IIO NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



THE CONDOLENCE CEREMONY 



The beginning of the condolence ceremony used immediately 

 after the death of a chief (or lord) and which is subsequently fol- 

 lowed by the preliminary ceremony called, "At the wood's edge." 



i Now hear us our uncles, we have come to condole with you 

 in your great bereavement. 



We have now met in dark sorrow to lament together over the 

 death of our brother lord. For such has been your loss. We will 

 sit together in our grief and mingle our tears together, and we four 

 brothers will wipe off the tear from your eyes, so that for a day 

 period you might have peace of mind. This we say and do, we 

 four brothers. 



2 Now hear us again, for when a person is in great grief 

 caused by death, his ears are closed up and he can not hear and 

 such is your condition now. 



We will therefore remove the obstruction (grief) from your 

 ears, so that for a day period you may have perfect hearing again. 

 This we say and do, we four brothers. 



3 Continue to hear the expression of us four brothers, for 

 when a person is in great sorrow his throat is stopped with grief 

 and such is your case; now, we will therefore remove the obstruc- 

 tion (grief) so that for a day period you may enjoy perfect breath- 

 ing and speech; this we say and do, we four brothers. 



The foregoing part of the condolence ceremony is to be per- 

 formed outside of the place of meeting. 



Then the bereaved will appoint two of their chief warriors to 

 conduct the four brothers into the place of meeting. 



4 Continue to hear the expression of us four brothers, for when 

 a person is in great grief caused by death, he appears to be de- 

 formed, so that our forefathers have made a form which their 

 children may use in condoling with each other ( Ja-wek-ka-ho-denh) 

 which is that they will treat him a dose of soft drink (medicine) 

 and which when it is taken and settled down in the stomach it 

 will pervade the whole body and strengthen him and restore him 

 to a perfect form of man. This we say and do, we four brothers. 



5 Continue to hear the expression of us four brothers. Now 



