FEWKES] RELIGION 65 



power of the wanior: by it th(> Indians .sought to hiing niin or to 

 further the growth of crops." Areitos formed a part of marriage 

 ceremonies and were especially prominent in all mortuary observ- 

 ances. The greatest festivals apparently occurred on the death of 

 caciques, but lesser ceremonials were celebrated at births, the cutting 

 of hair, puberty, the making of chiefs, marriages, the clearing of 

 farms, the building of canoes, and on most other important secular 

 occasions. 



The festivals of the Carib. called by some writers drunken debauches, 

 occurred, according to Davies: (1) When any council was held con- 

 cerning their wars; (2) when they returned from their expeditions; (3) 

 upon the birth of the first male child; (4) when they cut their children's 

 hair; (5) when boys became old enough to go to war; (6) when they 

 cut down trees for the making of a garden and the building of a house, 

 and (7) when thes^ launched a vessel. According to the same author 

 they had other festivals: (1) When they entered into adolescence; (2) 

 when the}" were made captives; (.3) at the death of their fathers and 

 mothers; (4) at the death of the husband or wife, and (.5) when they 

 killed one of their enemies, the Arawak.* As the Porto Eicans had 

 Carib kinship, it may be supposed that many of these rites occurred 

 also among the former. 



Gomara (chapter xxxiii, page 27) records a prophecy of the destruc- 

 tion of the Indian gods that Columbus and other Spaniards lieard from 

 the caciques and priests. The father of the cacique Guarionex prayed 

 to his 2('W,/, asking what would happen to the natives and their gods 

 in the future. Before making this query he fasted five days and sor- 

 rowfully chastised himself, as the tribal ceremonial rites required. He 

 finally received the answer that so far as the gods knew what would 

 happen they would make it known, and that before many years passed 

 there would come to the island certain men with long beards, and bodies 

 completely clothed, who would sever men in twain with one stroke of 

 their swords, bring fire and ashes, drive forth ancient gods, and destroy 

 the customarj' rites of the people, shed their blood, and carry them 

 into captivit3^ So much importance was attached to this response 

 that it was customary to chant it in an ureito sung in a ceremonial 

 dance. 



The same story is repeated, with some variation, by J. Villagutiere 

 Soto Mayor,'' who sa^'s that Guarionex consulted his great idol, or zenii, 



nHerrcra speaks of ceremonies for rain and crops. Accorciing to Fray Ramon Pane, the Haitians 

 had a zani called Boinaiel whom they held in great veneration and in whose honor they performed 

 ceremonies when it did not rain. 



i>De la Borde, History of the Origin, Customs, Religion, Wars, and Travels of the Caribs, Savages 

 of the Antilles in America, translated from the French and condensed by G. J. A. Bosch-Reitz. 

 Temehri, v, 224-254, Demerara, 1886. 



cDon Juan Villagutiere Soto llayor, Historia de la Conquista de la Provincia de el Itza, Rednceion 

 y Progresses de la Lacandon, etc., pt i, p. 33, 1701. This author repeats the story of the prognosti- 

 cation of the zcml of Guarionex. mentioned by Gomara and others, to whom he refers, and speaks of 

 an areito, or song dance, performed in commemoration of the oracle. 

 25 ETH — 07 5 



