The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-10-09

4 ~ sttA - fAN0 "a A-Ar 81 asaAaAUEir % tro-
| qUois the ceremonies sury19@ sabsfsn.
TALLY as they existed n ,he ,irsa IN ,s.
Jesuits. who began the werk af e5rysrf-
ing these red men 70 the fsifb ~ IN.
| Cross. These Indians are the only fr.
habitants OF Western New YORK who sr.
1 pagans BY religious profession. 50 IN
| speak They cling tenaeiousiy 10 usr4r
ideas, and follow the teachings OF H.
| wafha rather than the doctrines o. Chris.
There Is much misapprehenslon ar 10
the dances Of the Indians. Comparative.
Few understand that they are a. .hs r-.-
ure Of religious ceremonies and are Oh
served IN somewhat the same spirit as
the different festivals Of the chaFrA
among Christians. The Six Nations dance
was observed by the Seneca IHdiaus %
the TOnaWanda reservation during tAa
week OF september Is. There will b. many
Indians from this reservation in the SIX
/ Nations village on the grounds Of Oh.
| Pan-Amsrican Exposition and the vlr.-
| Gus ceremonies OF this festival, a. vel
| as OF others. will be there reprofa.aE
| The Six Nations dance viii he he. .-
/ the Indians OF the Canadian rest -ga-...
/ near BrantfOTd. Ontario. during the aa--
beginning October q This is a largs r.--
| eTvati0n and the ceremonies OF the fa--
/ tiyal as celebrated by these Indians arc
\ or unusual interest. The SIX Nation,
/ dance held by the Senecas OF the Tom
/ wanda reservation, though not So l8rs..-
attended as some others. probably an
1 proaches as nearly 10 the ancient cara-
/ monies as any that can be seen iu .hfs
/ part OF the United states Al the SIX
/ Nations village on the Pan-Ame-!tsa
/ grounds next summer. where Jhe Indians
/ Will live just as their ancestors did b..
/ fore white men came 10 Western N4.
York, the dances and other r-remgrfa.
1 will be produced without the modern ir-
/ novations and as nearly as possible DIS.
| what the French v0yageurs and the frs.
/ English explorers Of this region saw Wlr..
/ the rec men OF the IrOquois confedaracr
roaIned OYER il at will. The traditions
! handel down by the forefathers OF rha
SIX Nations Indians OF the present Gsr
and the descriptions given by traveller
Of early times Will be followed in repro
ducing these ceremonies.
The >eneca snake Dance
The task OF their reproduction r. render
ed easier than II would be in the case OF
most Indian tribes from the fact thar Oh.
Six Nations, OF all American Indians have
best preserved their traditions. and thaIi
system OF government was so unique and
their various institutions were so well doe
Veloped that they were written about
from the earliest times Of European Jy-
ploration and occupancy. They have I
too, with a death grasp to their Trim.
IDEAS and traditions Their ancient league
was held together by a constitution.
bend of union and the traditions of u.s.
formation have been preserved With au
Intelligence exceptional 2m0ng the raI
men. The league was called Ko-ui-shi-.-
n, the cabin builders" or the "l0r-
house." of which the Mohawks held d..
eastern end and the Senecas the western
door with the great council fire or FEEDER
ell capital among the Ouondagas The.
Indi1ns, il viii be seen, We're not builder
of wigwams. ike many tribes Of the Ws-t
but Hvea in homes OF more permanent
construction.
l attended the Six Nations dance Of the
sereca Indians Of the Tonawanda reSer-
walton. There We're but few whites pres
ent, among them being Mrs Harriet Con
verse, whose work In behalf OF the Indians
or this state has rendered her beloved bT
the red men and a welcome witness GI
their ceremonies. The dances Of this fes-
tlVal are strange admixture OF the
customs Of the red man and the COS
tunes OF the white man. There IS some
thlng very incOngruous In the sight OF
the snake dance, for instance. being r-r-
Termed by red man who wears an out
ing shirt in fast colors Of the latest ztyl.
golf stockings, and russell shoes. and OF
the Indian squaWs wearing the bonnet-
OF Buffalo milliner as they perform the
strange eVoiutiOns Of one OF these semi
barbar.c functions.
In some Of the dances the leading mar
Elephants wore costumes In many respects
IKE those their ancestors doubtless as
sumed in similar ceremonies. For in
stance, I'm the feather dance Chief Man
rice Green, Seneca, had d buckskin suit
with a hsaddress OF horns and feathers.
MS outht was almost purely aboriginal
but next 10 hiL3 danced a brave who wore
a gauze shirt, which might have been
purchased at a Buffalo department store.
as a covering for the upper part OF his
body, knee breeches and long stockings
with bells at the knees and a figured
apron somewhat like what the Masons
wear in their ceremonies. Most Of those
participating had costumes more or less
fantastic, some typically Indian, Others
such as you might see at a masquerade
party among white people. as. for in
stance. that OF dancer who had arrayed
himself IN A suit Of gay calico figured with
roses Of a brilliant crimson hue.
Performing the Feather Dance.
The feather dance was performed With
much of the Old-time energy and abandon.
muscles quivering., features contort-d.
arms swaying and the whole body exc
PRESSING a wild sort OF delight in the pc
cUliar function. Il was preceded by a
sermon, OF reading" as the Indians call
H. In which the teachings OF Hiawatna
are expounded. The preacher. il such BIZ
may De termed was Sachem Chauncey
Abrams. pagan priest Of much inteIli-
gence. fine specimen % the Seneca IN
dian. grave and dignified in bearing and
a man. / am told, OF most exemplary
Character. His sermon was In the Seneca
tongue ana consumed three hours IN de-
llFery. ana II was listened 70 with the
deepest attention. the Indians observing
a dec0rum which would have been cred
liable IN a congregation OF Christians i1
one JI our so-called fashionable church
IS. lie wore suit OF broadciOth such
as one might see In a Christian pulpit
ana the only thing 10 distinguish him as
priest OF paganism was the Wampum Of
the Six Nations which he carried. Al the
close OF this solemn ceremony came. In
striking contrast, the animated and some
wnaubOisIerOus feather lance. which. de-
spite It's wild aspect, possesses, Ike al
these dances. a significance Of q semi-re-
hsiOus nature. These ceremonies took
place In the long house or council house.
OF the Indians OF this reservation. iu
shape Ike the long house Of the ancient
iroquois. but otherwise constructed Ike
an ordinary frame building The long
house Of the Six Nations village a. thr
Pan-Amerlcsn will BE- built Of lark. and
thongs instead Of nails will be used a
fastening is portions together.
The music 10 which these dances are
given IS furnished BY Tattlss formed ~