The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-01-24
ZUNI INDIAN MAGIC.
A PERFORMANCE THAT PUZZLES ALL
WHO WITNESS 1T.
This Wonderful Feat Rivals the Fa-
nous Mango Growing Trick Of the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Are Unable to
solve the Mystery.

HIndoos-scIentists Are Unable to
solve the Mystery.
Nearly everybody has heard Of and
wondered at the mango growing trick
Of the Hlndoo, by which he makes a
seed sprout before the astonished eyes
Of the European and reach maturity I'm
n very short time.
But few are aware that an equally
Amazing feat Is regularly performed
by the Zlni Indians Oh this continent
Their medicine men ~ the annual
corn fcstlya" do a stunt Of which no
satisfactory explanation has ever been
advanced. Scientists seeing IL have
been made. as a cowboy described 1t.
10 look ike 80 cents"
Preparation Is made for this eXtraOr-
dinary Iuni performance 10y spreading
n large square Of clean. ycllOwish sand
ON the ground before the southern apcr-
turc Of the medicine lodge This sand
Is carefully smootEcd ana packed 50
as To present lirm. level surfacc
Around the edges of the sand square
are then drawn. by means Of ccremo-
nial arrow figures representing the
Great Spirit the earth. the sun, the
sky and the rain. There are also the
symbols for corn aud for bOuntiful
harvest.
The indcntatious made by thc'arrow
are then Gllcd 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 complct-
ed. this sand painting is n fine spccl-
men Of harbaric art and is FAR from
dlsplcasing To u civilized eye.
when the hour arrives. the officiating
medicine man takes his seat In the
opening Of the lodge facing the sand
suuarc. ON his right and left extend
ing out around the square the chiefs
and warriors range themselves accord
ing 10 rank Whcnall are i'm position, the
medicine man fills the ceremonial pipe
with tobacco. lights IL and blows one
puff Of smoke 10 the east. one 10 the
west. one 10 the north. one 10 the south
aud two 10 the heavens. He then al.
dresses those assembled. rcCOunting the
religious history Of the tribe, It's wan
derings and famine aud the bcucvo-
lcnce Of the Great Spirit In the past.
lie closes with n prayer for the contin-
uance Of fathcrly care.
Then he takes grain Of corn from
the medicine bag nj his waist, thrusts
the sacred arrow into the center of the
sand square. withdraws II, drops the
grain into the opening and carefully
smooths down the sand. I,csuming his
seat. all the assembled chiefs Hight Their
pipes and smoke I'm silence.
If the Great Spirit condcsccnds 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
sproutlng corn appear above the sur
face The plant rises naturally ana
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 ripcning begins. Finally the
blades and huSks turn yellow and rot
tie when they are shaken 10y the wind.
All this, mind you, has been done I'm
thirty-siX hours.
ON the morning OF the second day
the corn growing is complete The
medicine man now addresses the
watchers. who i'm company have
watched" the plant grow. for IL is
never left alone. With appropriate GER
emonics he symbolizcs the harvest 10y
stripping the ear Of its husks.
The corn he places I'm the medicine
bag for future ceremonies, while the
stalk is pulled up 10y the roots and
hung over the door OF the lodge, The
long vigil Of the watchers is now end
ed, and they seek much needed rest
and food i'm order To be c2.dy for the
rain dance on the following day.
Every white man witnessing one of
these ceremonies Is deeply mystiticd.
Above ALL he is filled with admiration
for the old medicine man So natural
and mysterious has been the process
that the spectator feels at times dis.
posed TO believe I'm the presence OF
some supernatural power.
Yet every sane person knows that
this performance has nothing unnat-
ural about IT, No white man however,
has discovered the secret The absence
OF stage paraphcrnulia and the crHdc
mechanical knowledge OF the IuniS
add TO the mystery OF the whole thing.
Various theories have been advanced
I'm explanation one is that some
shrewd old medicine man discovered
by accident some peculiar natural
chemical that has the power OF tcrc.
ing the growth of a uraiu ut crlU and
that this secret has ucCu uuGCd Gown
from one generation of priests 10 Gn.