TACT
and the circumstance that, like all the solemn liter
allure OF primitive ancestors 1t shows the closest
Kind Of union between words and music. Inc con-
servative purpose and potency OF such union are
illustrated In the fact that though there may De oA
Nations chiefs on the Canadian Reserve and on the
reservations Of NewYork State who are still able 10
repeat all or the greater part OF the words which Mr.
Hale has printed in his book there Is no longer one
who can tell the meaning of all those words Inc!
are repeated in the same spirit as the ola Saisci'
PRAYERS are sung by the Dudihis; monhs In emma.
Mr.. Hale prints the principal part oil 'he hr'uai
MS lie found il In a Canienga Tor Mohawk manuscript
"A copy OF an older manuscript, now lost, which, IL
is thought made at the request OF the 1leat Co
Gil In the last century by Canenga chiei naHeu
David, friend Of Brant, who had learned 10 "fio
from the English missionaries AS sung LOT me o9
chief John Buck (who also the possessor OF a
still later manuscript evidently made by some pupil
at the Mohawk Institute, in BrantfoN) the chahls
showed certain dalectic changes from the orisinai'
due 10 the fact that Buck was not Mohawk puI
an Onondaga. The changes were great enough IN Il
few instances TO embarrass the work OF idenunca-
tion and translation, but Of them there Is no need
to speak, as with the aid of Mr.. Ilales Canenga
Glossary / have been able to reconstruct 'hc TWO
chants that of principal moment In the ceremony
the HYMN o, Welcome and sort Of Lany In which
the names Of the fifty original senators who sat III
the first Great Council preserved.
The Rites Of the CondOling Council precede the
Installation or raising mp it IS called of new
chief who has previously been nominated by the cher
nalron of the noble family and confirmed by clan ana
tribe. The Six Nations divided into senior or
Junior nations or as lroquOs themselves say, into
Elder and Younger Brothers. To the former belong J
the Mohawks, Onondagas and Senecas: 10 the latter |
the Oncidas Cayugas and Tuscaroras. with whom
associated the smaller tribes, Tuteoc>, Nanucokes,
Delawares and others On the Three Brothers TO
whom the dead chief did not belong dcvovcs the duty
Of taking the initiative in the ceremony of coincidence
On this occasion 1t was tie duty OF the junior
nations 10 cOndole with the senior What happened
NAV be outlined follows: Representatives Of the
Oneidas, Cayugas and Tuscaroas met representatives
of the Mohawks, Onondagas and at place
agreed upon which in the ancient Iltu1l is called
@The Edge Of the Woods" There fire built,
q fire Of welcome north and south Of which the
officiating chiefs sat themselves down in lines
facing each other. Here. formerly also the pipe
lighted and passed soennly from mouth to mouth,
but this ceremony has fallen into dislse
on the Reserve. The spokesman OF tie Younger
Brothers spoke an address OF welcome 10 the chiefs
after which tie latter were escorted igurtively
led BY the hand~ 10 the Council House where the
formal ceremonies of coincidence and installation
were performed. TIE character Of the formal ad
dress Of condolence. spoken after the chiefs have
reached the Council House and seated themselves
rs they seated in lines beside tie Welcoming
Fire. can be learned from two paragraphs in Mr.
Hae's translation of the Book of the Younger BrOhs
srs which l leave without further comment as ex-
amples OF the and loveiness OF sentiment
which Characteristic of the entire ceremony:
Now another thing we will say, we Younger
Brothers You mourning III the deep Darkness
viii make the sky clear for you so that you VIII
Rot see a cloud. And also will give the sun 70
slime upon you that you can look upon II peacefully
when IL goes down. You shall when IL is going.
Yea the shah 10 be hanging Just over
you, and you shall look upon 1t peacefully as IL
goes down. Now. have hope that you will vet see
the pleasant days. This We say and do we three
bGOtheIs
Now. then. another thing say, we Younger
Brothers. Now we viii open your ears and also
f1tr.af flsrn .lr.t l,H-l e.
choking you, and we will also give YOU the water
that shall wash down all the troubles In throat
We shall hope that after this your mind VIII recover
lis cheerfulncss This say and do. We three
brothers.
Thereupon followed the hymn OF welcome which. as
sung 10 me by Chief John Buck, ran as follows,
he inn md enind