The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-12-25
ANCIENT INDIAN RITE
Tribes That Want to Burn The
White Doc.


to be planning to revive the ceremony
Of burning the white dog. This is one
of the most ancient religious rites OF the
Iroquois nation, dating back far beyond
the time when the white man FIRST
came to know them; but it has not
been observed of late, except at rare and
irregular intervals. The fact that the
Indians now wish to revive this rite is
only one of number of indications
that go to show the firm hold which the
traditions of his race have upon the red
man.
Almost every settlement of Indians in
this country to-day is divided into two
classes; those who have accepted the
religion of the white man as well as his
dress and manner of life, and those who
still cherish the beliefs of their ances-
tors and keep up, so far as the can, the
observances Of their ancient worship.
So the fact that the Onondagas are
likely to revive the sacrifice of the white
dog means simply that the pagan party
among them has been gaining ground
during the last few years.
The old English recipe: How to
cook a rabbit" started of by saying:
first catch the rabbit" So, in the sac
rifice of the dogs, the first and most
difficult thing was to secure pair of
white dogs. In order to make the
rite effective, it was considered neces-
sary that the dogs be perfectly white,
without a dark hair on their bodies,
and the Indians would go almost any
length to secure such animals. The
dogs were treated with especial care,
and made as sleek and fat as possible be-
fore the sacrifice. 1t was regarded as a
great honor to be appointed to care for
these sacred beasts.
In the old times the hunters secured
the woods for days before the ceremony,
and brought in many fat buck and
other wild game for the beast, which is
an important part of every Indian cele-
peared and the feast is supplied with
more domestic animals. Many of the
reservation dogs, whose coats would
hardly entitle them to become the CEN
trail figures in the sacrifice, nevertheless
mysteriously disappear about this
time, and it is suspected that they help
fill the steaming caldrons at the great
feast.
AT the appointed time the braves and
their families gather at the council
house. The variety of bright colors in
the dress of both men and women
makes the assembly look like a piece of
brilliant tapestry. Everybody is smil-
ing and happy.
First comes the dance. The crowd
gathers in silent rows about the long
hall, while the musicians occupy an
open space in the center. A dried deer
skin is tightly stretched between up
right posts. This is the drum, which is
operated on by the chief musician. His
assistants have horns partly filled with
shot, or gourds containing beans, which
they rattle in time with the drummer.
The music" would ruin a white mans
nerves in short order, but it seems to fill
the Indians with the same sort of joy
that boy derives from firecrackers and
torpedoes. AS soon as the musicians
strike up the eldest chief of the tribe
rises and begins shutting about the
floor in time to the rafting gourds and
booming drum. The others follow in
the order of their rank, with the women
at respectful distance. As the dance
goes on the time quickens, until pres
emily circle of leaping, shouting saw
ages is whirling about the room, ex-
ecuting the most grotesque and violent
figures. With short intermissions the
dance is kept up till almost morning,
when the dancers retire to prepare for
the final ceremony.
Just as the sun comes peeping over
the tree tops the braves alone gather
for the sacrifice. The two dogs are
dangling by their heels from rude
wooden cross, and they have been care
fully strangled, SO that not hair of
their smooth, white bodies is ruffied.
About their legs and necks are tied
bright ribbons, and their breasts are
covered with gayly covered blankets.
A heap of brushwood has been gath
cred, and the elder of the tribe now
proceeds to light it, always using the
spark from flint, for only virgin fire
can be used for this solemn rite. As the
pile blazes up two young braves spring
forward, and, taking down the bodies
of the dogs, bear them to the elder, who
places them on the fire, at the same
time calling on the Great Spirit to OBJ
serve him. As the blaze rises higher
the elder, or chief priest, as he might
be called, throws handfuls of dried
odorous herbs upon the pile, at the same
time pronouncing an Grafton to the
Great Spirit for the benefit of his
friends who are gathered about. This
Grafton he keeps up until the fire has
burned itself out, and the victims are
entirely consumed.-N. Y. Herald.
A Misinterpretatlon.