moonet] SMOHALLA RITUAL 727 



I and my two assistants were seated on a mattress about 10 feet in front of the 

 prophet, which fortunately placed us near the door and incidentally near fresh air. 

 There were two other witnesses, Indians from distant villages, who sal atone side 

 \\iili S halla's son looking on. 



Smohalla's son was said to be in training as his successor. lie was a young man, 

 apparently about 23 years old, tall, slender, and active in movement, and commonly 

 kepi himself apart from the body of the people. He was much darker than his 

 father. His dress was brilliant in style and color. He ordinarily wore a short gown 

 or surplice, sometimes yellow ami at other times sky blue, with ornate decorations 

 of stars in- moons applique^ cut from bright-colored cloths. The sleeves were extrav- 

 agantly trimmed with beads ami silver ornaments. He knelt at the right of the 

 group as tile place of honor. (In his left was Coteeakun, the head man of the Indian 

 village at Union gap, on the Yakima reservation. The third man was Coteeakun's 

 brother, a most intelligent and progressive Indian. (MaeMurray MS.) 



From Charles Ike, an intelligent half-blood interpreter on Yakima 

 reservation, who is also the regular interpreter (if the Smohalla ritual 

 services at the Yakima village of Pa'kiut, we obtain additional interest- 

 ing details concerning the ceremony as there performed, with the under- 

 lying religions teachings. 



As at present taught, the religion finds adherents among probably all 

 the tribes along the Columbia from near the British border down to the 

 Wushqum tribe at The Dalles, with the exception, perhaps, of the Kli- 

 katat, who are nearly all Catholics. The two chief centers are at P'uii 

 or Priest rapids, where Smohalla in person regularly preaches to about 

 120 hearers, and at Pa'kiut. at Union gap on Yakima reservation, 

 where, until his death a short time ago, Tiana'ni as regularly conducted 

 the services for about 300 of his tribe. At each place is a church or 

 meeting-house built as already described. 



The former high priest of the doctrine among the Yakima, and the 

 right hand man of Smohalla himself, was Kotai'aqan, already mentioned, 

 the sou of the great war chief Kainai'akan. It is even asserted that he 

 was the originator of the system. However this may be, it is certain 

 that he had much to do with formulating both the dogmas and the 

 ritual. In temper he was more gentle than Smohalla, and more dis- 

 posed to meet civilization half-way. On his death, about 1800, he was 

 succeeded by his stepson. Tiana'ni, or " Many Wounds," who filled the 

 office until about October, 1892, when he was murdered near his home 

 by two drunken Indians. He was succeeded in the chieftainship by a 

 younger son of Kotai'aqan named Sha'awe (or Shaw-wawa Kootiacan), 

 and in his priestly functions by a man known to the whites as Billy 

 John. 



The regular services take place on Sunday, in the morning, afternoon, 

 and evening. Sunday has been held sacred among the Nez Perces and 

 neighboring tribes for more than sixty years, as the result of the teach 

 ings of the Hudson Bay officers. The prairie tribes also, having learned 

 that Sunday is the great "medicine day" of the whites, now select it 

 by preference for their own religious ceremonies of the Ghost dance and 

 the mescal. There are also services during the week, besides special 



