Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-11-24
INDIAN BRAVES NAME
HOW SOME GROTESOUE NAMES
HAVE ORIGINATED.

HOW SOME GRoTESQUE NAMES
HAVE ORIGINATED.
II Began in Devotional Form. Then Assumed
Rocky Aspect and Finally the Child of
Nature is. When Resting From His Toll the
Great Spirit Communes With Him and Con.
fsrs the Name that Tie is to Bear in Vision
The Indian brave is one among the
race of men who is forced to earn his
name i'll the true sense OF the word.
How the custom started is not known.
1t is buried in the unwritten history OF
the race, but down to the time when
the custom OF the white people over
come the usages OF the redmen, every
Indian was forced to earn a name or
60 through life nameless and looked
upon with suspicion for the rest of his
days.
Those who have read OF Sitting Bull,
White Horse and Red Eagle, may be
interested to know how they received
the peculiar names. Unlike any other
t'ibe inhabitant OF the American con-
tinent, the Indian did not take the
name Of his ancestor, but carved a
name for himself and added to it the
history OF his tribe with whatever
laurels his bravery and cunning could
win.
Paternal greatness or family glory
could not overcome the law OF his
tribe, for every Indian believed that
the Great Spirit had ordained just
how he should be named. There were
no family distinctions, no title by
which father and son could be associ-
ated, but each made for himself his
name and history. This, perhaps, is
one OF the most interesting features
of Indian life, and is moro interesting
to us because it showed the absence of
aristocracy.
Blue blood was of no more value to
the Indian than red blood. In a ma.
jority Of tribes, the robes and sceptre
of power went to him who could win
il, instead of to the children of the
chief. Surely the Indian life was true
democracy.
Alta certain time in his life of every
young brave it became necessary for
him TO have name. The period was
about the age of fourteen years, al.
though it depended to q great extent
upon the size and development of the
young man. At this time the youth
repaired to lonely spot, far from the
camp ground of his people, which was
set apart for the purpose. Here were
rocks OF various sizes and great in
number. Here too were trees, for the
place was in the heart OF the virgin
forest.
For centuries before him his fathers
and fathers ancestors had worked
upon the same rocks and other trees
in order to win their name, and he
was inspired, by the stories told by his
parents, to work hard that he too
should be remembered in the history
OF his tribe. Beyond this he was
spured on by the knowledge that the
Great Spirit would send him q name,
if he be worthy, and show the favor OF
the gods by the vision flashed before
his mind.
Here he was alone, for the laws OF
his race prescribed that he should re.
ceive no food or encouragement from
his people until the Great Spirit sent
the sign. First, he prayed to the
Great Spirit that he should receive a
name and be favored through life. 1t
was an honest and simple appeal that
the god of all Indians should show
him some special fovor. 1t was a sell
fish prayer, bu. such as child OF the
forest would make.
Then he began his task, which was
to remove rocks from one place to
another until his muscles were ex-
hausted. Besides him were the heaps
that Others before him had used.
These he continued to transfer from
place to place; never ceasing, never
resting until nature stole away his
strength and he was forced to lay
down to sleep. Frequently he changed
the task by cutting wood with the
crude instruments at his disposal, but
his favoEite work was piling rocks, be-
cause at this he the sooner becomes
exhausted and all the sooner was his
name.
The length of time it took to be.
come tired depended upon his strength.
Sometimes it took a day and some
young braves have worked for four or
five days until they settled down to
the sleep OF their chosen dream. All
this time the youth does not eat.
Food would sustain his strength and
prolong the task before him. He
worked both day and night, and never
ceased until his muscles refused to
work.
Then he lay down beside the pile OF
rocks he last made and slept. As q
general rule he was so far exhausted
that he slept for days. His bodily
strength was gone, but his mind was
active, for the Great Spirit was ex-
pected to send to him q name. Dur.
ing that sleep he dreampt of glory and
greatness. He could see the hunting
ground OF his tribe and the forest
where he hunted. His mind was par