The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-05-29


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. 1t 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 eulogiesl Yet
the Illiniwak found only pleasure in
this thought, as if some dearly-loved
ones had returned from a 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.
Women alone held the Dance for the
Dead Of the Five Nations Morgan de-
scribes them as engaged in this rite,
which began at dusk and lasted until
morning. The music was entirely
vocal, and was very plaintive and
mournful. This dance of remembrance
was held for all the dead of the Five
Nations. and took place twice year,
in the spring and in the fall
Surely nothing could be more i'm
pressive than such rite The women
of the Five Nations were the most i'm
portant citizens, and doubtless those
chosen for the dance were not the
least in rank. We can imagine their
moving figures in the dusk Of eve
ming, bending and swaying on the
notes Of the sorrowful songs; we can
imagine them also in the faint light
of dawn, weary with their night-long
dancing to the memory of their tribal
dead. This is a strange memorial rite,
to our way of thinking, but there is
dignity and beauty in it for all that.
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
person than Thomas Jefferson, speak
ing of a 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.
An old writer, speaking Of the AS
siniboin, relates that whenever they
visit the burying place, which they
frequently do for years afterwards,
they will encircle 1t, smoke their
pipes, and weep bitterly" Father De
Smet, the famous missionary, says
"the Assiniboins esteem greatly a re-
ligious custom Of assembling once or
twice in the year around the tombs of
their immediate relatives" He also
mentions that they call the dead by
their names, and make an offering Of
meats carefully dressed.
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 a 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,