White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-05-16
FIRE-WALklNG is
WIDELY PRACTICED
Queer Ceremonies Survive
in Many Lands.

| Observation-Disclosures would
appear on the face of the American
hunter, fisherman, horseman or small
boy. Off for day In the country. II
he were confronted with bold sign,
No re-Walking Allowed on This
Property as he often Is with the
No Trespasslng' placard. This sort
Of warning, however, will soon be
placed on the gates and trees Of Ke-
dab, Malay peninsula" says bulle-
tin from the Washington ID. ca head
quarters of the National Geographic
society.
'This thriving city of Kedah with
Its population of more than 100000
persons was destroyed by fire In 1911
and again in 1770. With that back.
ground of incendinrism. majority of
the rubber planters have voted to
abolish tire-walking ceremonies on
their estates.
Where Practice Persists.
"Fire-walking survives In many
areas, notably in Polynesia. Bulgaria.
Fiji islands. Japan. the straits settle
ments and India
| Natives believe fire ceremonies
have enabled sick men and beasts to
walk. have saved souls, nnnihilnted
| spiritual foes and made the sun shine
The details Of the ritual and Its oh
| jects vary in different lands. hut one
controlling idea remains. that the
| priests fakirS and devOtees pass bare
foot over heated stones or ashes.
"The Persian demonstrating re-
ligion is older than christianity. yet
| Is now confined to the Pnrsis OF BON.
bay and one or two small groups In
Persia. Even today putting out n
candle requires care and respect. An
eastern Armenian who would bathe
at night scares the malignant occu-
pants of the lake nr pool by casting
flaming torch into it.
I'm the Fiji islands. the tibrous roots
of the dracena tree are thrown into
a crudely-huilt oven to bake, and this
procedure Is the occasion of Il fire fes-
| tival. The roots are baked on the hot
stones for four days to extract sugar
from them AT the moment the roots
are placed on the stones chosen few
| jump into the oven and walk amid the
tongues of flame playing about their
feet. Similar ceremonies are prac-
ticed in the Marquesas island. Tahiti
and the West Indian island of Trini-
dad.
Charred Wood Fed to Cattle.
"In the time of Kublai Khan. the
Taoist Buddhsts of China held fes-
rivals honoring the High Emperor of
Sombre Heavens and. preceded by
priests, walked barefoot through fires.
bearing images of their gods. The
procession passed thrice through the
furnace. The populace carried Off
charred hits of wood to pound and
add to the food of their cattle, be-
lieving that 1t fattened them.
"The sun god is feted by the Hin
dus Of South India ut the Feast of
the Ingathering. Much ado Is made
in the hope of awakening him. Ev-
| cry street and lane has its fire. Young
IOIk jump ana iedp over, tne iliHieS
and pile on fresh fuel, believing that
they help rekindle the suns light and
heat. The festival lasts 1S days and
on the last day procession bearing
images of gods passes over furnace
| trench 40 feet long. The natives
smear their bodies with saffron, and
their heads are crowned with flowers.
Some walk faster than others over the
embers. according to their degree of
religious fervor.
"The Kanda quarter OF Tokyo for
merly was the scene of fire-walk
twice each year. In court of TEN
pie large bed of charcoal was COW
cred with Il deep layer of straw The
straw ignited blazed up, and died
down, leaving bed of hot charcoal.
Priests dressed In white cotton robes
walked calmly down the middle Of the
| fire on salt-coyered feet"