134 NE W YORK STATE MUSEUM 



one beggar or actually homeless person reported among the 4800 

 Iroquois Indians of New York State and he was provided for by 

 the old religious law. 



The Indian has been accused of indecent orgies. His dances 

 have been condemned as corrupt and vicious. His secret societies 

 are named as witchcrafts and satanisms of evil practices. In my 

 investigations of their myths, mystics, their religion, and civil and 

 home life, I have attended all these dances and have never seen 

 one vulgar or indecent action. The Indian woman, by nature 

 chaste, would scorn an immodest attire or the familiarity of the 

 "fiddle dances" known as the waltzes of the palefaces. 



I have been admitted to several degrees of the Medicine Lodge, 

 which is known to all American Indians, the Iroquois secret society, 

 Na-gah-ne-gah-ah ; in its celebrations there is nothing malign. 

 The ritual, thoroughly consistent with their religion, includes 

 chants for the sick and dying and the dead who are yet " held in 

 the arms of the Great Spirit." The principles upon which this 

 medicine society is founded are charity, neighborly kindness and 

 lessons for ministrations to the sick. Their chants are entirely 

 free from human passions or grossness of superstitions. In fact if a 

 member evidences a spirit of evil he is excluded from the meetings 

 until he is "purified." 



The religious feasts of the Indian begin with the New Year 

 usually in February, when he renews all promises of fidelity to the 

 Great Spirit. This is followed by the Maple feast which occurs 

 when the maple sap first flows. Then follow the Berry feasts and 

 in turn those of all fruits, each of which has its special dance and 

 thanksgiving chant, until the final Green Corn dance. On this occa- 

 sion the feast continues four days and embodies within its ritual 

 thanksgiving for all the gifts of the Great Spirit. The smallest growth 

 is not omitted in the recital, nor the least of the animal creation. 

 These are the only occasions for their public religious meetings. 



In his home life the Indian never partakes of a meal that he 

 does not first ask the blessing of the Great Spirit upon the repast 

 and after eating never fails to thank him for the privilege of the 

 food. 1 If he starts a friend on his journey the farewell is always 

 an appeal that the Great Spirit may guard him to his home. 



The Indian believing the Great Spirit to be the God of the Indian 

 only, does not hold himself amenable to the law of any other 



1 The devout Indian after he has finished his meal always says " Niaweh," meaning, I am 

 thankful. Although he apparently addressed the others at the table according to his re- 

 ligion in reality he is speaking to the Creator. The response of the people is " Niuh! " 

 meaning, it is well. 



