While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
On long winter evening the Indian hunters
gathered around their fireside, to listen to
the historical traditions, legends of war
and hunting, and fairy tales which had been
handed down through their fathers and
father's fathers, with scarcely any
variation for centuries, kindling the
enthusiasm of the warrior and inspiring the
little child some day to realize similar
dreams, and hand his name down to posterity
as the author of similar exploits.
They have superstitious fears of relating fables in
summer: not until after snow comes will they relate of snakes,
lest they should creep into their beds, or of evil genii, lest
they in some way be revenged.
It is very difficult for a stranger to rightly
understand the morals of their stories, though it is said by
those who know them best, that to them the story was always an
illustration of some moral or principle.
To strangers they offer all the rites of hospitality,
but do not open their hearts. If you ask them they will tell you
a story, but it will not be such a story as they tell when
alone. They will fear your ridicule and suppress their humor and
pathos: so thoroughly have they learned to distrust pale faces,
that when they know that he who is present is a friend, they
will still shrink from admitting him within the secret portals
of their heart.
And when you have learned all that language can convey,
there are still a thousand images, suggestions and associations
recurring to the Indian, which can strike no chord in your
heart. The myriad voices of nature are dumb to you, but to them
they are full of life and power.
There once lived a man who was a
great hunter. His generosity was the theme of praise in all the
country, for he not only supplied his own family with food, but
distributed game among his friends and neighbors, and even
called the birds and animals of the forest to partake of his
abundance. For this reason he received the appellation of
"Protector of Birds and Animals."
He lived a hunter's life till war broke out between his
own and some distant nation, and then he took the war path. He
was as brave a warrior as he was a skillful hunter, and slew a
great multitude of the enemy, till all were lying dead around
him, except one, who was a mighty man of valor , and in an
unguarded moment the hunter received a blow from his tomahawk on
the head, which felled him to the earth; his enemy then took his
scalp and fled.
Some of his own party saw what befell him, and
supposing him dead left him on the field of battle; but a fox
who had wandered this way immediately recognized his benefactor.
Sorrowful indeed, was he to find him thus slain, and began to
revolve in his mind some means of restoring him to life.
"Perhaps," said he, "some of my friends may know of a medicine
by which his wounds may be healed, and he may live again." So
saying, he ran into the forest and uttered the "death lament,"
which was the signal for all the animals to congregate. From far
and near they came, till hundreds and thousands of every kind
had assembled around the body of the hunter, eagerly inquiring
what had happened. The fox explained he had accidentally came
that way and found their friend stretched lifeless upon the
earth. The animals drew near and examined him more closely, to
be sure that life was extinct; they rolled him over and over on
the ground and were satisfied that he was dead, there was not a
single sign of life.
Then they held a grand council of which the bear was
the speaker. When all were ready to listen, he asked if any one
present was acquainted with any medicine which would restore the
dead man to life. With great alacrity each one examined his
medicine box, but finds nothing adapted to this purpose. Being
defeated in their noble object of restoring their friend, all
join in a mournful howl a requiem for the dead. This attracted a
singing bird, the oriole, who came quietly to learn the cause of
the assembling of the great concourse and their profound
lamentation. The bear made known the calamity which had befallen
them, and as the birds would feel themselves equally afflicted,
he requested the oriole to fly away and invite all the feathered
tribes to come to the council and see if their united wisdom
cannot devise a remedy that will restore their friend to life.
