The Medicine-Men of the Apache. (1892 N 09 / 1887-1888 (pages 443-604))Bourke, John Gregory
Religion
The Medicine-Men of the Apache. (1892 N 09 / 1887-1888 (pages 443-604))
Bourke, John Gregory
Apache Indians -- Medicine; Apache Indians -- Religion; Apache Indians -- Rites and ceremonies; Shamans -- New Mexico
All these headdresses were made of slats of the Spanish bayonet,
unpainted, excepting that on number two was a figure in black, which
could not be made out, and that the horizontal crosspieces on number
three were painted blue.
The dominos or masks were of blackened buckskin, for the two fastened
around the neck by garters or sashes; the neckpiece of number three
was painted red; the eyes seemed to be glass knobs or brass buttons.
These three dancers were naked to the waist, and wore beautiful kilts
of fringed buckskin bound on with sashes, and moccasins reaching to
the knees. In this guise they jumped into the center of the great
circle of spectators and singers and began running about the fire
shrieking and muttering, encouraged by the shouts and the singing, and
by the drumming and incantation of the chorus which now swelled forth
at full lung power.
THE SPIRIT OR GHOST DANCE HEADDRESS.
As the volume of music swelled and the cries of the on-lookers became
fiercer, the dancers were encouraged to the enthusiasm of frenzy. They
darted about the circle, going through the motions of looking for an
enemy, all the while muttering, mumbling, and singing, jumping,
swaying, and whirling like the dancing Dervishes of Arabia.
Their actions, at times, bore a very considerable resemblance to the
movements of the Zuñi Shálako at the Feast of Fire. Klashidu told me
that the orchestra was singing to the four willow branches planted
near them. This would indicate a vestige of tree worship, such as is
to be noticed also at the sun dance of the Sioux.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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