Archives of aboriginal knowledge. Containing all the original paper laid before Congress respecting the history, antiquities, language, ethnology, pictography, rites, superstitions, and mythology, of (14765076672)

Identifier: archivesofaborig03scho (find matches)
Title: Archives of aboriginal knowledge. Containing all the original paper laid before Congress respecting the history, antiquities, language, ethnology, pictography, rites, superstitions, and mythology, of the Indian tribes of the United States
Year: 1860 (1860s)
Authors: Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe, 1793-1864. dn United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs. cn
Subjects: Indians of North America United States
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott & co.
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation



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ir ability.Sometimes goods to the amount of two and three hundred dollars are given by aniudividual. Goods given for this purpose generally consist of blankets, broadcloths,calicoes, wampum, and trinkets, and are given to the medicine men, who perform theceremony of initiating the member. When one or more persons make application tojoin the society, preparations are made for a feast and dance, which is held in anarched lodge, or bower, constructed of poles, and covered with tent-cloth and othermaterials. The size of the bower is made to conform to the number of persons to beinvited, and this number depends much on the ability of the person who makes thefeast. The widtli of a l)ower is about sixteen feet, the length varying from ten toseventy-five yards. The members of the society sit on each side of the bower, thecentre being reserved for dancing. Candidates for admission into this society are.•.-..>;vo() to fast tliree days previous to being initiated. At some period during this
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HISTORY, AND GOVERNMENT. 287 fast tliey are taken by the old medicine men to some secluded secret spot, andinstructed in the doctrines and mysteries of the society; and it is said that thecandidates aie during this fast subjected to a severe sweating process, by coveringthem with blankets, and steaming them with herbs; the truth of this saying is nothere vouched for, but the appearance of the candidate, Avhen brought forward to beinitiated in public, corroborates it. The public ceremony of initiation usually takes place about 11 oclock, A. M. Thepublic exercises of dancing, singing, praying, and exhorting, which precede theinitiations, commence the previous morning. Before the candidates are broughtforward, the ground through the centre of the bower is carpeted with blankets andbroadcloth laid over the blankets. The candidates are then led forward and placedon their knees upon the carpet, near one end of the bower, and facing the oppositeend. Some eight or ten medicine men then march