Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-22

With Will Passing Of Old Men
Beautiful Ceremonies Are
Being LOST He Says

Y ~
Being Lost, He Says
Bismarck N, D. May 22-From an
cisnt times, declares DR.. Melvin r,
Gilmore. curator of the North Dakota
Historical Eociety,> there has baen
evolved In. the culture of the Arikara
Indlans q very considerable BODY of
rituals. Theee rituals consist Of reoi-
QAtlye. chants and prayers and dra-
matte representation. 1t was the at
Tempt 70 make records, both by phonI
cktApn ana moving pictures that DIR.
National Society og Museums.
In old times there were rituals and
eefem celebrations connected
1ltn q various community activi-
Ties throughout the cycle of the sea-
IONS each year" declares DR.. Gilmore.
But IN later times, since the United
states government has reduced the
various Indian tribes from the status
OF free peoples to that Of subject peo-
E,les and wards they have rbeen re-
stricted from the celebration of their
" seasonal ceremonies.
With the dying, OF the people of
tna older generation the Number of
tn1ee who know and can perform the
anGtent ceremonies is so much dimin-
slshed that before long time all these
rituals will be lost utterly unless rec
q be made now and in the imme-.
salate future. 1t is a fact that within
the period of only two years last past
number of ancient rituals of the
Arlkara have been lost beyond any
possible recovery by reason Of the
death of all the remaining old men Of
the tribe who knew these particular
rituals, It Is therefore important to
lake to record for history
md science now, before it is too late,
the remaining rituals"
Some of these records were made
las August by DR.. Gilmore, DR.. Pliny
r. Goddard of the American Museum,
New York, DR.. Goddard's assistant,
and G.XF. Will Of Bismarck. The four
made as complete notes as possible of
the ceremonies they witnessed, i'm
Guiding moving pictures and phono-
graph records, and their reports will
be compared and synthesized to make
as complete and correct a record as
possible.
Indian Stocks Differ Greatly.
1T should be said that there are
more than fifty different linguistic
stocks of Indians i'll North America
SOiIiiiuSu LII. AlIJllOiE, ulIlEEln8 tCONl
each other as much as the Celtic, Teu-
tonic, Slavic, Semetic and various 9th
er stocks of the white ace differ from
each other. 1t should also be- said
that these fifty or more different
stocks of the native American race
comprise more than two hundred diff
ferent tribes and nations, each with
its own distinct language, laws and
customs and unwritten literature.
Are Agrtcrlturists.
The Arikarn nation Is of Caddoan
stock. Other nations Of that stock
are the Pawnee, Wichita, Waco and
gaddp. The course Of migration OF
this stock has been from the south
west. from tho border of Mexico. In
ttRe course of their migration the Ari-
kiara have gone farther northward
than any other tribe Of the Caddoan
stock. They have been ag%riculturists
as far back in the past as they hays
suuashss' and pumpkins OF HHtany Vari-
eties and acelindated5t them as far n9rtt
AS the Upper Missouri river. The Ari.
karas,shay 81 been cultiyating these
crops In tthis region Tor several cen.
turtles, :sst,s ,is
1T will be observed that the beau
tiful symbolism Of the rituals and
ceIeINON1eS WNlCH .HaVS grown qp III
the ages of ancient Arikara. c~iyiliza.
ton and culture are expressed in terms
Of the native faunal and floral life oil
the plains region, together with theil
cultivated crops. especially corn, al
of which they regarded as gracious
gifts from Nesanu Nacitakh lChiel
Above Us), the Creator and Giver .t0l
, all good.
Oeremonies Arc Impressive.
I'm skillful dramatic representation
spectacular performance and reyeren.
~tial solemnjty these beautiful obsery
ances compare favorably with inst.
tutiens Of similar intents' and purpose.
in our own culture.
The Arikaras, as well as other tribes
Of the plains, formerly observed sea.
isonal celebrations of ritualistic cere
monies, designed to give dramati.
presentation before the people OF tn.
mysteries of divine providence and Il
give public expression of thanks tt
deity for past blessings upon them
selves Individually and uppn their ma,
ton, and seeking to come into fnlles
accord and harmony with the schem'
Of providence in nature, TO put them.
selves in tune with the innnite. Thesl
ceremonies inspired deep religious
fervor, delicate poetic Imagination
and dramatic art. They have in then
something Of the nature of the miracle
plays of the Christian church Of Eu
Pope in the middle ages.
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