The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-08-24
INDIANS OF THE NORTHWEST
T. NJ. BRIDGES, in Boise City Capital News

" th1 oofNAAA Vi WIZ
ton among the Indians. and particu-
lar reference is had to the tribes
whose habitat was the northwestern
portion of the country, the Indian
lived a life peculiarly his own, a life
differing essentially from what it is
today. 1t the prevalent %opinoin that
the Indian does not change, that he
tenaciously clings to ancient traditions
and superstitions. This view is not
altogether true. 1t is a fact that he
modifies his life so slowly that the
change is scarcely ~perceptible, never
theless he does reshape it in conform
ity with lessons learned from envir-
onment, so much so that many inter-
esting usages of the past are being
radily lost.
Among the interesting features of
the Indians past are his burial Gus
toms. The various tribes of the
northwest largely buried their dead
in the earth, the ceremonies o diff
fering materially from those witness
ell in the present day. The tribes of
the Pacific Coast practiced canoe bur
ial almost exclusively, while the In
dian inhabiting the region heal the
line between his country and Canada
disposed of their dead by tree, scat
fold and rock burial. Further to the
south that extremely rare and mys-
FERROUS rite known as water or spring
burial was Dracticed.
In the past earth burial differed to
some extent from what is seen today
but not sufficiently so as to be worthy
of mention here. The place of inter
ment was usually in the mountains,
a cleft in the rock being selected as a
sepulcher. This natural opening was
selected for a variety of reasons the
most salient of which are as follows:
They were frequently on the war path
when a death occurred, the pursued or
the purusers; in either case time was
precious and that necessary to dig a
grave with the rude instruments at
their command, could i'll be spared,
and to dig in frozen or even very COM
pact earth was equally impossible.
The crevice was easily and quickly
filled with stones, which preserved the
remains from mutilation by wild ami
mails. A hill was chosen that they
might guard against surprises.
The obseCuies were hurried in fear
that the women, who largely compos-
ed the ancient funeral party, might
be surprised and carried off by lurk-
ing enemies.
The preparation of the body in this,
as in almost every form of burial
except that of water, was practically
the same and one description will suf-
flee for all. The corp~e was thoror~h
ly washed, usually by some old squaw,
and dressed in all the flnery dear to
the Indian heart. The face was elab-
orately painted in the traditional trib-
al mourning colors, which, by the
way, varied greatly with each tribe.
however, as a rule, black predominant
ed. At least one tribe of the northwest
used olive green and orange as an in
dication of grief and for painting the
faces of their distinguished dead.
The body was then wrapped in fine
white buckskin, or Navajo blankets
and within this envelope were placed
the most priced among the personal
trinkets, ornaments, weapons, etc,
and in some instances a little food.
The body vas o conveyed to the
grave, where the squaws INDUCED IN
wailing, the singing of the songs Of
the dead, scarafying their arms, legs
and breasts as evidence of their grief.
The cleft in the rocks doing duty for
a grave was not infrequently nearly
filled with presents from the friends
articles of considerable value and
much artistic merit being cast promis-
ccusly into the grave. At the termina-
ton of the ceremonies two, and some
times more, of the favorite ponies of
the dead Indian were killed upon his
grave.
Burial in trees, on scaffolds, in ca
noes, beneath piles of stones and in
springs were all methods practiced in
the disposal of the dead and examples
of the first -four may be seen even in
these days in some secluded localities
Of the northwest. For interment in
either of the first four mentioned
methods the preparation of the body
differed but little from that described
in the under earth burial. In the tree
burial the wrapping was made very
secure by means of many circles OF
buekskin thongs.
In aerial or tree burial the body, af-
tel being prepared was placed as high
as possible in the tallest tree that
could cnnvaneniently he fOund The