The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-28
THE SLEEP OF DEATH
Superstitions of Many Peoples
In Many Lands.
ODD RITES OF THE SIAMESE.
Precautions tn Prevent the Spirit of
the Departed From Returning-Fu-
neral Procession of the Shans-Gueer
Belief Of the Giliaks.

When death comes to the head OF ;
Siamese household the family gather
ed about the deceased cry out: "Oh
father, benefactor, why leave US
What have we done to offend thee
Why depart alone:"
The coffin, covered with gilded pa
per and decorated with tinsel flowers
is removed through an opening in the
wall made for the purpose and hurried
three times round the outside OF thu
house with the cautious hope that the
bewildered ghost may thus lose his
way and be unable to return on any
haunting expedition. 1t is then cere
moniously borne upon barge anC
placed on a platform under a dais
The barge, followed by many little
boats. floats to the temple, where the
cremation is to take place.
At a rich mans funeral tents are
erected within the precincts of the
temple for the indulgence of games
and gambling. while wonderful the
atrical performances introducing mon
sters and other thrills entertain the
funeral guests.
Among the Shans the eldest son OF
the deceased leads the funeral process.
sion, a drawn sword in hand to ward
off evil spirits, while the other rela-
tives dance as they go. Handkerchiefs
umbrellas and yellow robes, presents
to the priest, give a gala air to the
whole. Arrived at the grave, before
the coffin is inferred, the deceased s
wife and children and his brothers
wives march impressively around the
bier with lighted candles.
Unexpectedly we find one of the ma
tive tribes of Australia bearing a very
poetic conception of a spirit world
after death. Souls, they believe, as
cend to a future place among the stars
by means Of a rope. A meteorite Is a
falling rope cast aside by a successful
clim Der, but should it burst with noise
the rope has broken.
A tribe in New South Wales has
legends prettily akin. The Pleiades,
they explain. were young women of
unusual beauty who, pursued by low
ers, climbed up into the sky by means
Of the treetops, while the leader OF
the pursuers has become Orion.
thought in their belief that the spirit
Of man takes the form of a butterfly
which wings it's fight whenever he is
asleep, declining to awaken him sud
denly "for fear that his butterfly may
not return in time"
When a Chin of Burma dies his
body, dressed, fully armed and boil
stored up in a sitting posture. presfdes
over the entertainment given in his
honor, relatives and friends drinking,
and singing songs in praise of
the number of heads he has taken,
the number of slaves he has captured
round the poor deaf, dumb, dead crea-
ture of their tribute.
The Karens of Burma celebrate mar
riages and funerals together.
The body of the deceased is placed
on a bamboo platform in front Of his
recent dwelling. Young men and maid
ems form separate choruses on either
side of the remains. One by one the
youths sing ardent love to the maiden
Of his fancy, who coquettishly sings
back encouragement until finally won.
When the general counting is accom-
plished the young people withdraw
and the funeral rites proceed.
According to the belief of the Giliaks
Of Siberia, the soul passes from the
body Of the dead master into that of
his dog, who is surprised by all sorts
Of dainty food until the guest within
s prayed out, when the poor animal,
equally mystitied, is put to death on
MS masters grave.
But in the glad, free days Of print
i've savagery many tribes were not
with so petty an Offering as a
log. They demanded human sacri-
ice to grace their graves.
Such were the Sakalava of Madagas-
ar, and later when forced to modify
heir views the poles erected around
heir tolnbs were garishly decorated
With skulls and horns of cattle killed
It their funeral feasts.
The sign and symbol of the Malay
sakai's belief in life after death is
.rudely expressed in the custom of
,urying a tobacco box with the body
If a man, necklace with that Of a
But the ignorant fear of the
,ody's pollution seems highly devel |
ped, and the house of death is burned
Iown and the site abandoned, even il
means a lost crop of sugar cane or
apioca.
Lying between the Malay peninsula
nd Wales IS a long sweep of map and
utilization, but so remarkable a Gus
ON was followed in the latter country |
within the memory of men living to-
ay" that we cannot pass it by I'M
hronicled.
This was the presence Of the sin
alter at funerals. Bread, beer and
heese placed upon the corpse were
onsumed by the sin eater, who thus
to himself the delin-
uencies symbolized by the viands
nd prevented them from destroying /
he rest of the dead."-Los Angeles
lines.