Indians of North America -- Religion; Indians of North America -- Rites and ceremonies; Peyotism
A Delaware informant said Wilson’s moon was first used north of Lookeba,
Oklahoma. Black Wolf and George Caddo were early converts to his
version—which, indeed may initially have been not so different from
the older Caddo moon with a cross and mound east of the crescent (the
Wilson division of the tipi into north and south side, for example, is
an old one in Caddoan ceremonial organization).[10] The symbolism of the
Wilson “Big Moon” receives varied interpretations nowadays. The Osage
call the three hearts of the altar the “Heart of Goodness,” the “Heart
of the World,” and the “Heart of Jesus;” others interpret the “world”
as the “sun.” The ashes are the graves of Christ and Wilson for some,
the dividing of the Red Sea for others. Some say the whole fire-pit is
the grave of Christ, and the ash mounds his lungs, as the figure under
the fire is his heart. The twelve lines of the altar apron are variously
the twelve steps to heaven, the twelve heavens of Delaware mythology,
the twelve months of the year, the twelve feathers of the eagle’s tail,
etc. The symbolism of seven for the “days of the week” is possibly
Southwestern in origin (cf. the seven bosses of the drum). Diamond-shaped
figures close to the sun-mound represent Christ’s foot-prints, according
to Petrullo,[11] while the “WW” or “MM” at the west of the altar are said
to mean this for the Quapaw (“Moonhead” or “Wilson” depending on one’s
position while reading the initials). The cross of the altar, of course,
is symbolical of the Crucifixion. The cigarette of corn husk is known as
the “Pipe of Jesus” among the Delaware.[12]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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