108 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



It is the Gai'wiio', the good word of our Creator. Our Creator 

 thought. that the people should hear what was in his mind. So he 

 sent word down to the earth. He thought that the people should 

 know what his words were. Now this should lift up your minds. 



So now then another. 



It is the four geniewage [ceremonies]. Now this should lift up 

 your minds. 



[If the dead person is a chief the preacher here ceases to give 

 the chief on the mourning side an opportunity to reply. The reply 

 is as follows] : 



Cousin ! I have heard all that you have laid before us — how we 

 should keep our minds. We have commenced from the beginning 

 of the world when the Creator made us. We have thought of the 

 water, the springs and the streams of water. We have thought of 

 the sky and everything therein, the sun and the moon, the words of 

 our Creator and the four ceremonies. These things you have 

 pointed out, Oh Cousin ! These things will lift up our minds. 

 Now, Cousin, you should know that we accept all that you have 

 said. We can not say that we do not accept what you have said. 

 Now we put all of your words together ; we accept them all. So is 

 the reply. 



[The preacher then arises and continues] : 



So now again listen, all of you ! 



Now let every one listen. 



[The preacher makes an extemporaneous speech in which he 

 addresses the entire assembly. Afterward he selects passages from 

 the Gai'wiio' among which the following is always repeated] : 



So now another message. 



Now it is said that your people must change certain customs. It 

 has been the custom to mourn at each recurring anniversary of the 

 death of a friend or relative. It is said that while you are on 

 earth you do not realize the harm that this works upon the departed. 



[Now moreover, it is said that when an infant is born upon the 

 earth with which the parents are dissatisfied it knows and says, 

 " I will return to my home above the earth."] 



Now it is said that grief adds to the sorrows of the dead. It is 

 said that it is not possible to grieve always. Ten days shall be the 

 time for mourning and when our friends depart we must lay grief 

 aside. When you, the beings of the earth, lose one of your number 

 you must bury your grief in their grave. Some will die today and 

 some tomorrow, for all our days are numbered. So hereafter do 



