Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-03-11
INDIAN CUSTOMS.
Some of the Tribes Are Worsh1pers
Of the Sun.


recent article written by Matt
Duhr contains a graphic description OF
some of the strange customs OF certain
tribes of Oklahoma Indians. Mr.. Duhr
says:
ayes. some of our red men are sun
worshipers. / have seen many lowas
and Tarvness address their prayers ana
lamentations to the glorious orb OF cay
The Iowas, who have dwindled down 10
eighty-two persons, believe in spirits
spiritual horses, dogs and birds. Billy
Dole an old Iowa Amerind, once told
me: I have eleven squaws and papooses
nm there. | can see them and see lots
OF nv ponies grazing on the evergreen
prairies where white men can't Durh
the grass
"When asked who made the lightning
and thunder the late Chief Tohee SAID:
THE big, very big thunder, God makes
it 70 scare or kill bad people. When
he makes sheet or forkei lightning
then he wants to Just scare bad people,
but when he wants to kill a great liar
or thief then he shoots them to death
with q ball. Only one Iowa Amerlnd
was ever killed by lightning. All lowas
preserve the account OF that terrible
event with great care. 1t is taught and
retold TO the Iowa children with reli-
gious precision.
"Long ago, when over 100000 Iowas
lived in the state Of Iowa, certain
foremost medicine man sent Word 10
all the members Of the tribe to come TO
his wigwam during the time when the
trees were green and partake OF nine
days feast. Over $4,000 Iowas assem-
bled at the appointed place when the
flowers were blooming. Their provisions
had been used up. They were very
hungry. They were about starving
Then the headmen asked he medicine
man when the promised feast would
come off. Then he laughed like a tooi
and said: 4 Just wanted to deceive, 10
fool you. l have hardly anything 10 eat
myself, lust then the thunder god sent
o lightning bolt from the clear SKY anu
killed the greatest liar Of the Iowa na-
i
ton.
"Most of the Amerindian parents re-
frain from teaching their Infants Dapy
, talk The papooses are taught to speak
correctly from their birth or shortly
after White folks first teach their OH
spring a doodg dorge jargon ana then
: take great pains to unlearn what tney
impressed on their minds and tongues
Hardly any Of the Amerindian my.
: thologies have been condensed ano
, nrinted. The Amerinds have many as
i sistant gods-the snow god, the ram
god. the tornado gods and host OF Dig
ger and lesser gods. Some OF our Okla
homa Amerinds firmly believe tna'
some of their noted ancestors dwell IL
certain stars, and when they see 81
i called shooting stsr-meteor-they ex
e claim that departed Amerind has de
c scended from above to visit his reia
o tives on earth.
3 "some Of the ignoble red men mourn
with yigor for their dead and nav
" them entombed in fifty dollar snrou'
=, cofins. Some have mourners to sing
>, chant or grunt the great deeds perform
- - ed by the deceased. The hired mourn
- ers have to abstain from eating ourin
+. the mourning. They are tied securei
~ ~ on their ponies so that when sieepin
' ~ they cannot fall from their horse'
- Some of these paid mourners for ID
y, y dead refrain from eating for four DAY
ar and nights.
" "The last noted mourner was nireo
mourn for days and nights Oh u
- banks at the salty Cimarron. de wa
~ ,e, paid four gallons Of whisky in advanC
" for his doleful services. He manage
-, - TO drink all his wages except ol
e, mouthful before the last fve minute
a. aS Of his solemn contract. He drank u
u last drink at midnight Of the rour'
~ ho day and expired in ten minutes"