| Show A NARRATIVE OF TIIE THE traditions s mannens MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF tire THE INDIANS written from the verbal narrative of elder ira katch by jamesa james A little I 1 introduction 4 the occupy six villages located some distance south of the colorado river biver elder hatch estimates the number of inhabitants at about is the name of the principal village in accordance the wisdom and philanthropy whdeh have ever characterized the indian policy of president brigham young several expeditions have been sent to those villages their design being to improve the condition of that people by supplying them with useful articles to teach them the principles of the gospel and to prepare the way if possible for their deliverance hom from bonda geto the surrounding tribes for they appear to have been subject to forced tribute to the more warlike peoples around them since a forlorn remnant of their ancestors sought safety from entire destruction in their present places of refuge during the visit of a company to them in 1862 commanded by capt jacob ham Hum hamblin blin biln they decided to send en a deputation of three of their number to salt lake city As hostages for the safe return of this deputation and to improve their acquaintance ad with the maquis and their language elders ira hatch thales haskell and johiel mcconnell remained until the return of the deputation in march 1863 a period of about three months it it is from the verbal narration of the traditions manners and customs of this people the knowledge r of which was principally obtained during this sojourn among them from which this narrative is written THE the present maquis people are bradl tiona tlona ted that their forefathers came from the sea coast in the southwest they appear to have no idea of the time that has elapsed since their migration hither they were rich in cattle and the necessaries of life and understood the manufacture and the use of edge tools but their children have lost the art of making them they think that but a few generations have passed away since thel their ancestors occupied an extensive portion of the country in which they now reside both north and south of the colorado but they were slaughtered and driven by their enemies until a remnant were compelled to locate in their present places which are capable of easy defence compared with the open country at the time the plede nation drove them across the colom colorado do a mutual compact was entered dito into by the contending parties that of them should ever cross that river although the bledes have broken tins lins treaty long since when the deputation of the maquis crossed the Colo coio colorado radu rado on their way to salt lake city they said they were the first of their people who had broken that treaty about four generations ago the principal chief of the oriba village ami and his family are said to have been white whitt A young man and woman seen b by elder hatch said to be descendants descendants of this thia chief were albino in complexion it is seldom that very large or small smal men are seen among uhe the maquis they are generally from nive five feet four inches to five feet ten inches in height with a fine muscular development capable of carrying heavy burdens and enduring great fatigue they differ froia indians generally in complexion complex ioni ions having dark brown hair and eyes instead of black and dark skin but not copper colored THEIR RELIGION their religion cannot be strictly called idolatrous aa as they do not worship im images but consider them the representations aes besenta ions lons of ideas their religious rites and ceremonies appeared to be simple and at least harmless in their tendencies den cles cies they call their deity Is tow wanena wan e na or sun father they believe that be he governs that orb and has the dispensing of his blessings of light and heat this god is represented by an image made of wood and stone of a favorite chief who died more than three generations ago this personage now resides in the heavens from which he dispenses the blessings of life and especially those of rain and fruitful seasons upon the faithful if his children are not inot humble and obedient he punishes them by withdrawing his blessings the hov how we ona or sacred temple is the head workshop of the village but at the time of religious ceremonies it is vacated by the laborers and used exclusively for sacred performances the representative of their deity sits enthroned on a rude pedestal in the north end of the building its ita head and breast are decorated with costly beads and feathers and strings of sacred sea shells which were worn by their fathers who came from the sea shore the eyes of the image are directed to the middle of the floor where are placed wooden images of all kinds hinds of domestic fowls such as doves chickens ac these images are painted and decorated with feathers in imitation of nature by the side of these images of fowls are placed the sans of wild beasts hung on abole a pole of the plant among these that of the fox predominates as that animal is considered more sacred than others corn and water are placed before the fowls in worshipping shipping wor their deity the men form in rows in front of the image inage and speak and sing in his praise accompanied