SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE GHOST CEREMONY

The following are the most characteristic features of the ghost or devil ceremony:

  1. The ceremony is supposed to have had its origin in mythical times and to have been instituted as an atonement for an offense against the dead.
  2. It lasted four days, ending with an all-night dance, and, on the morning of the fifth day, a purification rite followed by a feast in which each class of individuals dined by itself.
  3. The participants were several ghost-or devil-dancers personating the spirits of the departed and accompanied frequently, though not always, by one or more ash-devils or ash-ghosts, who filled the double office of clown and sergeant-at-arms, and who usually performed their special fire dance and fire-eating ceremony.
  4. The officials particularly concerned with the ceremony were two head singers, an indefinite number of burden-singers, a drummer, two fire-tenders, and two masters of ceremonies. The village captains retained their full authority in this ceremony except when the ash-devils were performing.
  5. The audience consisted of initiated men only, and silence was the rule. Any exhibition of mirth was absolutely prohibited under penalty.
  6. The attire of the ghost-dancer consisted of several pieces of headgear, supplemented in some cases by a chaplet of leaves, a girdle, and sometimes a neck-ring of leaves. The body was otherwise nude except for very elaborate painting in black, white, and red. The dancers dressed secretly in the woods and came to the village carrying bunches of grass or twigs in their hands, behind which they at times pretended to hide.
  7. The ash-devils wore only a simple head-dress and a coat of paint.
  8. The special crane-head shaped wand of the ash-devil gave him absolute authority.
  9. The dancers entered the village at the call of a crier stationed on top of the dance-house, performed an elaborate ceremony in front of the dance-house, and finally entered it backwards, groping their way, using an inverted style of speech, and in every other manner showing that the spirits of the departed were unaccustomed to the ways of mortals.
  10. The dancing was elaborate and was characterized by the occurrence of movements in cycles of four, followed by an elaborate ceremonial disrobing at the drum, and then by swimming.
  11. During the fire dance the ash-devils initiated novices.
  12. The dancers were subject to certain restrictions for varying periods of time following the ceremony.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] Contr. N.A. Ethn., III, 158-160, 1877.

[8] Loc. cit.

[9] Op. cit., pp. 193-194.

[10][See below, p. 414.]

[11] The exact identity of this supernatural being could not be determined from informants.

[12] According to one informant, two feathers instead of one were worn by these dancers. These were placed so that they projected laterally from the forehead.