Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-24
ODD INDIAN MAGIC
OF NORTH CANADA
Barred BY COOPER
c. u. Scientist on Plane Trip
Finds Queer Traits
and Customs.
SEES RELIGIOUS RITES
OF GATHERED SAVAGES
Reflections in Badger Blood Re
garded as Sgns of Future-Hunt.
ers Talk to Prospective Prey.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

After travelling by airplane hundreds
OF miles over wilderness and the camp
ing places of primitive tribes. Rev. DR.
John NJ. Cooper. professor of anthro-
pology at Catholic University, has re-
turned to Washington with hitherto I'M
known data on the customs and magi-
cal rites of the nomadic peoples of
Northern Canada
Seeking to determine how far the
culture of the northern woodland In
clans which he has studied in other
years extended westward among the
plains TRADES. DR.. Cooper started his in
veStlgat1on among the Blackfeet, eros
Ventre. Chippewa and Plains Cree
tribes of the Northwest near the Cana
dian border and then few northward
TO the Great Slav Lake, where repre-
sentatives OF the scattered tribes of the
Mckenzie River Basin were gathered
for religious ceremony.
Blood Divination Used.
Among the Blackfeet and eros
Ventres, he said, he learned Of the
strange practice of badger blood dili-
nation" reported only once before
among the unrelated Pawnees. On the
day before some dangerous exploit a
badger is killed and drained of blood
which stands overnight in a bucket
The next morning the Indian tries to
see his reflection in the blood which,
apparently is possible under the righl
light conditions. II he looks natural
1t is sign of good luck and the In.
dian goes forth TO battle or adventure
with supreme confidence But If thu
eyes appear closed the hair gray q
the face pinched it means bad luck
probably death.
This may be an extension. DR.. Cooper
holds. Of the water serving" OF the
Eastern Indians who make predictions
from the appearance Of their images in
water. 1t was the only overlap Of cuI-
ture he found among these tribes.
In the Great Slav Lake region he made
contacts with little known tribes OF
Athapa scan people-the Caribou Eaters
the Dos Ribs. the Yellow Knives and
the Haze Skins. Here he found the
strange practice of scapulamancy, pro
viding closing link in the chain OF
this form of magic from Laborador
westward into Siberia where it recently
has been reported among the Chuck
chez tribes, close relatives of the In
dams in the old world. Marks repre-.
senting individuals are placed on
piece of bone which is then held Gloss
to the mark which is first scorched
this meaning good fortune for the per
son for whom it stands.
Odd Customs Found.
Curious hunting practices we're
found. For example 1t is taboo" 10
beat. tame or hold in captivity ..nv
wild animal because, the Indians hold.
this will offend the great" animal of
= Ia u.l,a will oil hi
pie to be killed by the Indians for food.
The most valuable game animal is the
caribou. and the great caribou is be-
lieved to be very sensitive. The REIN
deer looks almost exactly like the carl
bou, and this taboo was a real obstacle
when the Government tried to intro
duce reindeer herds. But, says DR..
Cooper. the Indians have succeeded
fairly we'll in rationalizing themselves
out of this attitude. so far as the val
liable reindeer is concerned.
Especially offensive to an animal IS
disrespect toward its remains. Skulls
are hung in trees or sunk in water to
prevent any profane use Of them. One
Of the worst insults, especially to the
bear, Is for a woman to walk over its
skin. So woman is positively pro-
hibited from stepping on bear skin.
lest the great bear" never again allow
A woman also is prohibited from
stepping over a mans legs. 1t would
make him unable to hunt. To prevent
any such terrible accident the mans
place is always IN the back of the tent.
opposite the entrance where, incident
ally. it Is most comfortable. But if he
lay near the door some woman. pass
ing out or in. might forget herself and
step over his outstretched legs.
Reproach Musk OK.
found among the Yellow Knives Of tho
Arctic Coast. who obtain their chief
subsistence from the musk oxen. At
the start of musk OK hunt the ablest
hunters are sent ahead TO flank the
herd and shoot as many as they can
before the animals take to flight. But
when the flight starts the Indians drop
their weapons and reproach the musk
oxen for their diScourteous behavior
There is set speech, which Father
Cooper translates:
I'VE bave come after you to make
living a. ID now you are running away
Stop fol US
This is to convey to the animals the
are old and mutually helpful friends
that great care has always been exer-
clsed to show proper respect to the re-
mains of those whom it has been nee
eSsary to kill for food and hides, and
that the herd is showing, extreme in
gratitude.
AS a result of this trip, Father Coop
er said, he found an unquestionable
overlap between the cultures Of TIE
woodland and the Mckenzie BaS.- III
dians.