The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-23
DEITY in THE FLAME.
Some Facts About Fire Worship Ia
Various Lands.
Weird Ceremonies OF Several Tribes Of
American Indians.

hhs seSuIeu ieHhTkhpic SoiVStioh ihuo-
trating the practice of fire worship on
this continent. 1t appears that most OF
the American aboriginal tribes have had
more or less OF this sort OF religion in the
past, and TO the present day they have
ceremonials. associated with the making
of new fire at stated intervals. For this
purpose they aways employ the most
primitive method, the rubbing of two
sticks together. For example, the Zuni
use an agave stick, with sand to help the
iflction. The sand is wet, because this
renders the fire-making more difficult,
and therefore more meritorious In the
sight of the gods. One of the objects In
this collection referred TO Is q so-called
fire pump, utilize by the Onondagas at
the feast OF the White Dog, at which q
white dog is sacrificed. This tool utilizes
the mechanism of the pump drill for
making the point Of q stick revolve rap
idly in another piece OF wood, thus final
ly obtaining ignition. The Hindoos, by
the way, have similar sacred fire drill,
by means Of which they make fire nine
times each day for. nine days at period
ical festival.
The Hupa Indians of California ere re-
markably expert fire makers. With q
couple OF simple sticks of soft mesquite
wood, which they keep very dry, they
can produce tire in ten seconds. This
method of tiremaking requires such ex-
pert manipulation that few civilized men
have ever been able to acquire the art.
Mr. Walter Hough, one OF the ethnolo-
gists of the National Museum, knows
how TO do 1t. The writer has seen him
moke fire in couple Of minutes by re-
volving between the palms Of his hands
a stick, the point of which was inserted
in hole in another piece of wood.
Presently smoke would begin to come
from the hole, and soon a spark would
eaten some tinder, of which pinch was
supplied for the purpose. For sucn tin
der American sayages use some very odd
things. The Esquimaux OF Point Barrow
employ for the purpose willow catkins; ;
those of Cumberland Gulf use the white
fibre Of arctic cotton, while In some
parts OF Alaska SHREDDED cedar bark is
made to serve. The aboriglnes of Ecqua-
dor employ for tinder the Innings from the
nests of a certsin species OF ants, while
in Mexico a substitute is found In kind
OF fungus which Is soaked in saltpetre,
dried, cut in sheets, and sold in small
packets; in Japan the flowers Of a species
OF artemisia are. dried for tinder.
The most remarkable ceremonial OF fire
worship that survives in this country is
practiced by the Navajos. They believe
In publication by fire, and to this end
they literally wash themselves in 1t. The
feats they perform with IL far exceed the
most wonderful acts OF jre eating and
firehandling accomplished by civilized
jugglers. In preparation for the festival,
gigantic heap of dry wood is gathered
from the desert. At the appointed mo-
ment the great pile of infiammable brush
is lighted, and in few moments the
whole Of it Is one blaze A storm of
sparks fly 100 feet or more into the air,
and ashes fall about like q shower of
snow. The ceremony always takes place
at night, and the effect OF it is both weird
and impressive.
Just when the fire is raging at its hot
test, a whistle is heard from the outer
darkness and dozen warriors, 1.-the and
lean, dressed in narrow white treec h
cloihSand moccasins simply, and dauh
with white earth so as to look like SO
many living statues, come bounding
through the entrance of the corral that
encloses the flaming heap. Yelping like
wolves, they move slowly toward the fire,
bearing aloit slender wands tipped with
balls Of esgle-down. Running around
the fire, always to the left, they begin
thrusting their wands towards the fire,
trying to burn off the down from the tips.
Owing to the intensity of the heat this
is difficult TO accoplish, One warrior
dasbes wildly toward the fire and retreats;
frightened lizard, endeavorjng to wriggle
himself up to tine fife; others seek to
catch on their wands the sparks that fly
in the air. At last one by one they all
succeed in burning the downy balls from
the wands.
The test of endurance is very severe,
the heat OF the fire being SO great. Hav-
ing burned off the balls OF down, the
warriors next ser about restoring them
again. On the end of each wand one
after another appears presently fresh
ball of eagle down. Ii is supposed 10 be
the one that was burned re-createu, but
In fact, this is only juggling trick.
Each man holds in his hand ring that
is covered with down. When the proper
time arrives he permits this ring TO slide
along the wand to its extremity. he
performers in this ceremony sometimes
wear immense false mustsches and huge
spectscles, in imitation OF the wnite
men.
TIE remarkable feats, however, are per-
formed in connection with another dance
that follows. This is heralded by q tre-
mendous blowing of horns. The noise
grows louder and louder, until suddenly
ten or more men run into the corral, eac n
OF them carrying two thick bundles OF
shredded cedar Lark. Four times they
run around the fire, waving the bundles,
which are tbeu lighted. Now begins a
wild race around the nre, the rapid run :
ming causing the brands to throw out
long streamers OF fame over the hands
ard arms of the dancers. the latter APP
ply the brands to their own nude bodies
and to the bodies of their comrades In
front. A warrior will seize the flaming
mass as IL ii were a sponge, and, keeping
close to the man he is pursuing, Will rub
his back with 1t as IL bathing him. The
sufferer in turn catches up with the man
in front of him, and bathes him in flame.
From time TO time the dancers sponge
their own backs with the flaming brands.
When n brand Is 80 far consumed that II
can be no longer held, 1t Is cropped and
the dancer disappears from the corral.
The spectators pick up the flaming
punches thus dropped and bathe their
own hands In the fire.
No satisfactory explsnation ems to be
obtainable as to the means by which the
dancers in this extraord mary performance
are able to escape injury. Apparently,
they do not suffer from any burns.
Doubtless some protection is afforded by
the earth that is applied to their bodies.
10 has been suggested also that cedar bark
ignit at comparatively low tempera-
ture, and thus the flames In which the
warriors bathe themselves and their COM
rades may not be so very hot. Anybody