The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-12-03
GREEN-C0RN DANCE.
tCRIOU;, INDIAN FESTIVAL A
NEW YORK RESERVATION,
Dog Meat the Delicacy Of the Feast
Il Sort OF Thanksgiving CeIe-
bration in Return for
the Crops.
MONG The hills of Cattnrau

I -
| River winds in long curves,
the Seneca Nation of Indians has dwelt
| for centuries. Although the older
I generation Is fast passing away, and
with their disappearance Is coming =
more Intelligent and more thrifty
/ class, tue Seneca Indian has been
found at all times to be especially
tenacious IN holding 10 the traditions
/ of his Nation. The Indian schools
and toe IndiPn churches have done
/ luestlmab.e good n raising tie red
men on the Cattaraugus Reservation.
( But there are customs among them
/ nat have their source in the religious
( ideas OF the people that bid fair to
last from year 10 year, while the
seneca Nation preserves its present
( republican form, and by far the most
interesting OF these Is the Indians
green corn dance. No Indians live
who can tell when this custom orioi-
mated. It Is al annual thanksrivin1
ceremony 70 their deity In return for
the crops. No matter whether the
Aarvests 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 a courier Enthusiastically
dressed Is sent throughout the length
and breadth Of the reservation to
notify the people Of the coming event.
bis coming Is hailed with Iov, and
he Il teasted and dined all a!ono, the
route. Nothing IN the possession ~
the Ind!ans Is too good for the dis.
tln2ulshed visitor, aud he IS listened
to with the greatest reverence and
respect while be delivers his proclama-
ton.
The green-corn dance on the Cat
taraugus Reservation is held each year
NJ the council house at the town Of
CorRplanter. Tie council house IS
the building where the meetings in
which the whole Nation Is interested
are held. 1t Is a plain building. of
rectangular shape, with two stories.
ana has 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.
tIon7. The date Of the event having
been noIsed abroad, the Indians bring
70 the council house, few DAYS be-
lore 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 Sc
Iec,.
On the day set for the beginning Of
the celebration the whole tribe hoczs
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, lolIing 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 "squavs" at
one ent of the building and the
I bucks at the other. They sit sol.
EMMY IN their places, the "bucks"
making mOnOsyllabic remarks TO each
I other IN their native tongue. As one
/ enters, an Indian brother accosts him
with the salutation, ''Hus-ke-nuh"
I How are you ?, and he responds, Yah
! guh' Very welD.
! The exercises begin with addresses
| delivered by several Of the older men
I Of the tribe in the Indian dialect
/ Ineir remarks are listened % with
| great attention, and appreciation Is
I expressed by low gruuts at frequent
intervals The speakers talk in 4
chan, and at various points ia 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
tltude In which they were and the au-
I dieuce begins 10 dispense through the
door and windows The feast which
Immediately preceies the grseu-corn
dance Is about 10 begin.
The Indians soon reappear. each
bringing a tin pail or some other
small receptacle. In the centre Of the
room are four large cauiirOn kettles.
One Of them is filed almost 20 the
rim with cooked dog meat. The meat
Is immersed IN an ocean Of gravy. and
this delicacy Il especially pleasing %
the palate Of the red man. In another
Kettle Is compound OF turnips.
squash and other vegetables. Another
kettle contains a cabbage stew with
liberal amount Of gravy. To another
kettle Is the succotasb, the IuIians
being almost as partial % this As to
the dog meat. The "toastmaster.
who is always an elder Of the tribe.
presides at the feast, and no frs,
serves ont the satables % each man or
woman who comes mp. But at last.
when the crowd becomes more imp0r
tunate he allow them 90 help them.
selves. This each one does by thrust.
ing his dish into the kettle aud bring
log out as much as 10 will hold. As
soon as one OF the tribe has received
bis allowance Of food be goes out of
the council house aud lies in the shade
ot the bushes OF Of tle builfine.
When it Is aiI eaten they settle back
and sleep OF the effects u their meal
About suuiown the people begin 20
/ collect IN the council house for the
lance. A soon as the arrau4ene nts
ere completed the musicians strike m.
The orchestra consists Of two men
with rattles and one man With drum.
The rattles are made by taking the
horn OF an OF, putting 10 some shot
or pebbles, and plugging up che open