The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-08-05
- 60. ..l-aes.
Superstition Led the rima Tribe 60 Give
Cp Poiygamy.

Up PoiyEamy.
At the time and for centuries nft-
er the advent of the Pima Indians
into this country they practiced po-
lvgany and this viii show how a
little superstitious belief will change
a custom of centuries. As the story
goes = short time after the restora-
ton OF the Sahuaro (tIass-en) the
whole tribe was stricken with a
strange disease. 1t was malignant
in form, and many deaths resulted
The great medicine men and mRgi.
clans from all parts of the country
were called together for counsel to
see by what means they could pro-
pitiate Mo- kik-a-num, the death god.
The magicians labored long and
earnestly, but still the death god re-
fused to stay his hand.
1t seems that fasting has had
much to do in the ritual of the
aboriginal. / have always noted
that when communicating their su-
perstitious beliefs, when they want
ed to solicit or petition any one of
their gods, they always considered
it necessary to fast for a given pc
riod. When they found they could
not subdue the evil death god by
magic, the magicians hastened to an
open plain and there tasted for three
days. They were, however, privi-
legged to eat roots and drink water
carried from the river in tho tanned
stomach of an antelope and all the
time singing their songs to the sun
god, Tas-o-tham.
Finally, ON the afternoon of the
third day, an immense herd of ante
: lope appeared on low hill not far
distant. On their appearance the
chief magician arose and said to the
others: Whatever these animals
do our people must do likewise.
They are spiritual and have been
y sent by the great sun god" While
!, the medicine men were looking the
antelopes paired off and passed on.
AS the last pair disappeared the
= chief magician again spoke. He
S said:
3 Return to your homes, and then
let each man consult with his neigh
Dor and be content with ono woman
: (ova) for wife. That will appeasC
i. and crafty our sun god. Continue
e to prohibit plural wives and the
death spirit will abide with US nC
longer.
N The people were very reluctant Il
IS break up their polygamish homes
but, being driven by fear of death
they consented. 1t is a known fac
t that the Indians gave up polygamy
II. long before the Jesuits arrived il
this country, but the abolition of tn,
practice has wrongfully been attrib
uted to the influence of the Jesui
in fathers
II II Strange as 1T may appear, witch
craft was neither known nor prao
- ticed among the Indians prior to tn
advent of the Jesuit fathers. Tn
first martyr to the witchcraft wa
4 an old Indian woman who live
alone with blind daughter abou
ten miles from San Xavier. Sh
was put to death for stopping tn
water running down the Santa Cruz
A short distance from this woman
house the water sank. Where tn
water disappeared some of the In
dians saw the old woman diggin
holes in the sand with her hands
That was sufficient evidence Q
g, witchcraft against her. She wa
y arrAigned, condemned and burned a
: the stake. Finally the medicin
men got too assiduous in the hun
r after witches. There were too man
T human bonfres being made, so til
- people changed the proceedings an
ne burned several of the medicine meI
ay From that time to the present day
Y. instead of accusing human being
r. of witchcraft, the present generatio
w of Indians accuses and finds witche
r in animals-dogs, COWS and horse
i and in many cases they fin
he witches in inanimate things, sue
as stones, rags and sticks.-Tucso
"a. T. } Citizen.