The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-10-24
GREEN DANCE.
CURIOUS INDIAN FESTIVAL ON A
NEW YORK RESERVATION.
Dog Meat the Deiicacy of the Feast
"A sort of Thanksgiving Celc-
bration In Return for
the Crops.
MONG the hills OF Cattarau-

~ through which the Allegany
River winds in long curves,
the Seneca Nation of Indians has dwelt
for centuries. Although the older
generation is fast passing AWAY, and
with their disappearance is coming q
more intelligent and more thrifty
class, the Seneca Indian has been
found at all times to be especially
tenacious in holding to the traditions
of his Nation. The Indian schools
and the 1ndipn churches have done
iuestimable good IN raising tie red
men on the Cattaraugus Reservation.
But there are customs among them
that have their source in the religious
ideas of the people that bid fair to
last from year to year, Thile the
Seneca Nation preserves its present
republican form, and by far the most
interesting OF these is the Indians
"grecn.corn dance" No Indians live
who can tell when this custom origi-
mated. 1t is nm annual thanksgiving
/ ceremony to their deity in return for
the crops. No matter whether the
haryests have been plentiful or scanty.
| the celebration is held.
The middle OF September is the
time usually set FOR the event. About
two weeks before the date of the green
corn dance n courier Enthusiastically
dressed is sent throughout the length
and breadth of the reservation to
notify the people of the coming event
HIS coming is hailed with JOY, and
he is feasted and dined all along the
route. Nothing in the possession of
the Indians is too good for the dis
| tinguished visitor, aud he is listened
TO with the greatest reverence and
respect while he delivers his proclama-
| tion.
The green.corn dance on the Cat
| taraugus Reservation is held each year
ut the council house at the town of
| Cornplanter. The council house is
the building where the meetings in
which the whole Nation is interested
are held. 1t is u plain building. of
rectangular shape, with two stories,
and has II row of benches extending
around the whole of the interior.
Other than this the building contains
no furniture except what is carried
there on the occasion of the celebra.
! tions. The date of the event having
been noised abroad, the Indians bring
to the council house, n few days be-
fore the time set, whatever they deem
necessary to make the feast complete.
Some brings along good fat dog,
others corn, beans, cabbage, chickens,
or whatever fancy leads them to BE-
iect. 4
On the DAY set for The bSSsinning o |
the celebration the whole tribe flocks
to the house. About l o'clock in the
afternoon the celebration begins. In
side of the building are gathered the
more sedate of the Indians, while
many remain outside, lolling about
upon the grass or sitting upon the
fences. About the interior of the coun
Gil house are seated the "squaws" and
"bucks" of the tribe, the "squaws" at
one end of the building and the
"bucks' at the other They sit sol.
emnly IN their places, the "bucks'
making monosyllabic remarks to each
other in their native tongue. As one
enters, an Indian brother accosts him
with the salutation. "Hus-ke.nuh"
(How are you?), and he responds, Yah
guh" Very welD.
The exercises begin with addresses
delivered by several of the older men
of the tribe i'll the Indian dialect.
Their remarks are listened to with
great attention, and appreciation is
expressed by low grunts at frequent
intervals. The speakers talk in II
chant. and at various points in the
addresses their looks and gestures are
wild in the extreme. The addresses
concluded, the men and women drop
out of the expectant and listening at
titude in which they were and the au-
dience begins to disperse through the
door and windows. The feast which
Immediately precedes the green-corn
dance is about to begin.
The Indians soon reappear, each
bringing "a tin pail or some other
small receptacle. In the centre of the
room are four large cauidron kettles.
One of them is filled almost to the
rim with cooked dog meat. The meat
is immersed IN an ocean OF gravy, and
This delicacy is especially pleasing to
the palate of the red man. In another
kettle is compound of turnips,
squash and other vegetables. Another
kettle contains cabbage stew with II
liberal amount of gravy. In another
kettle is the succotash, the Indians
being almost rs partial to this as to
the dog meat. The 'toastmaster, "
who is always an elder of the tribe,
presides Mt the feast, and at first
serves out the eatables to each man or
woman who comes up. But at last,
when the crowd becomes more impor-
tunate he allows them to help them.
selves. This each one does by thrust
ing his dish into the kettle and bring.
Jog out rs much as it will Ahold. As
soon as one of the tribe has received
his allowance of food he goes out oi