The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-21
ABORIGINAL MYTHOLOGY
Alaskan Symbols of Mythical AncestrCrests
Devices IngniaHow the Tribes Are Di
Fl vided-Who May Marry.

Mrs I. Frohman in Portland Oregonian.
There are perhaps, four large and Inn
portant Indian tribes In Alaska. The first
are Kish- poot- wadda by far the most
numerous. They have for symbols the An
back whale in the sea. the grizzly bear on
land, the grouse in the air and the sun
and stars.
The next clan. known as the Canada,
have for symbols the frog, the raven, the
starflsh and the bulhead.
The Lacheboo, another clan had the
heron and the grizzly bear for totems.
Lachshkeak have the eagle, the beaver
and the halibut.
These creatures. however are only re-
garded as the visible representatives of
the powerful and mystical being or genii
of Indian mythology. and as all of one
group are said to be the same kindred, so
all the members of the same class, whose
heraldic symbols are. the same, are
counted as blood relatives, and, strange to
say, this relationship holds good should
the persons belong to different or even
hostile tribes or speak a different language
or be located thousands of miles apart, and
this relationship Is perpetuated in the face
of obliterating circumstances.
The Indians point back to a remote
age when their ancestors lived in beau
Etiful land, where, in mysterious man
ner. the mythical creatures, whose sym
bols they retain, revealed themselves to
the heads of the families of that day.
They relate the traditional story of an
overwhelming flood which came and sub
merged the good land and spread death
and destruction all around. Those of the
ancients who escaped in canoes were
dr1fted about and scattered in every di-
fection on the face of the waters, and
where they found themselves after the
flood subsidized there they located and
staked out their -emption claims and
formed new tribal associations.
Thus 1t was that persons related by
blood became widely severed from each
other. Nevertheless they retained and
chung to the symbols which had distin-
guished them and their respective fam
Tiles before the food Hence the crests
have continued to mark the offspring of
the original founders Of each family.
cREsTs AND SYMBOLS
3 It is of interest to note of what prac-
tical usees the natives apply their crests.
~ First-Crests subdivde tribes into social
clans and a union Of crests is a closer
bond than a tribal union.
Il Second-It is the ambition of all lead
ing members of each clan in the several
tribes to represent their rank by carving
or painting their heraldic symbols on all
their belongings, not emitting their
household utensils, and on the death Of
the head Of q family totem pole was
erected in front Of his house by his sue
cessor on which is carved or painted
more or less deliberately the symbolic
I creatures of his class.
h sThird-The crests define the bonds Of
Hconsanguinity and persons having the
same crest are forbidden to intermarry,
t|that Is. a. frog cannot marry a frog, nor
a whale a whale, but frog may marry
"a wolf and whale may marry an eagle.
81 Fourth-All the children take the
mothers crest and are Incorporated as
members of the mothers family. Nor do
sthey designate or regard their father S
II family as; their relations, and therefore
Jan Indians heir or successor Is not his
GOWN son. but his sisters son. and in case
Eof a woman being married into a distant
8 tribe away from her relatives the off,
spring of such union when grown up will
leave their parents and go to their moth
er's tribe.
Firth-The clan relationships also reg
gulate all feasting. A native invites the
members Of his own crest to feast, they
being regarded as blood relations are al
Z stways welcome as guests, but at feasts
which are only given for display. all thu
sclansmen within reasonable distance are
expected to contribute Of their means ant
their services gratuitously to make the
4 feast a. success for on the fame of the
feast hangs the honor Of the clan
Sixth-This social brotherhood has rnucl
to, do with promoting hospitality anons
the Indians. A stranger with or withou
his family in visiting an Indian village
needs be at no loss for shelter. He a
once goes to the house belonging to on
yof his crest, which he can easily dis
ftfnguish by the totem pole in front of ii
There he Is sure of a hearty welcome an.
will be received as brother and treatet