The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-11-25
ANCIENT INDIAN RITE.
Tribes That Want to Burn the
White Dog.


White Dog.
The Onondaga Indians and their
brothers among the Iroquois are said
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 a 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 ances7
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
|
during the last few years.
The old English recipe: How TO
cook a rabbits" started off by saying:
"frst catch the rabbit" SO, in the sac
ritice 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
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 i'll many fat buck ana
, other wild game for the beast, which IS
y an important part of every Indian ceie-
! bration. Now the deer have disap-
p 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
, tral 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 womer
) makes the assembly look like piece o.
brilliant tapestry. Everybody is smll'
ing and happy.
/ First comes the dance. The crow(
=! gathers in silent rows about the Ions
y hall, while the musicians occupy ar
open space in the center. \ dried deer
u skin is tightly stretched between up
< right posts. This is the drum, which Il
operated on by the chief musician. His
g assistants have horns partly filled will
Il shot. or gourds containing beans, which
they rattle IN time with the drummer
The music" would ruin a white man
:! nerves in short order, but it seems to Ill
the Indians with the same sort OF 10.
that boy derives from tirecrackers AM
sc torpedoes As soon as the musician
f. strike up the eldest chief Of the tr!b
III rises and begins shuffiing about tn
III floor in time to the rafting gourds an
'e booming drum. The others follow /
I'd The order Of their rank. with the wome
III at a respectful distance. As the dane
goes on the time quickens. until pres
m entity circle of leaping. shouting say
ages is whirling about the room, en-
10 ecuting the most grotesque and Niolen
re- figures With short intermissions tn
tn dance is kept up till almost morning
ed when the dancers retire to prepare &c
no the final ceremony.
re. just as the sun comes peeping owe
the tree tops the braves alone gatht
M for the sacrifice. The two dogs al
dangling by their heels from rue
or wooden cross, and they have been carr
| fully strangled, so that not hair
., | their smooth. white bodies is rutfiet
Ike About their legs and necks are tie
is bright ribbons. and their breasts al
in. covered with gayly covered blankets.
ht, \ heap of brushwood has been gait
cred, and the elder of the tribe no
ou. proceeds to light it, always using II
II spark from a flint, for only virgin fl
nd pile blazes up two young braves sprI
"; forward, and, taking down the bodl
MT of the dogs, bear them to the elder, wi
'od places them on the fire, at the san
no. time calling on the Great Spirit to o
ou serve him. As the blaze rises high
re- the elder, or chief priest. as he mig
,ed be called. throws handfuls of dri'
et, odorous herbs upon the pile. at the san
y time pronouncing an GRAFTON to t
ca Great Spirit for the benefit of h
friends who are gathered about. tn
n l Grafton he keeps up until the fire h
dy, burned itself out, and the victims a
entirely consumed.-N. Y. Herald.
'ou A INSTRUMENTATION.
an It is generally best to curb our IL
mt. Dotience before giving it vent in wore