Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-24

In May the planting festival announced the
coming of the crops. Then the fields were
consecrated to the guardian spirits of the
grain For this dedication young virgins
primitive Lady GOdiVaS-were sent to the
fields at midnight unclad, and with their
long hair hanging loose, to scatter the first
seed and invoke prolific harvests. There
We're no ''peeping Toms the red man held
death would have followed the foot steps
of the intruder upon the sanctity of this
rite whereby the virgins were consecrated
to the harvest.
Thanks for All Good Things.
In June came the first fruit or strawberry
feast, the very gala Of thanksgiving. The
Great Spirit had shown" them his gifts,
the luscious fruit had blushed in the sun,
and the festivities of dance and song must
celebrate its vine and blossom. This berry
feast included the whortleberry and rasp-
berry and certain wild herb berries which
contained remedial properties and were de-
Tense against disease and other vague evils.
Homage was rendered to every growth Of
the vine under, above, the ground;
grapes, squash, beans, potatoes and all sus-
tanning foods that climb up to the sun for
the red man." were enumerated and &C
knowledged in this everlasting ritual of
thanks. The green corn Thanksgiving
usually in August. was the big thanks
The women named the feast day and gath
cred a few of the first ears that ripened
tndt the THANKSGIVING IRE SHOulu llFSL re-
ceive this gift of the Great Spirit and as
the smoke of the sayory grain assembled,
the ancient chant of conservation was in
toned by the medicine men and women to
the accompaniment of the drum and turtle
shell rattles. Following this chant the fire
was extinguished and n new kindled
over which, suspended from oak sticks,
large iron kettles were swung. Within the
kettles the corn soup dubbed and sput-
tered, forming dull accompaniment to the
weird songs of the dancers, who were
wreathed with twists of the slken tassels
of corn, the velvety pods Of beans and the
gold trumpet blossoms Of the squash, en-
bems which symboliZed the gifts OF the
great earth mother arrayed in all her glo-
ries.
Animals and Birds Included.
AS the neighbors Of the primitive red man
the animals of the forest and the birds of
the air were included in the ritual Of praise
From the wolf, bear. beaver. deer turtle,
heron, hawk, snipe and eagle the heraldry
of the Iroquois was devised which deter
named the clan and family system Of tribal
division in the enduring bond Of the Iro-
quois.
To every creature whereby good came to
him the early Iroquois made his acknowl-
edgement. He must thank the bee and
beaver for teaching him construction. The
fish, which could live in water which was
death to man, must be thanked for some
mysteriously supreme power Of life denied
locomoton which was unknown to man.
Even the unerring arrow would refuse to
follow the swift bird if the Great Spirit was
unwilling it should die, therefore the bird
must be thanked for its superior flight,
which, to the red man, indicated the pro-
lection of the supreme spirits governing
the air as well as the earth.
Marrying the Fish.
There was a thanksgiving ceremony in
the olden time by which an Indian maiden
was married to the fish. and by this cere-
monial she must remain forever the wife
of the game fish that they should be loyal
to her and produce large numbers of their
kind for her people. Great birds. as the
eagle and hawk. were specially praised as
having the wings Of the clouds and being
able to fly to the loftiest mountain top and
tall. to the sun. The elements were re-
ligtously sacred to the Iroquois. The fire
shielded them from the winters cold, cook
ed their game lighted the council flame and
talked with" their tobacco. The water
protected their fish, the air held the sun,
moon and stars: the earth was their great
mother, and these elements must be named
with supreme reverence.
At each thanksgiving dance the heraldic
totem must be thanked for building the
family clan. The wolves Of the wolf totem
must thank the wolf and thus also each
totem Of bird or beast The medicine man
must acknowledge the aid of the roots and
herbs and thank each one Of them az his
''upholder." The hunter must thank the
game and fish. The warrior must praise
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