Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-01-28
ZUNI INDIAN MAGIC.
A PERFORMANCE THAT PUZZLES ALL
WHO WITNESS 1T.

nous MnngO Growing Trick OF the
MISREPRESENTATION Are Unable to
Solve the Mystery.
Nearly everybody has heard Of and
wondered at the mango growing trick
of the Hindoo, by which be makes a
seed sprout before the astonished eyes
of the European and reach maturity in
n very short time.
But few are aware that an equally
amazing feat is regularly performed
by the Zuni Indians on this continent.
Their medicine men at the annual
corn festival" do stunt Of which no
satisfactory explanation has ever been
advanced. Scientists seeing 1t have
been made, as cowboy described 1t,
to 'look like 30 cents"
Preparation is made for this extraor-
dlnary Zuni performance by spreading
large square Of clean, yellowish sand
on the ground before the southern aper-
ture of the medicine lodge. This sand
is carefully smoothed and packed so
as to present firm, level surface.
Around the edges Of the sand square
are then drawn, by means of a ceremo-
nial arrow, figures representing the
Great Spirit, the earth, the sun, the
sky and the rain. There are also the
symbols for corn and for bountiful
harvest.
The indentations made by the arrow
are then filed in with pigments, the
clouds and sky with blue, the earth
with black and the harvest with
chrome yellow. The center Of the
square is left vacant. When complet-
ed, this sand painting is a fine speci-
men of barbaric art and is far from
displeasing to civilized eye.
When the hour arrives, the officiating
medicine man takes his seat in the
opening of the lodge facing the sand
square. On .iis right and left, extend
ing out around the square, the chiefs
and warriors range themselves accord.
ing to rank. Whenall are In position, the
medicine man fills the ceremonial pipe
with tobacco. lights 1t and blows one
puff Of smoke to the east, one to the
west, one to,the north. one to the south
and two to the heavens. He then ad-
dresses those assembled, recounting the
religious history of the tribe, its wan
derings and famine and the benevo-
lence of the Great Spirit in the past.
He closes with prayer for the contin-
nance Of fatherly care.
Then he takes a grain Of corn from
the medicine bag at his waist, thrusts
| fl.. int fhn tnr nf
sand square. withdraws it, drops the
grain into the opening and carefully
smooths down the sand. Resuming his
seat, all the assembled chiefs light their
pipes and smoke in silence.
If the Great Spirit condescends to an.
swer the prayer of the medicine man,
as generally happens, the grain Of corn
will sprout and send forth shoot.
After an interval of fifteen or twenty
minutes the sand seems disturbed at
the spot where the corn was buried
Soon slender light green blades OF
sprouting corn appear above the sur.
, face. The plant rises naturally and
rapidly during the day.
By the next sunrise the silk and tas
sci appear. BY noon the ear and stalk
' have reached full maturity.
Then ripening begins. Finally the
0 blades and husks turn yellow and rat
tie when they are shaken by the wind
. All this, mind you, has been done IL
0 thirty-six hours.
y On the morning of the second da!
the corn growing is complete. TIL,
medicine man now addresses tn,
watchers, who in company hav,
Q watched" the plant grow, for it Il
never left alone. With appropriate Ger
emonles he symbolizes the harvest b.
= stripping the ear of Its huslss.
The corn he places In the medlcin
: bag for future ceremonies. while tn
stalk is pulled up by the roots ant
=. hung over the door of the lodge. Th
~ long vigil of the watchers is now end
~ ed. and they seek much needed res
and food in order to be ready for tn
rain dance on the following day.
Every white man witnessing one o
n these ceremonies Is deeply mystitied
" Above ALL he is filed with admiration
% for the old medicine man. So natura
n and mysterious has been the process
~ that the spectator feels at times dis
d posed to believe In the presence o
- some supernatural power.
q Yet every sane person knows tina
70 this performance has nothing unna'
n ural about 1t. No white man, however
- has discovered the secret The absenc
e Of stage paraphernalia and the crud
= mechanical knowledge of the Zuni
D add TO the mystery OF the whole thing
"a Various theories have been advance
u In explanation. One is that som
IL shrewd old medicine man discovere
II by accident some peculiar naturi
chemical that has the power of for'
ing the growth of Il grain OF corn an
that this secret has been handed dow
from one generation OF priests to al
l. other.
u Another favorite explanation is thG
" by great skill the medicine man is abl
p TO hypnotic the entire circle OF spe,
II tators and so produce the result will
10 out apparatus of any kind save ye
~ low stalk OF corn from the last ha
y vest.
ID Others say the feat Is accomplishe
70 by elaborate machinery concealed In
pit.
But nobody knows exactly.-Ne'
York Iimas