The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-05-22

Tunica guardians or the cemeteries
reminded those who had corn and
beans that the time had come to offer
them, and the people gladly gathered
parts of their harvest and placed them
on the graves.
If, as the Indians believed, the next
world is so much like this, why should
not the departed spirits return on
these anniversaries to partake of the
spiritual essence Of the food and min
gle a little while with those beloved
ones who had not yet Joined them
Pere Sebastien Rasles, who wrote an
account of the Illinois tribe long ago,
spoke Of their holding dances that
were "a token of their sadness at the
death of the most important men of
their tribe. It is by these dances that
they profess to honor the deceased,
and to wipe away the tears of his
relatives" During these dances, it
was thought, the spirits of the de-
parted ones came and danced also,
enjoying themselves as they had once
done in the flesh.
Here we find again the great I'M
likeness of thought between white man
and Indian. Standing between the
graves, placing flowers on them, listen
ing to the prayers and speeches which
seek to recall the dead to us, we would
shudder at the idea that they stood by
us, admiring the flowers and hearing
with appreciation their eulogies! Yet
the Illiniwak found only pleasure in
this thought, as If some dearly-loved
ones had returned from journey to
be among them, and the fact that they
were invisible did not make them fear
some or less welcome to the feast in
their honor.
Indian burial mounds were not for
gotten by their tribesmen, even though
they moved far from the place where
their people were inferred. No less a
person than Thomas Jefferson, speak
ing of mound near Monticello, re-
lated that "a party passing, about
thirty years ago, through the part of
the country where this barrow is, went
through the woods directly to it, with
out any instructions or inquiry, and
having staid about it some time, with
expressions which were construed to
be those Of sorrow, they returned to
the high road"
The Oneida often visited a mound
near Richfeld Springs, N. Y, saying
that it was the burial place of one
of their chief men. The old chron-
iclers omitted to state whether these
visits were performd with any me-
mortal ceremonies, but judging from
what we have learned of other tribes,
we believe that there must have been
something of the sort.
A strange Sioux memorial custom
was that Of keeping the ghost" A
lock Of hair from the head of the de-
ceased person was made into a roll
with cloth and various. articles of
value. This was kept for year or
so, and other presents collected, when
the friends of the dead person assem-
bled to hold ceremonies. At this time
the gifts, together with small pieces
of the lock Of hair, were distributed.
This ceremony was sometimes re-
peated.
Another memorial observance which
corresponds slightly to our custom of
erecting headstones over the dead,
was that described by Adair as fol-
lows: ITO perpetuate the memory Of
any remarkable warriors killed in the
woods, must here observe that every
Indian traveller as he passes that way
throws a stone on the place. +.
In the woods we often see innumerable
heaps Of small stones in those places,
where, according to tradition. some of
their disgruntled people were either
killed or buried" Each heap is in
creased, he goes on to say, as last
ing monument in their honor.
No discussion of Indian memorial
observances would be complete with
out description of the strange Gus