by the thal music of rude instruments among which was a curiously constructed ted flute which had descended to them from their the forefathers Ther there was ewas but one religious ceremony in which the women joined with the men the head workshop is the great central place of worship in a village but there are other minor ones the principal religious ceremonies take place in the month of february in the centre of the village is a public square squar e where there is a wide stone altar about two feet high and three feet square on this sacrifices of food are laid on sacred days among thede these offerings is to a small buckskin sack containing holy meal around this altar the men dance in rotation during thio this ceremony the aged men and aud women of the village take a pinch of the t he holy meal breathe on it ap sprinkle rinkie a little on the backs of the dancers and throw a little to aud and South bouth this is the signal for the dance to break up the ideas and principles of their religion are eminently i bently utilitarian they dictate all the relations of life they religiously abhor an indolent man and order is the first law of every household and of every public institution and ceremony they enforce habits of industry by Y precept example and exhortation as is well illustrated by the following anecdote when elder hatch and his companions first visited the maquis ti lam ma was the principal chief of the oriba village to obtain that position a man must be noted for his industry energy and perseverance from so bome some a cause he became indolent and unthrifty the people withdrew their confidence from him he lost his place and died of starvation and cha ariu agn u charity is oneff one of the leading principles of their religion the industrious dus poor or the sick and hel bel helpless pless must be amply provided f r by the contributions of the rane lane mire rare ra re tre for form nate astronomical NOTIONS they have no correct ideas of th the e shape and motion molion of the earth or of th the e planets which surround it in the heavens they believe that the sun rises over by the little Sp spanish arrish town of pla nea and aud sets by going down a hole by new at ki be which signifies snow mountain evidently the san francisco mountain of the whites they say they enjoy a monopoly of the sun which shines on them the t he rest of the world not enjoying its beneficent gifts of light and heat beat hence the prominence the sun holds in their religious faith agriculture ac they carefully cultivate the earth and raise grain and a good assortment of vegetables the soil and climate are adapted to the growth of fine peaches of which they produce large quantities their domestic animals and fowls consist of sheep goats chickens doves asses and a very few horses they grow cotton for home consumption and with it and wool they manufacture their clothing which is generally of a very serviceable quality with them themy cattle and horses are very insecure insecure property on account of the raids of the navajos cavajos and apaches their villages are located on high mountains usually with a gradual des cent to the north but surrounded on the other sides by precipitous rocks which are only surmounted by steps cut in their surface they obtain water in the winter season from natural or artificial cisterns in the rocks from which they draw it with a large gourd with a hole in the side when this supply fails falls in the dry season they obtain it from a public well weil dug in the plain below the village to fetch this water constitutes constitute quite ui te an item of the labor bac each sod day PUBLIC worm WORK ad A description of the way this well is cleaned out in the spring illustrates the manner in which their public work is usually conducted the well at the oriba village was forty or fifty feet deep and about the same in diameter at the top but in descending it gradually lessens in diameter to nive five orsia feet across atthe at the bottom in the winter the well ia Is partially filled with the wash and dust from the surface when water is no longer obtainable from the cist cisterns ernis in the Spring the well has to be cleaned out the bottom of the well is reached by spiral stairs cut in its sides two or three men throw the dirt a little up from the bottom from which it is carried on a slightly concave dish resembling a large plate which is made of wood splinters and painted with a variety rie ty of colors it is carried on the open palm of the sandwith hand with the forearm perpendicular the striking feature of this busy scene is the appearance of two men dressed like clowns and in complete disguise they are called in native parlance co ca ehe che nas nab both carry a whip made of the leaves of the soa soap P root which they can use with tellin telling 9 severity in addition to the whip one carries a iasso lasso which he is constantly whirling over his head ready to throw at a delinquent the other carries a thin piece of board shaped like a dart and attached to a string this is kept whizzing through the air as a warning that the co che na is approaching these co che nas nag commence their labors in the morning of public days by going through the village at the proper time to see if there are any loitering behind if so they are sharply stirred up to duty in