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EDITED BY John C. Parish
Associate Editor of the State Historical Society of Iowa
| Volume II |
December 1921 |
No. 12 |
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Copyright 1921 by the State Historical Society of Iowa
(Transcribed by Gayle Harper)
AN INDIAN CEREMONY
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[Colonel George Davenport was
murdered by a band of robbers on July 4, 1845. The following
account of a ceremony by the Indiana who had known him as a
trader and friend for nearly thirty years appeared in the
Davenport Gazette for July 31, 1845, and presumably was
written by the editor, Alfred Sanders.—THE EDITOR]
On last
Friday afternoon we were witness to a strange and interesting
ceremony performed by the Indians over the remains of Mr.
Davenport, who was murdered at his residence on Rock Island on
the 4th inst. Upon proceeding to the beautiful spot selected
as his last resting place, in the rear of his mansion on Rock
Island, we found the War Chief and braves of the band of Fox
Indians, then encamped in the vicinity of this place,
reclining on the grass around his grave at the head of which
was planted a white cedar post some seven or eight feet in
height.
The ceremony began by two of the
braves rising and walking to the post, upon which with paint
they began to inscribe certain characters, while a third brave
armed with an emblematic war club, after drinking to the
health of the deceased from a cup placed at the base of the
post, walked three times around the grave, in an opposite
direction to the course of the sun, at each revolution
delivering a speech with sundry gestures and emphatic motions
in the direction of the north-east. When he had ceased he
passed the club to another brave who went through the same
ceremony passing but once around the grave, and so in each one
of the braves. This ceremony, doubtless, would appear
pantomimic to one unacquainted with the habits or language of
the Indians, but after a full interpretation of their
proceedings they would be found in character with this
traditionary people.
In walking
around the grave in a contrary direction to the course of the
sun, they wished to convey the idea that the ceremony was an
original one. In their speeches they informed the Great Spirit
that Mr. Davenport was their friend and they wished the Great
Spirit to open the door to him and to take charge of him. The
enemies whom they had slain they called upon to act in
capacity of waiters to Mr. Davenport in the spirit land. They
believing that they have unlimited power over the spirits of
those whom they have slain in battle. Their gestures towards
the north east were made in allusion to their great enemies,
the Sioux, who live in that direction. They recounted their
deeds of battle, with the number that they had slain and taken
prisoners. Upon the post were painted in hieroglyphics, the
number of the enemy that they had slain, those taken
prisoners, together with the tribe and station of the brave.
For instance, the feats of Wau-co shaw-she, the Chief, were
thus portrayed. Ten headless figures were painted, which
signified that he had killed ten men. Four others were then
added, one of them smaller than the others, signifying that he
had taken four prisoners, one of whom was a child. A line was
succession with then run from one figure to another,
terminating in plume, signifying that all had been
accomplished by a chief. A fox was then painted over the
plume, which plainly told that the chief was of the Fox tribe
of Indians. These characters are so expressive that if an
Indian of any tribe whatsoever were to see them, he would at
once understand them.
Following
the sign of Pau-tau-co-to, who thus proved himself a warrior
of high degree, were placed twenty headless figures, being the
number of the Sioux that he had slain.
The ceremony
of painting the post was followed by a feast, preparing for
the occasion, which by them was certainly deemed the most
agreeable part of the proceedings. Meats, vegetables and pies
were served up in such profusion that many arms-full of the
fragments were carried off - it being a part of the ceremony,
which is religiously observed, that all the victuals left upon
such an occasion are to be taken to their homes. At a dog
feast, which are frequently given by themselves and to which
white men are occasionally invited, the guest is either
obliged to eat all that is placed before him, or hire some
other person to do so, else it is considered a great breach of
hospitality.
With the
feast terminated the exercises of the afternoon, which were
not only interesting but highly instructive to those who
witnessed them.
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