The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12

When the child is born the mother beats
against the side of the hut, which Is broken
open, when the priests rush in with torcheS
and long sticks, with which they chastse
her numerically. The child, in the mean
time, is placed in a shallow hole dug in the
ground and three witch candles Fastened
to its head and allowed to burn until they
are almost consumed. The child usually is
badly burned in the process, but such a
misfortune is needed little, so long as the
witch is expelled. more rigorous ordeal
has to be undergone several years later by
male children, when they are admitted as
members of the tribe For several hours
the priests beat them numerically with
sticks and slash them with sharp Knives
to inure them to hardship and torture
Should the victim manifest signs or pain
during this trying operation he is dispatched
or else disowned by his parents, and treated
as a slave by the entire community. being
tattooed in a way denoting his degradation.
THE DEAD BEHEADED.
When a man dies his head is immediate
ly cut off and placed in a magic bowl, which
is then tightly sealed up that his spirit
may not be seized by the evil demons. Var
ious prayers are said over this grewsome
relic by the priests, after which it is buried
for several weeks until it shall have been
visited by the gods. 1t is then disinterred
and adorns the ridge pole Of the dwelling
belonging to the successful claimant Tor its
ownership. The head Is supposed to con-
tain all the prowess and virtues of the de-
ceased and is preserved, the body either
buried or cremated. The ownership or a
number of these heads is token OF I'M
portance and assures their fortunate pos
SCISSOR a high standing.
The VitsayoS in common with most saw
age races, are firm believers in the potency
OF the devil dance for the eXorclsm OF eVll
spirits. If an epidemic OF smallpox, cnolera
or other disease occurs in village 1t IS at
tributed at once to some evil spirit who has
taken up abode in banyan tree. Inc
search for this undesirable VISITOR IS maze
at night by the priests who are unfalingly
led to the right tree by the influence OF the
good deities. When the right spot is finally
discovered the "uklars arrange them
selves around the base of the tree to keep
the spirit from escaping, while others re-
turn to the village TO bring the men OF the
tribe to aid at the ceremony.
Then a horrible din begins, and the tom
toms and other instruments are beaten with
fanaticai fury to drown the cries OF the
prisoner spirit from reaching the ears or his
fellows and bringing help. The chief priest
takes his position in the center OF the circle,
brandishing a sacrihcial knife with which
he stabs the nanimate form OF the tree time
and time again. Swaying gradually 10 and
fro he works himself to a state or frenzy,
all the time grooming powerful lncantatlons.
that his body has been entered by the gods.
who are directing his movements, ana
slashes himself with the knife, while the as
sembled natives offer their sacrlfces and
pray to be relieved from the evil spirit. The
priest smearing the end of a stick with his
own blood draws a circle around the trunk
of the tree a few feet from its base, above
which the evil spirit cannot rise. Then the
natives attack the lower part with hatchets
and spears until in the judgment OF the
"uklars" the demon has been conquered,
when the ceremony comes TO an end with
much Teasing and dancing.