The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-11-23
Welded BY EATING.
ODD MARRIAGE CEREMONY OF THE
NAVAJO INDIANS.

Pudding INSTEAD of n Ring Used to
Join the Happy Couple, Who Eat
With Their Fingers From the Same
Dish, Cooked by the Medicine Man.
This quaint story of n wedding among
the Navajo Indians is related by a white
man now working as a missionary with
this tribe. The Navajo reservation takes
in large strip of country in New Mexico
and Arizona, and the Indians number
nearly 10000. The missionary writes as
follows:
y short time ago We We're invited to
be IN attendance at Il marriage ceremony
of one of the Navajo braves 10 one Of
the faircst daughters of the reservation.
ms ceremony was to be performed in
the true Indian custom about four miles
from Fort Defiance mt about I O'Clock in
the evening. We arrived mt the desig-
mated hut at the appointed time. and
tree was pointed out To us where we could
tie our horses. \ considerable number
Of Indians We're already there. The GOV
eminent agent at Fort Defiance and the
blacksmith were also invited. and they
entered the hut Il short time after We had
arrived.
The squaws were all busily engaged in
baking bread. frying meat and boiling
coffee for all Navajo ceremonies must be
preceded 10y sumptuouS feast. 4 good
meal must be eaten before the medicine
man can administer his holy medicine
We have often wished that we might
have photograph here in order that we
might keep a record of the clear and res
: IL.
have once started to sing with all their
might and main so that the beads of per-
spration tricklc down their checks. they
oller sight that would put any stranger
on the run. Their bowling far SURPRISES
than of pack of wolves
Fifty braves had gathered on this oc-
caSl"n and two chiefs who put on great
many airs. The cause of the feeling of
superiority with these chiefs is that the
government has appointed them as Judges
to settle all disputes and trivial differ
enceS that may arise among the members
OF the tribe On account of this they
have the opinion that they possess a
great deal of wisdom and must he re-
Spcctod accordingly. One can readily inn
aSlne that these chiefs are the worst ras-
Gals among the Indians, except possibly
the medicine men.
Some of the braves became impatient
when they were compelled to wait short
time for the supper and went outside TO
roast Il sheep at their own expense over
campfire But we were ali soon seated
about the table in the hut and enjoying
our supper immensely. After we had
partaken Of the meal large carthcn dish
was brought forth, and the medicine
man, who then acted in the capacity Of
priest, began the making Of pudding.
We asccrtaincd from the Indians at our
side that this was to be the wedding cake.
While seated in the hut the approach of
many horses could be heard These, we
learned. We're from the bridegroom as
pay To his tather-in-law for his prospcc-
tive bride.
After the pudding was well done. it
was placed in Il basket made for that
special purpose, and the medicine man.
carrying jug of water and the basket
headed the procession of the bride and
her friends to a new hut where the
bridegroom stood in waiting for his flu
turc wife. We followed the procession
and entered the hut, where we were civ
en- reserved seats at the side of the mcdi-
cine man. He commanded the bride and
Then, taking the jug. he poured waterO
the hands of the bride and command
her to wash both hands of her futr
husband. Thcreupon the hridcgrc
was commanded To do likewise to
hands of his bride. This ceremony inn
pressed us Il great deal. for it shows the
true mutual submission both husband
and wife must be willing to undergo
: al
washed the wedding cake, or rather,
pudding was placed before the bridal
pair, and after it had been covered with
holy powder the exact places where they
must eat from it with their fingers was
pointed out to them. Following the COM
mand, the young man put his right hand
into the pudding and began eating, the
bride followed his example and began to
eat of the pudding where the impression
of her future husbands fingers were still
to be seen.
after the bridal pair had made the
circuit of the entire dish, eating as they
went, the medicine man declared the GER
emory complete with the simple word
'kaddih,' and the couple stood before the
assembly rs man and wife. 1t did APP
pear to us as really odd to see Il couple
ulIltth Win lit Sllllllt ceremony VI tdl-
ing. We wondered why this ceremony
was not accompanied by Il song and ask
ed if that was the end of it. whcreupon
we received the simple affirmative of
'ow.
Bread and coffee were then brought 20
the party, and all began to eat for the
second time, to the honor of the bridal
pair. We also partook of the bread,
which really tasted good. but passed the
wedding pudding, which was now given
% the party. The pudding looked tempt
ing and must have tasted good, Judging
from the manner in which the Indian
guests reached for it.
This marriage ceremony is not infre-
qucnt among the Indians. for they believe
in plural marriages, and some have a
number of wives Very few white people
have witnessed the ceremony, however,
and possibly few would care to see it the
second time. Divorces are also just as
frequent among the Indians. This is an
evil agains Ich we have to contend."-
Grand Rap.Ls Press.
The Feminine Love of Jewels.
Women of all countries have an inner
ent love for precious stones, which are
supposed to exercise some subtle magnet
ism upon their natures; hence the latter