File:Annual report of the Bureau of ethnology to the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (1881) (14784101732).jpg

Identifier: annualreportofbu0v1powe (find matches)
Title: Annual report of the Bureau of ethnology to the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution ..
Year: 1881 (1880s)
Authors: Powell, John Wesley, 1834-1902
Subjects:
Publisher: Washington, D.C., G.P.O.
Contributing Library: Brigham Young University Hawaii, Joseph F. Smith Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Consortium of Church Libraries and Archives

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it is apparently assuaged by its own expres-sion. This is rarely kept up for more than four or five days, but is occasionally resortedto, at intervals, for weeks, or oven months, according to the mood of the bereft. I haveseen fow things in life so touching as tho spectacle of an old father going daily to thegrave of his child, while tho shadows are lengthening, and pouring out his grief inwails that would move a demon, until his figure melts with tho gray twilight, when,silent and solemn, he returns to his desolate family. Tho weird effect of this observ-ance is sometimes heightened, when the deceased was a grown-up son, by the old mankindling a little fire near the head of the scaffold, and varying his lamentations withsmoking in silence. The foregoing is drawn from my memory of personal observancesduring a period of more than six years constant intercourse with several subdivisionsof the Dakota Indians. There may be much which memory has failed to recall upona brief consideration.
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Fi§ 20 . SCARIRCATION AT BURIAL vauhow.J SCAFFOLD BURIAL SIOUX. 165 Figure 20 represents scarification as a form of grief-expression for thedead. Perhaps a brief review of Dr. Turners narrative may not be deemedinappropriate here. Supplying food to the dead is a custom which is known to be of greatantiquity ; in some instances, as among the ancient Romans, it appearsto have been a sacrificial offering, for it usually accompanied cremation,and was not confined to food alone, for spices, perfumes, oil, &c, werethrown upon the burning x>ile. In addition to this, articles supposed orknown to have been agreeable to the deceased were also consumed. TheJews did the same, and in our own time the Chinese, Caribs, and manyof the tribes of North American Indians followed these customs. Thecutting of hair as a mourning observance is of very great antiquity, andTegg relates that among the ancients whole cities and countries wereshaved (sic) when a great man died. The Persians not only shav

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