The New York herald., 1922-03-12
Uprising Among the Indians
Always Preceded by, Potlatch
Prohibition of Time Honored Convocation by the
Canadian Government Makes Little Difference
to Red Skins of Cowatchan.

seated gravely on the snowy ground
or hobbling and unhobbling troops of
horses that seem as IL wearied by a
long travel. Other horses sleep with
heads near a big fire of bush. And
drawing nearer the black box you
pass between rows of totem poles,
glistening in the silver light.
But what is that thunder that pours
from the building? Three hundred
throats inside are bowling a chant
invented thousand years before q
white man ever penetrated this will
derness. Its rhythm is there; you will
mark it by your own uneasiness; 1t is
rhythm that appeals only to a saw
age ear 80. 1t is the paean, sad,
solemn, savage and. threatening, Of a
dying race. @aa
A Potlatch Is what this convocation
OF the tribes of British Columbia is
called in the Indian vernacular. The
uprisings of the Indians have always
been preceded by this ceremony, and
In consequence 1t has been prohibited
by the Government. But what can a
government do in the wintry wilder
ness OF Cowatchan? It's arms are not
so long that they reach here.
Old Tayhiee, a friend Of all medicine
men, including the white doctor, met
Eve and me at the door Of the great
lodge. He is high in the councils OF
the inner circle and is known through
out the land. Without a word he led
US to a high seat, elevated and re-
moved from the glowing circle, and
with a gesture signifying silence and
caution he left us practically in the
dark. We were the only white people
there.
From Esquimault in the south ia
Nainaimo In the north. from the re-
gions west to the Great Water all the
tribes Of Van Couver had gathered
for the Potlatch. Four hundred In.
dians were seated in the lodge in rows
along the walls. Three huge fires
roared down the center with twenty
to thirty logs ablaze in each one. In
front OF the first row of Indians and
between them and the fires had been
laid a flooring of spruce boards. Here
squatted the dancers. In the red glare
their faces, hideously painted, looked
like a collectors treasure of Japanese
terror masks. Preceding the dance
again roared out verse or stanza oi
the chant, the drums at either end
pounding out the measure the like oi
which was never heard in music
There were hundred OF these Siwash
drums and their thunder was tre-
mendous, yet not strong enough to
drown out the savage voices. Under
the black roof these drums roared like
tremendous artillery, but above them
rose spasmodic yells and beneath them
growled the bass throats like inter
mittent thunder claps.
Beginning at the fire farthest away
from the wide doors each Indian goi
up and did his dance while his tribe
shouted their appreciation deliriously
The other tribes. waiting for their
particular representatives, contented
themselves with hitting something In
time with the bang Of the drums.
When every tribe had witnessed It's
own performer all the dancers rose In
concert and this was the climax OF
the Potlatch. They danced to the God
of the Wolf. Hopping their hands like
a dog when 1t begs; they danced tc
the God OF the Owl, hiding their heads
in dress of Hopping feathers, and
they danced to the God of the Bear
when they held themselves like au-
donations and hoped sideways around
the fires.
Four hundred throats bowling. four
hundred torsos bending and twisting
twice four hundred arms thrown wild.
~ into the thick air, the Potlatch shat.
tered the nerves of the whites and
Gained the nerves OF the red men
Overwhelming and disturbing 1t was
yet so seductive that we found our.
selves swaying and groaning with
these wild beings. And we tried to fee
but we could not--what they were
feeling, and realized with something
like regret for our impotence that we
knew not and never could know their
Language"
Such is the Vancouver convention
the Potlatch. AS IL is a safety valve
the wonder is why the Dominion Gov.
ernment puts II under ban.