Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-11-21

| os hiShAy pilZ
g ed. 1t has been
z carried aroun
| I UA\ 2J the world, and
| /L%> " everywhere 1t has
- -" been welcomed as
an important ad
dltlon to the short list of domesticat-
ed fowls.
Inc turkey was introduced into
spain IN 1920, and into England in
1924 and soon was reared as a barn.
yard fowl in both countries. Not for
nearly half century was it taken tn
= france SO far as can be learned.
the nrst turkey ever seen in that
country was shipped in 1870 from Bos.
ton, then little settlement in the AL
most unknown American wilderness.
ior the delectation of the guests at
the wedding feast Of King Charles TX
and Elizabeth of Austria.
CIVILIZED man prizes the turkey
solely as a table delicacy; but strange.
~ enough, the American Indians es-
! teemed 1T more for the sake of its
leathers than for it's flesh. When the
| DOW and arrow constituted the most
important weapon Of war and of the
chase, feathers were of the greatest
utility to the tribespeople, being at
| .acned to the shafts of their arrows
TO give them buoyancy, and to cause
them to carry straight. For this pur-
pose, most of the tribes employed the
ieatners OF eagles, some those of tur-
Keys and some those of both birds.
Inc Cheyennes, whose hunting
grounds comprised most of the pres
ent state of Wyoming, are said to
nave used turkey feathers exclusively
lor their arrows, and were known to
the neighboring tribes by name that
slgnl1ed striped arrows" in refer.
ence to this preference. The Apaches
also used turkey feathers for arrow
making, as did the Navajos, Sioux,
Arapahoes and many other tribes, al
though no others employed them so
exclusively as did the Cheyennes and
Apaches.
beyond doubt the most striking and
attractive headdress ever worn bv
any aboriginal people was the war
bonnet OF the western Indians. It was
composed of the tail feathers OF tur-
keys or eagles depending upon the
practlce OF the tribe) 1t was fash
iohed TO encircle the crown of the
wearers head and extend down his
back to the ground. The war bonnet
was worn only by chiefs; and every
feather was supposed to represent a
separate deed of valor.
In the ceremonial dances. strange
and grotesque masks are worn by the
participants, some of whom personate
the nature gods, while others take the
role or the clan ancients. Many of
these masks are deliberately decorated
with feathers Of turkeys, eagles, owls.
hawks and other birds. In the deco.
ration OF the affairs erected on cere. |
monial occasions for the worship Of |
the nature-gods. feathers are conspic.
uous. But perhaps the most common
use of feathers is in the making Of
prayer sticks. which are planted at
springs, by the banks of running
streams, near the shrines of the gods
In the fields where crops are growing
or where seed has been planted. and
In hooks and crannies among the
rocks, The prayer sticks are made by
the priests and given to the people.
Analogous to the use Of feathers in
the making Of prayer sticks and altar
decorations. is their employment for
the making of fetishes, used by the
various secret orders, or fraternities.
These fetishes, OF course, possess
magical virtues. understood only by
the Initiated. Among the Zuni is a
fraternity known as the "Hlewekwe."
Or sword swallowers. The Sword" ia
1 long, wooden implement. which in
ne course OF the ceremonial dance of
he order is thrust far down into the
hroat OF the performer and then
To the upper end of the
sword" Is attached large bunch Of
ne tall feathers of the turkey, to
shlch, or course. the ceremony owes
much of It's supposed magical power.
This dance OF the sword swallowers
important for the reason that It ia
supposed to bring the SHOWS of win
er, which melt and sink into the
thus preparing the soil for,
ne reception or the seeds at planting
ime In the spring.
Feathers OF many birds and particu.
arly Of the turkey, are used in the
ports and games of the Indians. The
anne OF "Pokiianni." a favorite among
ne zuni, is played with shuttlecocks
nade OF corn husks and turkey feath.
RS. Fet1shes are made by the PRIESTS
Or foot racers, consisting mainly of
gathers from the legs of turkeys.
hitch are supposed to give feetness :