The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-02
A MOST PECULIAR PEOPLE.
Some of the CeremOniaIs of southern
Alaska Indians.
From the ST. Louis Republic.

From the ST. Louis Republic
Goldseekers fiocking to the <ionddike
are obliged to go through country in
habited by some very queer aborigines
who dwell along the coast Of Southern
Alaska. These natives do most of the
freighting across The passes into the in
terror, carrying loads on their backs; but
their population during many centuries
has been SO shut away from other tribes
by gigantic ranges of snoW-clad noun
tains that they have developed peculiar
culture and customs unknown anywhere
else Hence the exceptional value of a
monograph of them, prepared by DR.
Franz Boaz, a distinguished ethnologist
which is to be published soon by the ma
tional museum.
One of the most remarkable of the fes-
tiVals celebrated by the Indians is car
nival of ghosts, which is held each win
ter. IL seems 10 be derived from tradi-
| ton that tells of journey made by an
adventurous individual to a region be-
meath the earth, inhabited by phantoms
The celebration itself is a mimcal repre-
sentation of the visit 20 hades aforesaid
and the performer who represents the
submarine traveller wears a necklace and
headdress set around with skulls
This festival requires elaborate prepa-
are laid under the foot Of the lodge house
| so as to terminate in the firep ace. When
the ceremonial is in progress the perform
er disappears into ditch previously dug
behind che fireplace and then many voices
are heard coming out of the hames-real-
ly the voices of persons hidden in adjoin-
ing rooms, who speak through the tubes
Later on an image representing q ghost
is seen TO rise out of the ground, carry
ing the performer.
Cannibahsm is very conspicuous in the
myths current among these people, who
have themselves been eaters of human
flesh up to a recent period. Indeed
through the whites are supposed TO have
put a Stop 20 such practices, Il would
seem that secret indulgence in them has
not been wholly done away with.
Quite a number of strange demons are
worshiped as guardian spirits among
them a cannibal demon that lives on the
mountains and always is engaged in the
pursuit of human beings for his table.
The smoke Of his chimney Is the color of
blood and ne has a female slave who
gets food for him by catching men and
collecting corpses. In his house Is fab
ulous bird with an immensely long beak
which lives on the brains Of persons whose
skulls II fractures with its bill. Anybody
who is so unfortunate as to encounter the
cannibal spirit may be transformed into a
grizzly bear. On the other hand, If he
can please the demon he may obtain pow
er TO handle fire without being burned
Another guardian spirits Is fearsome
warrior, who lives in the far north. He
travels constantly and never leaves his
canoe. BY obtaining his protection a
man may become invu.nerable, or he may
acquire power to catch the invisible dis
ease demond. This demon Is at all times
flying about in the air IN the form of
worm. The fortunate protege Of the war
At afrf4 1911, -.
1t into the body of an enemy who will die
at once.
These Indians wear wooden masks in
their ceremonials. Some of them are Of
| enormous size and astonishingly gro
tesque. The mask worn by a performer
who represents the cannlbal spirit for
! example, Is huge crocodile-like head
Another, representing the bird servant OF
this spirit, is like the head OF a bird. with
a bin four feet long. BY means Of strings.
pulled by the wearer, the great beak is
made to open and shut rapidly, producing
loud clappering.