6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The stated times for the proclaiming of the Gai'wiio* are at the 

 Six Nations' meeting in September and at the midwinter thanks- 

 giving in the moon Nisko'wukni, between January 15th and Febru- 

 ary 15th. At such times the Ongwe^oiiweka or '' faithful In- 

 dians " send for an expounder paying his traveling expenses and 

 entertaining him during his stay. Usually reservations ''exchange '' 

 preachers, Cornplanter going to Grand River or Onondaga and 

 Chief Gibson to Cattaraugus or Allegany. 



The time consumed in reciting the Gai'wiio' is always three days. 

 At noon each day the expositor stops, for the sun is in midheaven 

 and ready to descend. All sacred things must be done sede'tcia, 

 early in the morning. Before sunrise each morning of the preach- 

 ing the preacher stands at the fireplace in the long house and sings 

 a song known as the Sun Song. This is an obedience to a command 

 of the prophet who promised that it should insure good weather for 

 the day. " The wind always dies down when I sing that song," 

 affirms Chief Cornplanter. 



During the recital of the Gai'wiio' the preacher stands at the 

 fireplace which serves as the altar. Sitting beside him is an assist- 

 ant or some officer of the rites who holds a white wampum strand.^ 

 A select congregation sits on benches placed across the long house 

 but the majority use the double row of seats around the walls. The 

 women wear shawls over their heads and during afifecting parts of 

 the story hide their faces to conceal the tears. Some of the men, 

 stirred to emotion, likewise are moved to tears but are unable to 

 hide them. Such emotion once detected by the auditors sometimes 

 becomes contagious and serves as the means of scores repledging 

 their allegiance to the old religion. In 1909, for example, 136 

 Allegany Senecas promised Chief Cornplanter that they would stop 

 drinking liquor and obey the commands of Handsome Lake. A'isit- 

 ing Canadian Oneida Indians at the Grand River ceremonies, as 

 a result of such a " revival," petitioned for a visit of the Gai'wiio' 

 preachers several years ago, saying that a portion of the Oneida 

 of the Thames wished to return to the " old way." This some of 

 them have done, but they complain of the persecution of their 

 Christian tribesmen who threatened to burn their council house. In 

 other places the case seem.s different and the "' prophet's cause " is 

 not espoused with much enthusiasm bv the younger element to 

 whom the white man's world and thought present a greater appeal. 



^The original Handsome Lake belt is still displa3'ed at the religious council 

 at Tonawanda. (See plate 15.) 



