Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-08


in an atmosphere of mysticism Death
is to him circumstance of the highest
degree of mystery, and the ceremonies at
tending the funeral and burial are. there
FORE elaborate and in many cases i'm
posing.
The services over the dead vary greatly
with different tribes, and the methods OF
dsposing of the bodies are many. lnhu-
nation is. perhaps. the most common
there is a variety of customs. Some bury
the dead in sitting posture: others
double the body together and bind 1t with
cords: still others stand the body upright,
and in some cases the corpse Is given
recumbent position. Several of the tribes
of the southwest practice cremation; some
dispose of their dead by placing the
bodies upon elevated platforms: others
entomb them in stone cysts. caves. nuts
or other buildings, while some of the
coast tribes sink the bodies in the water
Of the ocean.
The Pima Indians bury their dead I'M
mediately. or as soon after death as pos
sible The burial generally takes place
in the nighttime. The body is prepared
for the grave by being tied double with
ropes passed under the knees and around
the neck. When the medicine man of the
tribe pronounces death inevitable the
grave is prepared. This is a perfectly
round hole, four or five feet deep, just
large enough to receive the body. 1t
often happens that the medicine man
makes a mistake in the diagnosis OF the
case and the patient RECEIVERS. His grave
is then left untitled till such time as he
is ready to occupy it. Should other mem
bers of the tribe die first new graves are
prepared for them, the other being lett
TO yawn till it gets the one for whom It
was made 1t therefore happens that
nearly every Pima cemetery contains sew
eral open graves
The burial is accompanied by chanting
by the mournerS, words laudatOry TO the
departed being improvised. The grave Is
filled while the weird songs are being
sung, and a pole fence or covering Is then
constructed to protect the grave from
the depredationS of coyotes or other wild
animals The immediate relatives OF the
departed cut their hair as sign OF their
mourning and they cease their occupa-
tions for several weeks.
Immediately after the services at the
grave the house and personal effects of
the departed are burned and his or her
cattle and horses are slaughtered and
cooked A great feast is then made. in
which all members of the tribe in the vi
entity take part.
The Navajos have a horror of death
and will not approach corpse save OF
necessity. When death occurs In dwell
ing il is Immediately abandoned, and as
soon as practicable new home is built.
In the meantime the surviving members
Of the household camp out or take refuge
with other members of the tribe.
| Sometimes the house where the death
takes place is made to serve as tomb
for the dead. the doorway being filled
with sticks and mud. 1t is more usual,
however for the body to be buried In a
grave prepared for ii. the remains being
conveyed to the grave the next day
after death by two perfectly naked In
dams who, after the funeral, purify
themselves before resuming their APP,
parel. The body is followed by long
procession Of friends and relatives, VINO
march about the grave chanting songs.
and who upon departing, deposit upon
the grave some article which the de-
parted will need in making his journey
to the lower world-the location OF the
Navajo spirit land.
The Hopi Indians have one burial Gus
tom for adults and another for children.
They believe that the spirits OF the TAT
ter return to their mothers and that they
are born again. They. therefore. dispose
of the bodies of the young by putting
them in the clefts in the rocks In the
mesa in any convenient place. filling the
crevice with sticks stones and mud The
bodies of adults are laid in graves at the
foot of the mesa After being carefully
dressed and prepared for long journey
a prayer offering is laid with the body.
to which is attached long string, ana
the body is then covered and pile OF
stones laid on the grave. The string,
which is left projecting from the grave.
is then laid in long trench running due
west from the cairn.
1t Is the belief of the Hopis that the
spirit of the departed, which is thought
to be asleep with the body In the grave.
awakes at the expiration Of the fourth
day. when it is supposed to follow the
string up out of the grave and along the
| trench. when, having been started In the
right direction, 1t continues on It's west
ward way till 1t comes to the Grand
Canyon, in the depths of which they be-
lieye to be the house for the dead. to
which they have given the name Of
Mask"
The Apaches put their dead away in
the ciefts Of the rocks. in shallow graves
and in the case of children. In the tree
tops frequently. They chant the virtues
of the departed at the time of the burial
and the immediate friends Of the de-
ceased give themselves up to mourning
for a period.
The Pala Indians of Southern Cal
iforniat have had the advantage for more
than century of religious training, one
OF the early missions having been located
in their midst. They have assimilated the
general idea Of the resurrection Of the