Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1897-11-19
A STRANGE PEOPLE.
Some Cerennonisls OF Southern
To- 3 Alaska Indians
The Carnival of Ghosts II One OF Their
81 MOST Impressive Festivals
X Their Queer Co.'S
tunes

The gold seekers flocling to the Klon-
like are obliged to 60 through coun-
try inhabited by some very queer alb
origines who dwell along the coast o.
southern Alaska. These natives Go mos
81 the freighting across the passes into
The interior, carrying lcc~a On 1hei-
BACKS; but their population during
Many centuries has been SO shut away
E:rom other tribes by gigantic ranges o..
st1ow-clad mountains tbat they. h~vt
developed a peculiar cul .ure and GUS
tome unknown anywhere else. Hence
the exceptional value OF monograph
about them, prepared by DR.. Fra
Boaz, distinguished ethnolcg ist,whicA
is to be published soon by the National.
museum.
One of the most remarka BILE Of the
festivals celebrated by the Indians is
! carnival Of ghosts, which is held each
winter. 1t seems to be derived from a
tradition that tells of journey made
10y an adventurous individual to a re-
gion beneath the earth, inhabited by
phantoms. The celebration itself is a
mimical representation of the visit to
hades aforesaid, and the performer who
represents the submundane traveller
wears q necklace and headdress set
round with skulls.
This festival requires elaborate prep
aratiops. Speaking tubes of dried giant
kelp are laid under the foot of the lodge
house so as to terminate in the fire
place. When the cerem onial is in prog
ress the performer. disappears into a
ditch previously dug behind the fire
place, and then many voices are heard
eoming out of the tlames-really the
voices of persons hidden in adjoining
rooms. who speak through the tubes.
Later on an image representing ghost
ing the performer.
Cannibalism is very conspicuous in
che myths current among these people,
who have themselves been eaters Of hu-
man flesh up to a recent period. Indeed,
though the whites are supposed to have
put a stop to such practices, it would
seem that secret indulgence in them
has not been wholly done away with:
Quite 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
Tor his table. The smoke OF his CHM
ney is the color of blood, and he has 4
female slave who gets food for him bv
catching men and collecting corpses.
In his house is fabulous bird with an
mn W L ~,
the brains of persons whose skulls it
fractures with its bill. Anybody " no is
SO unfortunate as to encounter the can
nibal spirit may be transformed into a
grizzly bear. On the other hand, if he
Gan please the demon he may obtain
power to, handle fire without being
burned.
Another guardian spirit is a fear
some warrior who lives in the far north.
fie travels constantly and never leaves
his canoe: BY obtaining his protection
4 man may become invulnerable, or he
may acquire power to catch the invis:
Ole disease demon. This demon is at ali
times flying about in the air in the form
1T a worm. The fortunate protege Of
The warrior spirit catching this worm
ss.an throw it into the body Of an enemy,
who viii die at once.
These Indians wear wooden masks in
their cereInonials. Some of them are
of enormous size and astonishingiy gro
tesaue. The mask worn by a performer
whc represents the cannibal spirit, for
example, isl a huge, crocodile-like head.
Another, representing the [oird servant
Of this spirit, is like the head of a bird
with bin four feet long. By means
Of strings pulled by the wearer the
great beal is made to open and shut
rapidly, producing loud clapping.~
st. Louis Republic.