Soon were assembled all the birds of the air, even the
great eagle of the Iroquois, which was seldom induced to appear
upon the earth, hastens to pay her respects to the remains of
the renowned and benevolent hunter. All being satisfied that he
was really dead, the united council of birds and animals, which
remained convened, decided that his scalp must be recovered,
saying that any bird or animal who pleased might volunteer to go
on this mission. The fox was the first to offer his services and
departed full of hope that his zeal would be crowned with
success. But after many days he returned, saying he could find
no trace of man's footsteps, not a chick or child belonged to
any settlement The great love which they bore their friend
prompted several others to go upon the same mission, and to the
animals belonged the first right as they had first found him;
but at length the birds were anxious to show their devotion and
the pigeon hawk begged leave to make the first flight, as he was
more swift of wing than any other and could visit the whole
world in the shortest space of time. They had scarcely missed
him when he returned: he said he had been over the entire earth
and found it not. They did not consider his voyage satisfactory,
as he had flown so swiftly that it was impossible for him to see
anything distinctly by the way.
Next the white heron proposed that he be sent, because
of being so slow of wing he could see every object as he passed.
On his aerial voyage he discovered a plain covered with the
vines of the wild bean, laden with the delicious fruit; it was
too great a temptation for him to resist, and he descended to
enjoy a feast. So gluttonously did he partake that he could not
rise again from the earth, and the council after many days of
anxious waiting, called for a substitute. Here the crow came
forward and acknowledged his fitness for such, an office, as he
was also slow of wing and was accustomed to hover settlements
and discern them afar off, he would not be suspected of any
particular design should he linger near the one that contained
the scalp.
The warrior who possessed the coveted treasure knew the
birds and animals were holding council on the field of battle to
devise means to recover it, but when the crow drew near he was
not alarmed. The smoke of the wigwams indicated a settlement and
as the crow sailed lazily through the air at a great height
above the roofs of the cabins, he espied the scalp which he knew
must be the one he sought, stretched out to dry.
After various unsuccessful stratagems, he was able to
seize it, and flew away to exhibit his trophy to the council.
Now, they attempted to fit it to his head, but, being dry, it
was impossible; so search was made to find something with which
to moisten it, but in vain. Then slowly moved forward the great
eagle, and bids them listen to his words.
"My wings are never furled; night and day, for years
and hundreds of years, the dews of heaven have been collected
upon my back, as I sat in my nest above the clouds. Perhaps
these waters may have a virtue no
earthly fountain can possess, we will see."
Then she plucked a feather from her wing and dipped it
in the dewy elixir, which was then applied to the shriveled
scalp, and lo! it became pliable and fresh as if just removed.
Now it would fit, but there must be a healing power to cause the
flesh to unite, and again to awaken life.
All were anxious to do something in the great work,
therefore all went forth to bring rare leaves, flowers, barks,
the flesh of animals and the brain of birds, to form a healing
mixture. When they returned it was prepared, and having been
moistened with the dew, was applied to the scalp, and instantly
adhered to it and became firm. This caused the hunter to sit up;
he looked around in astonishment upon his numerous friends,
unable to divine the meaning of so strange an assemblage.
Then they bade him stand upon his feet and told him how he was
found dead upon the plain and how great was the lamentation of
all those who had so long experienced his kindness, and the
efforts they had made to restore him to life. They then gave him
the compound which had been the means of restoring him to life,
saying, "it was the gift of the Great Spirit to man. He alone
had directed them in the affairs of the council, had brought the
eagle to furnish the heavenly moisture, and gave them wisdom in
making the preparation, that they might furnish to man a
medicine which should be effectual for every wound."
When they had finished the animals departed to their forest
haunts, the eagle soared again to his eyrir, and the birds of
the air flew away to their nests in the tall trees, all happy
and rejoicing that they had accomplished this great good.
The hunter returned to his home and spread abroad the news of
the
miracle and the knowledge of the wonderful medicine, which is
used to this day among the Iroquois by those who are the
favorites of the Great
Spirit.
An Indian hunter went forth to hunt, and as he wandered through
the forest he heard a strain of beautiful music far off among
the trees. He listened, but could not tell whence it came; he
knew it could not be by any human voice, or from any instrument
he had ever heard. As it came near it ceased. The next evening
he went forth again, but he heard no music, and again, but in
van.
