Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-10-01
QUEER RITES
OF AMERICAN
ABORIGINES.

Mr.. James Mooney who had cha,r.
OF the installation Of the Indian y,
hiblt at the Nashville exposition Il ro,.
In the extreme southwest section =,
the United States engaged in studv,..
the social and religious orranlsatlo, y,
the aboriginal tribes there. Ills -.
clai Investigations heretofore have h..
into what las proved to be a conn,,,-
system OF hsrnldry In use amonp ~,
tain Indian families during ccnturl..
the signs and symbolic with their NV.
tic Significance and ceremonies hav.n.
been communicated from father 10 ~
for generations.
In the course OF hiH rcscarthoa a,
representative Of the bureau of ethnols'
~ Of the department Of the Interior Al.
Mooney Joined the Kiswa- Apache, !
nomadlo tribe which lives In an aim,
| primcval state. lie was ndmlttfd !,
full membership several years ae6 40
has ever since annually passed Alan,
two-thirdH OF the time with them quls,'
~ pursuing his investigation wlthss,
exciting the suspicion or diatrurt \,
these red men brethren.
lie found that among the Klou,,
their most important religious cere,.I
ny was what IA known TO tho whites 1,
the sun dance" solemn cofomo.,
formerly observed by them each YEA.
but now only held at rare Intervals al
without the fantastic pomp that or.a.
nally attended It's performance.
Their sun dance differs. however. vsry
materially from the Eyratlons Of N.
same name practiccd by the norths-,
Indians. who laccrate their bodies Ia !
horrible fashion. with tho Kiowas ~
dance In what its name ruggcata IA.
taatic cvolutlons Of the Limbs ana bo5r
continuing until the dancer falls ~,
hauHtcd. This terpsichoroan oxerel,.
has been known 10 last four days ara
nights without intermisalon Tor slssn
or food, until the subject dropped to The
ground.
In addition 10 being n religious esr..
mony the convocatlon was rathefinr
Of the tribe for consultation az 10 choice
of hunting grounds FOR the ensuing sea.
son, decisions regarding the wars 10 bs
waFed on other tribes and the so,tie.
ment OF various family mnttors Il
was then also that tho diaplaya Of the
hcraldlc insignia were made In com.
pletc fullncas.
The last OF these great gatherings oi
the amalRamatcd tribes OF the Kluvas
and ApachcH was In June. 1891. and II is
tho desire OF Mr.. Mooney 10 roproduc,
this cncampmont. historically correct In
every detail. ag part u the chino.
logical exhibit Of some future OK.
position. The representation will b.
comparatively In miniature. Tor The
original camp. which covered a clrCu-
lar section OF country about ten miles
In diameter. will be shown on an AREA q
three acres. The tepecH OF the Indian
families VIII be arranged In grtit
circle facing the center close togeihgr
aud presenting an unbrokcn line every.
whore except ut the east, whore vide
space indicates the entrance.
The encampment VIII consist o. y
tepeea. each about "a feet In hesi,
and Of the same diameter. These mini.
allure homes have been made ~ In
dlanH and are historically correct rip
reservations OF those In the anal con-
vcntion 60 which reference has been
made. There will also be corrcci re-
productions OF the shields and hefaldio
devices which were used IN the days OF
the old regime.
The symbols cmblaroncd on the ,epsss
OF these Indians have u peculiar hg'
nlncancc. Us the decorative work " ae-
companlcd by the most solemn religion,
cercmonieA one OF the unwritien laws
Of the tribe prohibits any member from
making n decoration which belongs 70
any subdivision except the one Of NhieA
he IL member. After the connden'a
of the Indians had been secured sun
clontiy 10 allow tho models of the tepast
10 be made STR. Mooney has stated that
he was Obliged 10 secure the services y
one or more Indians In each Of the IL
subdivisions into which the tribe was
divided In 1886. The Subdivisions were
Rec. Eik. kiowa proper, nig Shleldl
siowa- Apache and black BoyA Tbs
work was finally accomplished. and ths
models are now being made.
In obtaining reproductions Of Ne
shields the greatest dlfiiculty Vas ~
countercd. The tribal law forhlddlnf
the making OF a tepee OF another sub
division applies with even greater force
20 the making OF the shields,
In order 60 set reproductions Of these
shields Mr.. Mooney was obliged 20 nni
one member OF the tribe for each Of he
many different kinds OF decorations
aud learn from him tho Significance %
the deyicc. ita origin and the ceremony
accompanying It's conservation. Ihh
was a most lnborloua task. but u has
been accomplished. and the complete
system Of heraldry OF these indians IA,
been formulated. the rignincanfe o.
which has thrown hght upon the eafD
annals OF the tribe and nnorls cas-
means OF tracing the travels AM AZ
legged origin OF this branch u the ha'
man race.
There IN no doubt but that the irs,,i.
lntion OF such a miniature camp ol ,ns
Kiowaa az some exposition VII aho'a
subject for the consideration o. lhs s'o