Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora IndiansJohnson, Elias
History
Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians
Johnson, Elias
Iroquois Indians; Tuscarora Indians
The profound regard and eneration which the Indians have ever retained
towards the name and memory of Washington is most interesting evidence of
his universally appreciated worth, and the fact that the red men regard
him not merely as one of the best, but as the very best man that ever has
existed, or that will ever exist, is beautifully illustrated in a
singular credence which they maintain even to this day, namely, that
Washington, is the only white man who has ever entered heaven and is the
only one who will enter there till the end of the world.
Among the Senecas public religious exercises takes place but once a year.
At these times Jimmy Johnson preaches hour after hour for three days, and
then rests from any public charge of ecclesiastical offices the remaining
three hundred and sixty-two days of the year. On this, an unusual
occasion, he restricted himself to a few hours in each of the last two
days of the council. We were told by young Parker, who took notes of his
preaching, that his subject matter on Thursday abounded in good
teachings, enforced by appropriate and happy illustrations and striking
imagery. After he had finished the council took a short respite. Soon,
however, a company of warriors, ready and eager to engage in the
celebrated corn dance, made their appearance. They were differently
attired. While some were completely enveloped in a closely-fitting and
gaudy-colored garb, others, though perhaps without intending it, had made
wonderfully close approaches to an imitation of the costume said to have
been so fashionable in many parts of the State of Georgia during the last
hot summer, and which is also said to have consisted simply of a shirt
collar and a pair of spurs. But, in truth, these warriors, with shoulders
and limbs in a state of nudity, with faces bestreaked with paints, with
jingling trinkets dangling to their knees, and with feathered war caps
waving above them, presented a truly picturesque and romantic appearance.
When the center of the council house had been cleared and the musicians
with the shell rattlers had taken their places, the dance commenced, and
for an hour and a half--perhaps two hours--it proceeded with surprising
spirit and energy. Almost every posture of which the human frame is
susceptible, without absolutely making the feet uppermost and the head
for once to assume the place of the feet, was exhibited. Some of the
attitudes of the dancers were really imposing, and the dance as a whole,
could be got up and conducted only by Indians. The women, in the
performance of the corn dance are quite by themselves, keeping time to
the beat of the shells and gliding along sideways, without scarcely
lifting their feet from the floor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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