| Show aves ves Resplendent fi L Tribal Costumes 1 Start Bear Dance 1 f ru it Ceremonies Mark Markason Markason Markson ason son of Courtship Welcome Spring t gp elal to o The UAL IAL April 12 Braves 12 Braves rent re reo it nt In tribal regalia started nuat bear dance on the Ouray reservation today From afar hing the stockade where the theIre theIre theire ire carrying out the annual erem festival the aping of ol the not notched hed oak drum drum- QuId be heard telling that the theas theras as ras in progress long before belore the theral theras theras ras ral reached is the most picturesque sur sur- ancient Indian lore still to be bein bein in the Uintah basin Here Heres s only th the remnants of oC the red redO tribes tribes that once held sway ut handed down from father over ages of ot tribal life lite the rites arc arc the same as they Ing ng before belore the advent of oC the Ian tan in there these parts say that the bear dance gloated by the bears them them- mg ing before the primitive Amer Amer- opted it as a ceremonial obe ob ob- e C of at the coming of at spring It as the bears come forth i through rough the winter winterS S days f it was th a rite in I h courting There are colorful d of ot the young braves of ot the in all their most gor gor- dment to go through the long etore they might gain the thet t I their choice CEREMONY CEREl faces laces fantastically painted nest inest handicraft in smoke smoke- skins kins from wild beasts of at the id ld valley adorning th them m. m b bead bead- ad id ld native jewelry making a aw w sinewy bodies revealing and grace th these there sc young ward war war- d 1 hunters made of ot this event in their courtship a r rivaling aUng any of ot the rituals of oC the untamed races however a great change has haser er these people The bear now chiefly an occasion for ty Whites join with the Ina In In- a season of ot merrymaking and of friendship place where the dance is to toa a level space is cleared away lar form about yards in irs int t r. r Around this is constructed de about six feet high made Brush Is woven through the lading inding them together in the thea a huge basket The door dool is ast east to greet the rising sun ian an artist paints in livid colors e e of ot a huge bear dancing with n. n Usually this is hoisted on the door DER ER SYMBOL this painted symbol sit sil the A hollow place is isa a l' l the ground and a 3 crude cruder r P mounted over o it in the form with a fluted bottom like i 1 a sluice Over this the forked ks its are scraped to make the that arc are to keep time dancing feet of the braves i low in the ground Is supposed ct with the bears bear's hibernating he music is Ic supposed to conic con conS le ic bear the message of oC spring him to come forth from his sleep hant of the men is an unbending un un- un bending and descending fills fills- lis yet with a well well-de- ome with definite variations rk the strange tribal songs c aping with the drumsticks chant are supposed to be like likes like's s 's 5 own song as he comes conies forth the sun again after alter his nap the cold winter months I. I s dance begins the musicians heir singing and drumming yes ves gather on the north side and squat t with their the south Opposite them sit ws WB While this has been going hant is just a murmur but as ases asies es les view their prospective n the other sido sida of the stocky stock stock- y I lit lilt their voices to a high ic lC drumming becomes furious r C sticks are arc rubbed over the oak sticks sUcks resting on the their ir and the rasping monotony leasure of ot the dance rises in a wage cacophony weird un un- yet strangely melodic Str les es are followed by low gut gutS with a t terrifying vibrato ng ag bodies sway to the move- move the chant goes loes on for a week On the day there is the climactic song braves Opposite them the set up a low moaning song time with their hands sway sway- r L bodies and making mean meaning meaning- nc aces The They are arc a colorful sight if their most brilliant blankets terns terns- symbolic of oC family lamBy anc and customs and beliefs this final song there comes the ceremonial conducted ach ich gravity by the chief of ot the thc rice nee ceremony Ie HUSBANDS t leads ds to the great event of the feday the day the selection of husy husy hus- hus y IY the squaws squaw Attired in their end and with wilh all aU the exotic trap the ingenious handicraft they from their mothers the they i t In a queer step approach the of ot singing and chanting ey ey c cy y march through this strange hey wave their hands toward a o of th their ir choice The men rise m In a n line executing fancy stop steps up their singing now L to the heights of excitement beat belt their sticks furl furl- then hen the men and women join the bride to and the hus hus- be bc Then all face to the east still holding hands For For- nd rad back they step in unison t-e t scraping of the sticks sUcks thc the real bear dance starts start heir paint jars lars the men draw hues and paint their o look their fiercest Str Streaks aks ce de e from their mouths to simu pod od dripping from the bears bear's Chen Eben the men and the women ch eh other around the inclosure ic e in the audience laughs a at tics les tics the man who engendered nor Hor or dashes at the one who wh roars at him menaces him hands as if ii they were bears bear's ching to throttle him and tea tear flesh RS IS S PAIR PAm OFF f juncture the dancers dancer usually 10 the manner manlier of ot Fin cinc Fg the thc str strange graceful i 1 1 I steps cps of oC the tribe Now it becomes an endurance test for all If It a dancer faints the medicine man or the leader of f the dance approaches the couple and nd makes medicine This revives them hem and they go on until the bitter end nd It Is a great greal sight to see the making ol of f medicine The medicine man seizes s one ne of the notched sticks slicks Waving It about bout as a 1 wand he gathers the evil spirits on It and then scatters them themo to o the four tour winds to the cast wind to the he west wind to the south wind and lastly to the north wind Then he beats eats the feet of oC the stricken dancer hi his us hips his thighs his breast then I his lis back and finally his face Then he heli li lifts ts the notched stick heavenward facing acing the sun and with his rubbing bone jonc brushes the malady into the air airo to o be borne awa away by the winds Sometimes Some Some- times mes It ills Is necessary for him to make medicine several times before th dancer ancer revives and is able to continue the he dance Unless the brave Is able to o rise and start his dance again great misfortune will follow his marriage When all have fallen exhausted from rom their dancing the chief of or- orthe the ceremonies takes a cup and holds it above bove his head as a thanks offering to o the spirits He makes a prayer for or all to share in a spirit of good will After the feast all aU go So to their homes or oh r the brides with their braves raves Then the medicine men bless all 11 the men and women of the tribe pronounce blessings upon the newlyweds newly newly- weds and having propitiated the spir its ts promise all an a year of bountiful crops |
