Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-03-10
4 Brief Sketch Of Their Past
History.
TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS.


vell as modern Prophets. An instance
i'm mind Is the missionary hbofs OF the
pldefs in the Indian Territory During
tbe last few years their labofs have been
extended from one tribe into nearly all
of the more important tribes in the
territory. Among the latter are the
rhiekssaw Indians, in whose nation
,bere seems to be a good field for
missionary work. Although the Elders
have al different times gone into this
nation. Il was not until about two years
,,o that any Of them devoted their
entire attention to Il and succeeded In
securing place TO establish q head
quarters. Since that time there have
bsen from Two to six Elders labonng 10
,be Chirkasaw nation These people
seem to be less interested In religion
tbsn some Of the other civilized tribes.
The luIi-blood Chickasaws were at
one time very superttIous, and even at
the present time witch doctors and
"pasho.ah" dances arc popular In some
localities. Il is not many years since
an elderly woman suffered death for the
alleged crime Of wilchcfalt, but Their
faith 10 such things is rapidly growing
weaker
Thc "Pashofih" dance is still kept up
among them, though it Is not as populir
as 10 once was. The object Of THIS dance
is TO heal the sick and Il is claimed
great many diseases are cured thereby
Il conducted about as follows. The
paicnt Is placed in a house facing the
east. The medicine man Is the only
person admitted into the house and he
performs his craft In secret Meanwhile
The guests dance with great energy no
front oi the patient all present being
expected 10 take part therein. while
Young woman of the tribe iiuglcs few
pebbIel Boo pair Of tCtapin shells sus-
pended from her limbs A huge pot Of
meat and corn boiled together Is then
served by means Of a large wooden
ladle. which Is passed around until all
arc satisfied They believe In this way
each person carries of a portion Of the
disease with which the patient IS ATHLETE
I'd. During the performance everything
must be done in certain way, as they
ARE very particular on this point u the
first dance does not effect q cure it Is re-
pcatcd. in some instances us many as
three times
The Chickasaws were, like their
brothers the Choclaws, located In
Mississippi previous to their removal TO
ihc Indian territory and occupied the
portions OF the state which atthc present
time bear the names Of some Of their
most distinguished warriors, such as
p0ntoioc, Pickcns, Iishomingo, etc.
The territory they occupied had been
ceded TO them at an early date, but as
The country became settled up by the
whites, a treaty was entered into by
which they were to leave their lands In
Mississippi and move TO the Indian
territory This was ~ the year 1889.
Arrangements were soon made and the
majority OF the tribe took their depai-
urr for their new homes.
The government Of the Chickasawa In
early days was very much like that OF
the Choctaws. The former were known
hy their distinctive house names instead
of being divided into "iksas" or clans,
Is the latter were Tho name was al,
ways taken from the mothers side, as,
lor Instance, the mother ana grand
mother Of Governor Cyrus Harris were
of lhe house Of luchus sha.wah.ya, con-
sgluunlly bis name, according to their
ulI customs, would have been Cyrus OF
the House of misunderstanding, There
ate about fifty OF these Well.knowu
house names among the Chickasaws,
but they are rapidly falling into dsusc.
The name Of their last king was lsh'ta.
hoio.plh, and that OF their queen puc-
paiuula Hanging Gupes.l
When the ChckasaWs came to the
l.. 4
thoclaws, but they Immediately saw
that they could not have n representa-.
ton In the general council as they
were so lew In number compared with
the Choctaws. They accordingly entered
into q treaty with the Choclaws in 1917
hywhch they were to have the privilege
Of forming a district OF their own within
the limits Of the latter's domain. They
were also to be entitled TO all the rights
and privileges Of the Choctaws with the
exception of receiving a share OF the
annuiiies When the Choctaws came
from the El5t they settled In the eastern
part Of their country, not daring to ven.
ture into the western part ON account OF
TIE raids made in that section by the
Iommanches, kiowas, and other wild
tribes. As a consequence they knew
very little about the western part Of
their territory, and sold an area OF about
7.257 square miles TO the Chckasaws
Tor the sum of $4,000, to be paid by
annual installmcnls, thus placing them
as a breasiwOrk to protect themselves
lIom their enemies. The Chckasaws
had, on their arrival, visited all sections
ol the country, and when they were
granted the western portion they were
wen pleased, knowing II TO be the
richest and most valuable land In the
territory
The Chickasaw government Is con.
Quoted similar 10 that Of the Choctaws,
ile principal executive officer, however
being called governor instead OF
principal chief The nation Is divided
INTO four couutes-Pauola, Pickens.
iontotoc and Tishomingo each OF
which returns three senators and eight
representatives.. The capitol Is situated
40 lhhomingo, and here the legislature
gonyenes annually on the first Wednes.
gay ~ September generally remaining
100 session about one month, The iuli-
lal powers of the nation are vested in a
,4pIeme, district and county courts.
ING governors cabinet Is composed OF
national secretary, national agent treas.
uIer and atoncy.general. The first
named three are appointed by the gov.
.iuor and confirmed by the senate. the
aller Is elected by the people.
ne Chickasaws have a very good
'g4ool system, A superintendent OF
public instruction lnbnint.d L,, tb,.