St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-01-05
BATTLE WITH EVIL SPIRITS.
An Apache Indian mite That Il Mere
Spectacular TAaa the Snake
DaAce.

An Apache Inaian Rite That Il MeFs
Spectacular TAaa the Snake
Dance.
An Indian rite more spectacular than
the famous snake dance Of the Mokis
but which is known to but few white
people in America, is that Of the Jica-
rilla Apaches Of New Mexico.
1t is the Battle with Evil Spirits'
which these Indians repeat every three
OF five years. 1t occurs only when
new moon appears between the goth
and 25th of September. That these In
dians are able to make such . hice cal
culation in astronomy and dates speaks
we'll for their mathematical ability,
says the New York Journal.
September Of this year the new
moon appeared on the 23d day Of the
month. The Indians had prepared for
their great dance or battle against the
powers of evil. Mr.. C. E. Ward. of Den
yer, Col, was a witness Of the extraor-
dinary scene.
"The celebration" he says, (which
extended over q period of ten days, or
rather nights. began at sundown on
the first day Of the new moon and con-
tinued until sunrise the next morning.
1t was repeated in this order through
out the period.
"As the sun sinks behind the western
horizon the grand march of the cele-
brants begins. The men file in at the
west gate and the women at the east,
each turning to the right. and. after
marching half way around the arena
halt, facing one another in a semi
circle. then retire under the rooted por-
tion of the inclosure around the sides.
"In the center Of the arena is small
pile of brush, upon which goodly sup
ply of grease and oil has been poured,
and at this juncture in strides the
medicine woman in all the pride and
glory of her barbarous attire.
THE Jicarilla Apaches have no med
icine man, as is customary with other
tribes. Stepping forward she applies
an ignited brand to the pile, and as the
fumes of the sacred incense are waited
upward to the nostrils of the Great
Spirit, the men and women give vent to
their feelings by chanting to the SOL
emn and doleful strains of tom-toms.
"After the medicine woman retires.
IL men step to the center, where q
larger and fiercer fire has been kindled,
and while they beat the tom-toms the
others in successive turns step forward
and, forming \ semi-circle about ten
feet from the fire, 60 through their fam
tastic contortions. A weird spectacle
they form, these simple children of the
desert, clothed in their gorgeous blan-
kets and their barbarous array-their
straight black hair unbraided and flow
ing in all directions, while their black,
beady eyes emit sharp flashes of IA
natical enthusiasm.
"After awhile 12 evil spirits enter
through the east gate and with grimac-
ing faces and diabolical grins advance,
while the dancers, panic-stricken and
fearful, cease their dancing and rush
for cover. 1t is futile, however, for the
evil ones follow and submit their VIC
Tins to all sorts of punishmsnts until
the braves, in their fury and indigna-
tion, rise up in their might. and, grasp
ing their mighty war clubs, drive their
tormentors out of the west gate.
About 100 women and men are then se-
lected to continue the performance un-
til daybreak. while the rest retire.
THE grand finale occurs on the
night Of the 10th and the morning of
the 11th. This night nobody sleeps.
but all arrange themselves under the
large fire, dancing and shouting all
night to the ceaseless beating of the
tom-toms.
I'm the morning, just at dawn, they
rush out and place themselves in line
along the banks Of little stream that
empties into the lake; the women on
the east and the men on the west bank.
Then the medicine woman again
makes her appearance. this time with
. large basket upon her arm, the in
side of which is separated into COM
partments, each compartment contain
ing some JUNCTION or healing salve.
IF one complains of headache she
dives down into one compartment, and.
bringing forth the necessary remedy,
rubs some Of it on the throbbing brow.
Another complains Of rheumatism, or
possibly is suffering with toothache;
in fact. every aflliction known to Indi-
An kind has its remedy in that mysteri-
ous basket and the obliging medicine
woman applies it with solemn dignity
and fitting ceremony.
This action is supposed to drive the
evil spirits in terror across the hori-
zon. no more to return until the cele-
bration Of the next medicine dance, and
leave the Indians immune from every
Ill. 1t is q sight worth going q thou
sand miles to witness"