Then came the Great Spirit to him in a dream and told him to
fast, wash himself till he was purified, then he might go forth
and would hear again the music. So he purified himself and went
again among the dark trees of the forest, and soon his ear
caught the sweet strains, as he drew near they became more
beautiful; he listened till he learned them and could make the
same sweet sound, then he knew that it was a plant with a tall
green stem and long tapering leaves. He took his knife and cut
the stalk, but ere he had scarcely finished, it healed and was
the same as before; he cut it again, and again it healed. Then
he knew it would heal diseases, he took it home, dried it by the
fire, pulverized it, and applied a few particles of it to a
dangerous wound; no sooner had it touched the wound than it was
healed. Thus the Great Spirit taught the Indian the nature of
medicinal plants, and directed him where they were to be found,
when and how used.
Medicine Legends.
The two above are the legends concerning the principal medicines
used among the Iroquois. The ancient manner of administering
them, was to take a small wooden goblet and go to a running
stream, dipping toward the way which the stream ran, fill the
goblet and return, place it near the fire with some tobacco near
it; a prayer is offered while tobacco is thrown upon the fire,
that the words may ascend upon the smoke.
The medicine is placed on a piece of skin near the goblet, being
very finely pulverized, is taken up with a wooden spoon and
dusted upon the water in three spots, in the form of a triangle,
thus:
The medicine man then looks at it critically, if it spreads over
the surface of the water and whirls about, it is a sign that the
invalid will be healed; if it sinks directly in the places where
it was put, there is no hope, the sick person must die and the
whole is thrown away.
Once in six months there is a great feast made, at the hunting
season in fall and spring. On the night of the feast as soon as
it is dark, all who are present assemble in one room, where no
light or fire is allowed to burn, and placing the medicine near
the covered embers, the tobacco by its side, they commence
singing, which proclaims that the crows are coming to their
feast, and also many other birds and various animals, the brains
of whose species form part of their medicine. At the end of the
song some one imitates the caw of a crow, the songs of the
birds, the howls of the wolf, etc., as if the animals were
present.
Three times in the course of the night they offer a prayer,
while
throwing tobacco on the smothered flames, asking that the people
may be
protected from all harm, and if they receive wounds that the
medicine may be effectual in healing them.
At the commencement of the ceremonies the doors are locked, and
no one is allowed to enter or leave the house while they
continue; neither is any one allowed to sleep, as that would
spoil the medicine. The feast begins just before the dawn of
day. The master of ceremonies first takes a deer's head, bites
off a piece, imitates the cry of a crow and passes the head of
the animal to another, who does the same, till all have tasted
and imitated the peculiar note of some bird or animal.
As soon as it begins to be light the presiding officer takes a
duck's bill, and dipping it full of the medicine, gives it to
each one present, who puts it in a bit of skin and wraps it in
several coverings, keeps it carefully until the next semi-annual
feast. The skin of a panther is preferred for the first envelope
if it can be obtained.
Those who take part in the ceremonies are medicine men. Chiefs
are
allowed to be present; also, any who have been cured of any
disease by the medicine.
Without the building the young people gather for merriment, and
the fragments of the feast are given to them when it is
finished.
When the medicine described in the second legend is used, the
tune is sung which was heard at its discovery, both at the
ceremonies of the
feast and the time of administering it.
They seem to think the ceremonies effectual in making the
medicinal qualities of the compound imperishable. Each medicine
man has a large quantity which he keeps in a bag, and in order
not to exhaust the whole, now and then, adds pulverized corn
roots, squash vines, etc., and whenever it is administered
several persons assemble and sing. Both kinds are considered
especially useful in healing wounds received in war.
In reading the first legend there will be seen very humorous
allusions to the habits of the pigeon, heron and crow, and there
is a curious invention inspiring faith in the means used in
healing. I have seen many who affirmed that they had tested the
wonderful powers of each.
This site
includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes
reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These
items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be
interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes
implied .
Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations and History of the Tuscarora Indians