a way from which there is no appeal the food for dinner is taken to the well by the women who labor with the men just before it is partaken partaker par taken of theco checo the co clie clee nas suddenly disappear and leave the laborers to partake ef of the repast in peace it is usual for the chief in the morn ing of the day set apart for public labor to preach to the people from the housetop on the usefulness and necessity of the labor required of them the labor of furnishing wood for domestic purposes devolves upon the men it has to be brought from eight to twelve miles some keep a donkey for this service arvice but the backs of those who are too poor to do this must carry the burden it seems almost ous to add that the wood is used with the strictest economy THEIR BUILDINGS their houses are built of flat lime ilme and sandstone laid in a kind hind of clay mortar which makes a very good cement well hewn timbers some of them two feet in diameter were used in their construction st we could not learn of any timber within a less distance than 25 or 30 miles from which these beams could have been obtained the people say their ancestors hauled these timbers with oxen yoked joked by the horns similar to the spanish custom of working cattle at the present time while iho tho elders were at the oriba village some of their men came in with cottonwood poles which they said had cost them a three days journey to the pah u or little colorado river they bring red pine poles for their long ladders where strength and elasticity are required ui red from the san francisco ma mountain un tai tat n a journey of six days they exhibit wonderful strength and endurance in carrying carry ing burdens when loaded they seldom walk I 1 but take a light elastic trot similar to that of m e n under the same circumstances T their heir houses have terraced roofs I 1 and are always two stories high an and a often three the upper stories are set back a few feet from the front of the one oue immediately under it leaving g a portion of the roof for outdoor no 0 or purposes there are no bide side doors in the lower stories but they are entered by ascending the ladder to the roof and then descending through a hole hoie to the floor the second and third are entered by side doors opening on to the roofs of the stories below ST STREETS ETC the principal streets of the villages usually run east andreat and west west and with few exceptions the houses front to the south every village has its public square and the houses are so arranged that this square answers for the stage of abarge a large amphitheatre in which the audience can occupy the roof of the houses everything about their villages has been constructed for defense against a common enemy near the oriba village is a large cave in the rocks which the natives call shu mi ml co le a place of evil spirits there are many traditions and super st itibus ideas connected with thle this place it is generally shunned by the people and visited only on occasion of some special ceremony connected with it the elders while there found it an excellent place of retirement where they could enjoy undisturbed quiet i their incarnation of evil is a very bad man who lived several generations ago to their minds he controls the evil evil powers the same aa as the sun bun father does the good they are that this im person I 1 fi cation catlon of evil will return some time in the future to amiet afflict them and that on his departure he will take with him all who do not do right MARRIAGE ceremonies their marriage ceremonies are simple and without ost oat ostentation en tation the one witnessed at the of oriba iba village was conducted as follows in the morning the interested te rested parties breakfasted in the workshop to which the bridegroom belonged after which the manufacture of a new pair of blankets was wai commenced out of the purest white material obtainable the parties ate their dinner ill thesel the sec see onland then sup perin the third story of the brides fathers house the pair of blankets were not completed until the second day during this time the bridegroom and bride were put into a private room where they were required to bathe each other in pure cold water as a witness that they were pure and healthy and fitted for the cares and responsibilities of the married state the happy pair occupy the new blankets on the second night funeral ceremonies when a person is given up to die their under jaw the backs of their hands and the upper part of the feet are colored black and friends begin to mourn as though they were already dead A corpse is prepared for burial by being dressed like the living with the addition of a blanket wrapped around the head and upper part of the bod yand tied around the neck with a string A hole several feet deep is dug in the earth and walled up with stone in this the dead are placed in a sitting posture the arms are folded across the breast and a pole is passed down between the arms and breast and between the legs long enough to ifo extend about two feet above the surface of the ground in the bosom of the dead and wrape up in the blanket is a loaf of bread and a small bowl of water the bowl made especially ally for this purpose they believe that the spirit of a good person after death first goes to the sun bun father and then |
