Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-25
FOREST GIANTS HELD PLACE
IN RELIGION OF CFIICKASAWS
Study of Indian Rites Is Is
sued by DR.. John R.
SWanton.
Close Association to Animals
Vital Part of Tribal
Beliefs.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

The magic, religious and social Gus
toms of the Chickasaw Indians are the
subject of an intensive study just issued
by the Bureau of American Ethnology.
The study was conducted by DR.. John
r. Swanton of the bureau staff.
The legends and mystical beliefs of
this forest-dwelling people OF the
Southeastern United States, as describ-
ed by DR.. Swanton, have a curious
similarity to those found among primi-
tive races In other parts of the world.
Belief in giants and fairies played
a considerable part In the lives of this
forest people, DR.. Swanton points out
In the woods we're supposed TO be be-
ings 10 feet tall with long arms and
small heads, which carried of women,
but seldom attacked men. Sometimes,
however, they killed and fiayed men.
In contrast to them were the iyagana-
sha or little people. about three feet
tall, who played the part of good
fairies. They were invisible, except
when they wanted to be seen. When
being they would lead him into the
woods, make him invisible and make a
doctor" out Of him. Then they would
conduct him to a place near his home
and tell him to return to his family
Sometimes when a child disappeared
in the woods no search would be made
for several days because Of the belief
that the iyaganasha had him and
would return him in due time. The
man or child carried away by the
little people never could tell what he
had seen on pain Of losing the magic
powers with which he had been en-
dowed.
Wasp Worst Enemy.
The worst enemy Of these pygmies
was supposed to be the wasp. If Q wasp
stung one Of them he would surely die.
A human being who might be with
them could knock down a wasp's nest
with q stick and they would credit him
with supernatural powers. When a lost
person was found by the little people
they usually led him to a place with
which he was familiar
A third being of the forest was called
the tiboli, and was about the size Of
man with arms shaped like clubs with
which it pounded on trees in Winter.
DR.. Swanton's informant claimed to
have heard the noise often. In big creeks
or caves lived horned snake, accord
ing to the Indian legends. This crea-
ture was invisible to adults, but was
sometimes seen by children. They made
noises like thunder but were harmless.
When they wanted to 60 from one
stream to another they would cause
heavy rains so as to raise the rivers so
they would not have to cross dry land.
When the ChickaSaws heard a screech
owl they thought there were witches
about and went quickly to the doorway
and laid their moccasins there upside
down. They believed that man takes
on something of the nature of the food
he eats, such as acquiring swiftness
from eating venison. This belief ex-
tended to drinking from human skulls
to acquire the strength and wisdom Of
the former owner.
In religion, DR.. Swanton points out,
the Chickasaw was a fatalist, believ-
ing that he would die only when his
time had come. Then he would ascend
by the path of spirits, the milky way.
to the abode of the Breath Holder"
the Indian god of life. There Is some
evidence that they believed in the I'LL
innate return of all souls to earth.
System Of Medicine.
This tribe had q we'll developed sys-
tenn of medicine and had long list of
maladies classified according to their