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Subject: [IASCOTT] 1910-Black Hawk Tells of Indian Customs
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2002 15:40:29 EST

Chapter 3 cont.

BLACK HAWK TELLS OF INDIAN CUSTOMS.

In a most interesting autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-she-kia-kiak, the Black
Sparrow Hawk, the chief, commonly known as Black Hawk, dictated to Antoine
LeClaire and edited by J. B. Patterson this noted warrior relates graphically
the manners and customs of his people.  A few extracts are not out of place:

"Marriages.-Our women plant the corn, and as soon as they get done we make a
feast and dance the crane dance in which they join us, dressed in their best
and decorated with feathers.  At this feast the young braves select the young
woman they wish to have for their wife.  He then informs his mother, who
calls on the mother of the girl, when the arrangement is made and the time
appointed for him to come.  He goes to the lodge when all are asleep (or
pretend to be), lights his matches, which have been provided for the purpose,
and soon finds where his intended sleeps.  He then awakens her, and holds the
light to her face, that she may know him-after which he places the light
close to her.  If she blows it out, the ceremony is ended, and he appears in
the lodge the next morning as one of the family.  If she does not blow out
the light, but leaves it to burn out, he retires from the lodge.  The next
day he places himself in full view of it and plays his flute.  The young
women go out, one by one, to see whom he is playing for.  The tune changes,
to let them know that he is not playing for them.  When his intended makes
her appearance at the door, he continues his courting tune until she returns
to the lodge.  He then gives over playing and makes another trial at night,
which generally turns out favorable.  During the first year they ascertain
whether they can agree with each other, and can be happy-if not, they part,
and each looks out again.  If we were to live together and disagree, we
should be as follish as the whites.  No indisctetion can banish a woman from
her parental lodge-no difference how many children she may bring home, she is
always welcome-the kettle is over the fire to feed them.

"Dances.-The crane dance often lasts two or three days.  When this is over,
we feast again, and have our national dance.  The large square in the village
is swept and prepared for the purpose.  The chiefs and old warriors take
seats on mats which have been spread at the upper end of the square-the
drummers and singers come next, and the braves and women form the sides
leaving a large space in the middle.  The drums beat and the singers
commence.  A warrior enters the square, keeping time with the music.  He
shows the manner he started on a war party-how he approached the enemy-he
strikes, and describes the way he killed him.  All join in applause.  He then
leaves the square and another enters and takes his place.  Such of our young
men as have not been out in war parties and killed an enemy stand back
ashamed-not being able to enter the square.  I remember that I was ashamed to
look where our young women stood before I could take my stand in the square
as a warrior.

"What pleasure it is to an old warrior to see his son come forward and relate
his exploits-it makes him feel young and induces him to enter the square and
'fight his battles o'er again.'

"This national dance makes our warriors.  When I was traveling last summer on
a steamboat on a large river, going from New York to Albany, I was shown the
place where the Americans dance their national dance, (West Point) where the
old warriors recount to their young men what they have done, to stimulate
them to go and do likewise.  This surprised me, as I did not think the whites
understood our way of making braves.

"Labors, Wars, Feasts, etc.-When our national dance is over, our corn fields
hoed, and every weed dug up, and our corn about knee high, all our young men
would start in a direction toward sundown, to hunt deer and buffalo-being
prepared, also to kill Sioux, if any are found on our hunting grounds, a part
of our old men and women to the lead mines to make lead, and the remainder of
our people start to fish and get mat stuff.  Every one leaves the village and
remains about forty days.  They then return, the hunting party bringing in
dried buffalo and deer meat, and sometimes Sioux scaps, when they are found
trespassing upon our hunting grounds.  At other times they are met by a party
of Sioux too strong for them and are driven in.  If the Sioux have killed the
Sacs last, they expect to be retaliated upon, and will fly before them, and
vice versa.  Each party knows that the other has a right to retaliate, which
induces those who have killed last to give way before their enemy, as neither
wish to strike except to avenge the death of their relatives.  All our wars
are predicated by the relatives of those killed, or by aggressions upon our
hunting grounds.

"The party from the lead mines bring lead, and the others dried fish and mats
for our winter lodges.  Presents are now made by each party; the first giving
to the others dried buffalo and deer, and they in exchange presenting them
with lead, dried fish and mats.  This is a happy season of the year-having
plenty of provisions, such as beans, squashes and other produce with our
dried meat and fish, we continue to make feasts and visit each other until
our corn is ripe.  Some lodge in the village makes a feast daily to the Great
Spirit.  I cannot explain this so that the white people would comprehend me,
as we have no regular standard among us.  Every one makes his feast as he
thinks best, to please the Great Spirit who has the care of all beings
created.  Others believe in two Spirits, one good and one bad, and make
feasts for the Bad Spirit, to keep him quiet.  If they can make peace with
him, the Bad Spirit will not hurt them.  For my part, I am of opinion, that
so far as we have reason we have a right to use it in determining what is
right and wrong, and should pursue that path which we believe to be right,
believing that 'whatever is is right.'  If the Great and Good Spirit wished
us to believe and do as the whites, he could easily change our opinions, so
that we would see and think and act as they do.  We are nothing compared to
His power, and we feel and know it.  We have men among us like the whites who
pretend to know the right path, but will not consent to show it without pay.
 I have no faith in their paths, but believe that every man must make his own
path."

Debbie Clough G-erischer


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