Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-03
The MISSION INDIANS.
Thelr Customs And Traditions.
Performance Of Their ReIiFious
Dances. such M the "fire Dnnef,''
"Ghost Dance" aud "Dnnoo of the
Dead"

There are within the confines OF South
ern California some thirty government
reservations, set aside Tor and occupied
by as many tribes or bands OF what are
technically known as Mission Indians .
When the Catholic Fathers came up
along the Pacific Coast from Mexico,
nearly Two hundred years ago, they were
met by large numbers OF wild and fierce
Indians. Some oil them lived in the al
most endless mountainous territory,
while others roame1 over the Colorado
desert and occupied the most fertile
hooks Of those sandy plains
Unrel,nling wars were wagel between
the mountain and desert indians, AMI
each tribe today points with pride to the
acts OF heroism performed and TO trIdi-
tons OF coan,cls so sanguiniry and so
stubbonls resisted.
The story Of how the Mission Fathers
subdued these indians and brough. them
from the state OF barbarism and untes
tanned freedom, 10 be the peaceful and
patient and to a dcgr, c civil ed burden
OF this government, has bt en- often told.
Yet it Is almost impossible TO believe,
when one looks upon the Indian OF to
day IN the pursuit OF his peaceful calling,
cullivaung The sol. making mis- eirthen-
ware or blankets, tina less than two cen
turtles ago he was ike the wild beast Of
the west destroying in his mad travel
over the plains every human being that
came with II his reach. Bet the pc S.
yeieuce OF the good fathers taught them
the beauty OF religion, and from that
moment they doomed the gdrb o civil "a.
ton
Noiwi h5tanding the benahcial infu-
ence of tie Caihol c Fathers, these
children a nature have retain d aud to
this day practice many OF the customs
aud traditions of the days when they
were engaged in scalping any white man
or members Of offensive tribes who had
the misfortune to cross their path.
To sur rising degree do they per
form, even at til, day, when yer an OPP
pJrtunlty offers its.li, the old dance,
all of which are Commemorative or poi-
sess some peculiar c igioui guih ance.
Princp1l among thes, dances is the
"Dauce ior the Dead" ceremln
singulary Impressive and almost barnaiic
~ It's ditier nj features. The character,
portrayed by the Indians are tue Holy
Spirit, the Devil" the Shade Of tn
Departed" and twenty-four imrs The
costumes worn on these ocl siors a g
very scanty, consisting Of tunics OF off
lcrsnt hue5 feathers and tu-s Of ,asle
feathers ia the hair. The rest OF the
body Is void of cloIhing but is p1ipt.H
in varied and protssnue co or In.
Devil es1ecially Is decorated In , rosi
hideous manner. The lm,s MAZE tne.r
entry into the cirIc ON hands md fg.t
and while thrv are neTtor1,i"e, no,
actions are of the mo;t in ,1ir,ns rbSr
1cier.
Tbe 'F,re panc,.n is ,,oths, ro.
Wonderful iilusiIa'iSn nj tbe surels,i,i-,n
and e,rlv reiigi,ns beIiefo tha In.i,,re
! In ms darcq ths,, sx,,,,,,,,.b -, a., II a.,
vnion.d FIRE nj a,r. snJ 10 81. I,,
rolling in il win the,r Err. bndi' g a.,
dapcing onif wi. h tbe'r haze Cest
The 0Gbo.t Dsnc4n and the uy,r
Dance - whicb are pow yery soIdon,
psriorr on tte arcnrrt of tb. Nyr;,a
met mi probabla m rs.uits arc v1Id
and NH Of interest Thsr. ,r'. o,htr
Tanrcs hnwe,,cr ubere owl, si,rJ
characl, rs annaar AMI ag,iy ',,b.," aii
The Jsrrer. IN ,L, me ,ii,e,,,, M.
in5 ali tbns, re,f,,r,onccS ~ ,,,,hAy.n,
rnmnosadof son,,,snnI al r,s, go, cre,,rt,
srn,i,,J H. a.. an, f'-,;sL 49,, ~ ~
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