The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22
CtRRIED TO HEAVEN BY SMOKE
The Mohave Custom OF Burning tho Dead
and Their Personal Belongings.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 81 j. *. Meckinson
formerly a Government special agent says that
the MohaycS are the most supersttious tribe of
North American Indians.
The Mohaye" said lie, believe in IA god Mat
owe liza lie is the maker Of all things lie has
a son whom they call Mas zam-hu, who is king
Of the departed spirits. Mat we-iia, they say.
conducts the movements Of the sun, moon and
stars lie sends the rain aud the sunshine. and
decides whether the season shall bring feast or
famine lie guards the hunting ground. Mas
zamho has fun charge Of affairs III heaven, or
White Mountain, as they call it.
They believe that the spirit dead go uptO White
Mountain in smoke. and that all the personal
property destroyed in the flames with the deceased
viii go with him. There pots are constantly
boiling, filled with the choicest things to eat
They invariably crcnate their dead that Mas
zam-ho may he appcascd and the funeral pyrc
is made ready for the corpse soon as life is cX
tinct, IN order that the spirit journey 10 White
Mountain may be accelerated
q witnessed, about twelve months ago, the
cremation Of an influential sub chief whose death
was deeply mourncd The funeral pyrr was
made neal the temporary village Just oil the
reSerN alton at Fort MohavC Shortly after night
fall all the inhabitants of the village gathered
about the pyrr. The body, wrapped III gorgeous
Muhave blanket with the ringcs artisticaly
worked in beads was carried ON the shoulders
Of four braves from the lodge TO the platform Of
inllammablc ir"wood. ,FYlowing III" pnlllcarcrs
came the women and children and near relatives
The family group Cruuchcd near the pHrr. The
chief Of the medicine men offered, first, words Of
praise and thanks to MatO wc-lia for making
then suppliCation 10 Nissan no 10 receive the
spirit OF the departed chcftan with due h"n0rs
at White Mountain.
Then the dead body was placed on the pyrc,
the fire was lighted the cracking tamcs swept
tiercely mp about the corpse, and the spirit was
on it's way To its eternal home on " lite Mountain
nd rplN oh ted of lam mi Ia
ton and mOancd plicously while the flames de
voured the body. At short intervals the four
ety Of the deceased in the expectation Of its going
up in smoke with him To White Mountain, thereby
adding to his comfort The m"urners also con
tributed some Of their choicest personal belong
ings 81 that in his new and eternal home the alb
sent one might have about him remembrances
Of their affection. To the women Of the immediate
family was granted the privilege Of contributing
portions Of their hair to the flames After the
incarceration was complete, M"havc etiquette for
babe the friends and relatives 10 eat salt or wash
themselves for four days.
1T is belief firmly fixed in the Mohavc mind
that all MOhavcs who die and are not crematcd
turn into owls When an owl is heard hootng
at night near their village, they think it is the
spirit Of some dead Mohaye returned. II by
chance an owl falls into their hands, the bird is
properly Crematcd in the belief that the wander
ing spirit Of its Mohave occupant will thereby
be- quietcd and thus enabled 10 approach Mas
Fam. no confident that lis petition to b. allowed
To enter the promised land. and thereafter rest
in peace among the other good Indians Of White
Until very recently the MohAveS held yearly
a mourning festival. It was the annual burning
of personal property in honor Of the departed
members OF the tribe. At the time deemed most
propitiuus by the medicine men 10 both Mat-o
We liza and To Mas-7am-ho the Aiohaves assembled
in an open spo, near their village, a high knoll
usually being selected The pyre had been pre-
pared as though for the cremation OF the dead
When the fire was hottest each member of the
tribe contributed to the flames some bit Of per,
snnal property held in choice esteem. As the
thick smoke tloaed shyward the mourning In
"A al. = Z
ments, by their firm belief that the curling smoke
rings waited straight To Mas 2anI-ho, king
Of the departed spirits, and that their loved ones
on White Mountain were soon in possession Of
these proofs OF their lasting love and rrmcm-
hrancr Under the influence Of their agents
the Mohayes have abandoned the annual Sacri
flee 10 the dead and except at Needles oil the
reservation, it is not now observed