The Dance Festivals of the Alaskan EskimoHawkes, Ernest William
Religion
The Dance Festivals of the Alaskan Eskimo
Hawkes, Ernest William
Eskimos -- Alaska; Indian dance -- North America
Then the namesakes of the dead troop into the kasgi, and take their
places in the center of the room between the two lines. To each, the
n['ae]skuk hands a bowl of water and a kantag of frozen reindeer meat
cut into small pieces. The namesakes drop a small portion of the meat
on the floor. The essence is evidently thought to pass below to the
waiting inua. Then they finish the remainder. At the same time a large
amount of frozen meat and fish is brought in and distributed among the
guests. This is done at the end of each day.
The fourth day the chorus leader mounts the top of the kasgi and
begins again the invitation song. The people scatter to the burying
ground or to the ice along the shore according to the spot where they
have lain their dead. They dance among the grave boxes so that the
shades who have returned to them, when not in the kasgi, may see that
they are doing them honor.
During the dancing the children of the village gather in the kasgi,
carrying little kantags and sealskin sacks. The women on returning
bring great bags of frozen blueberries and reindeer fat, commonly
called "Eskimo Ice Cream," with which they fill the bowls of the
children, but the young rogues immediately slip their portions into
their sacks (poksrut) and hold out their dishes for more, crying in a
deafening chorus, "Wunga-T['=u]k" (Me too). This part of the festival
is thoroughly enjoyed by the Eskimo, who idolize their children.
At the conclusion of the day's feast many presents are given away by
the n['ae]skut, the husbands of the female feast givers distributing
them for the ladies, who assume a bashful air. During the distribution
the n['ae]skut maintain their deprecatory attitude and pass disparaging
remarks on their gifts. Sometimes the presents are attached to a long
line of oklinok (seal thong) which the n['ae]skut haul down through the
smokehole, making the line appear as long as possible. At the same
time they sing in a mournful key bewailing their relative:
Ah-ka- ilyuga toakora, takin,
Oh! oh! dead brother, return,
Utiktutatuk, ilyuga awunga,
Return to us, our brother,
Illearuqtutuk, ilyuga,
We miss you, dear brother,
Pikeyutum, kokitutuk,
A trifling present we bring you.
THE CLOTHING OF THE NAMESAKES
The following day occurs the clothing of the namesakes. This is
symbolical of clothing the dead, who ascend into the bodies of their
namesakes during the ceremony and take on the spiritual counterpart of
the clothing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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