Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri 43
On the birth of a child a horse is given with other property to those
in attendance. After three weeks or a month has elapsed the ceremony
of giving it a name takes place. There is no regular period of time
for this, and sometimes five or six months pass before it is done. The
probability is in this case that it is the want of means to pay for the
ceremonial, as in these instances they give for a reason, “the parents
are too poor.”
Usually, however, it is done about the time first mentioned and this
ceremony is the same whether the child be male or female. Some medicine
man generally makes the name, and sends word to the parents that on
a certain day he will bestow it on the child. When the time has come
a dog is killed and cooked or some other good dish is provided, and
invitations are sent to some 20 or 30 of their friends and relatives
to attend. When they are assembled the priest makes known to them
the object of the meeting in a suitable speech to the supernatural
powers, but principally to the tutelaries of departed grandfathers and
grandmothers, invoking them to take the child under their protection,
concluding with the name of the child distinctly spoken in a loud voice
so that all can hear it. The feast is then divided, small portions
thrown away for the dead and the rest eaten. A horse in the meantime
is tied outside as a present to the medicine man for his services. He
leads the horse around the camp, singing in a loud voice the child’s
name and those of its parents. If the child be a male this name is
borne until he kills or strikes his first enemy on their own (the
enemy’s) land. On his return after accomplishing this, he blackens
his face and that of his relatives as a token of his triumph. Some
one of the medicine men who are always on the lookout for advantage
blackens himself and gives a new name to the warrior by crying it out
loudly through the camp, stating the change of name has been given in
consequence of his great bravery in killing his enemies.
A horse is again given the priest and the second name is attached. This
name lasts until by repeated successes at war he becomes entitled to
the name of his father, if the parent be dead; if living, that of his
grandfather is bestowed, during a ceremony of the same kind as has been
related. But this name is never given without sufficient merit on the
part of the warrior. It is the highest honor that could be bestowed,
is never afterwards changed, and he ranks immediately as a councillor
and brave. The foregoing will account for both the plurality of names
among them and the manner in which the original family name and line of
descent is preserved.
The names of females are not often changed, though some have two, one
affixed at the first ceremony and the other originating in some marked
feature, or personal appearance unusual among them, such as fair hair,
gray eyes, etc., and sometimes from any deformity, as lameness, loss of
an eye, teeth, etc. Generally, however, they have but one. The names
given to children are not taken from the incidents of dreams or deemed
sacred, but are the manufacture of the priest according to his fancy.
He endeavors to make one to please the parents in order to secure
the gift of the horse. This name is told them secretly by him and if
acceptable is adopted; if not, they suggest another in its place to him.
The children and boys call each other familiarly by these names as in
civilized life, and when grown continue to do so, unless of kin, when
the degree of relationship is mentioned instead of the name.
Herewith is a list of names, male and female. Of the warriors several
have two, but only one, the leader of the party here at the time, had
three. Their names were taken down for insertion in this place. Those
of the women I had of a warrior present, and those of the chiefs and
soldiers I have known for years, some of whom having two or three
names.
ASSINIBOIN NAMES
Partisan, “The Back of Thunder,” Ya-pa-ta Wak-keum
NAMES OF 27 ASSINIBOIN WARRIORS AT FORT UNION, DECEMBER, 1853
Interpreted name. Indian name.
The Black Horn Hai-sap Sap-pah.
He Who Comes Laden Kee-hee-nah.
The War Club of Thunder Ya-chunk-pe Wah-ke-un.
Boiling Pe-gah.
The Backbone of Wolf Shunk-chan-ca-hoo.
The Four War Eagles Wah-min-de To-pah.
The Winner O-he-an-ah.
The Standing Bear Wah-bo-san-dah.
The Crow Conghai.
The Little Rocky Mountains Ean-hhai-nah.
The White Crow Conghai-ska.
He Who Sounds the Ground Muk-kah-na-boo-boo.
The Bear’s Child Wah-ghan-seecha Och-she.
The Iron Boy Muzza Och-she.
The Sound of Thunder Hhom-bo-oah Wah-ke-un.
The Grey Bull Ya-tunga-hho-tah.
He Who Deceives Calves Chin-chah-nah Ke-ni-ah.
The Dry Sinews Kun-sha-chah.
The Calf with Handsome Hair Chin-chah-nah He-wash-tai.
The Bull’s Face Etai-tah Tun-gah.
The Wolverine Me-nazh-zhah.
The Two-horned Antelope Yah-to-kah-hhai noom-pah.
The Large Owl He-hun Tungah.
The Large War Eagle Wam-min-de Tun-gah.
The Child of Two Bears Wah-ghan-see-cha noompa och-she.
Le Pene Rouge Chai-shah.
NAMES OF 12 CAMP SOLDIERS
He Who Wishes to Bring Them Ekando He chin-ah.
The Red Bull Tah-tungah Du-tah.
The Bad Bull Tah-tungah Shee-chah.
The Red Snow Wah Du-tah.
The Blue Thunder Wah-ke Un-to.
The Emptying Horn O-canah-hhai.
The Standing Water Minne Naz-zhe.
The Rose Bud Eater We-ze-zeet-ka Utah.
The Boy of Smoke Sho-to-zshu Och-she.
The Spotted Horn Hai-kan-dai Kan-dai-ghah.
Shot in the Face Etai-o-ke Nun-ei-a.
Bear’s Face Etai Wah-ghan.
NAMES OF SOME CHIEFS, OCCASIONAL LEADERS OF BANDS
The White Head Pah ska-nah.
The Grey Eyes Esh-tai-o Ghe-nah.
The Pouderie Hee-boom An-doo.
The Tourbillon Ah-wah minne o minne.
Interpreted name. Indian name.
The Little Thunder Wah-kee-e-nah.
The Knife Menah.
Hair Tied Up in Front Pai-pach Kich-tah.
He Who Wounds Dogs Shunga Ou-nah.
The Claws Shak-kai-nah.
The Great Traveler Ca-wai-ghai Man-ne.
He Who is Above the Others Wa-caun-too.
The Marksman Coo-tai-nah.
NAMES OF 20 YOUNG ASSINIBOIN WOMEN
The Spotted Woman Kan-dai-ghah We-yah.
The One Leg Hoo wash e nah.
The Big Horn Woman Hai-kees-kah We-yah.
The Glittering Lodge Te Owah Ho-wat-tah.
The Four Thunders Wah-ke-un Topa.
The Four Women Topa Weyah.
The Season Maker Man-ka-cha Ca-ghah.
The Lodge on Fire Woman Te-ien da weyah.
She Who Makes the Clouds Moh pe ah caghah.
The Door Scratcher Te opah ù-cai-ghah.
The Wing Bone Hoo pah hoo.
The Crow’s Cawing Coughai a-hho-ton.
The Head Made White Pah-kah shah-nah.
The Curled Hair Pah-hah e-u-me-ne.
The Hawk Woman Chai-tun We-yah.
The Red Chief Hoon yuh shah.
The Mane of the Flying Eagle Ap-pai Wam-min-de E-i-ah.
The Yellow Bear Wah-ghan She-chah-ze.
The Iron Body Chu-we Muz-zah.
The Fair-skinned Woman We-yah Skah.
CHILDREN
[Illustration: FIG 32.—Cradle Board]
Cradles are not much used by the tribes of whom we write. A few are
seen among them which they procure from the Cree and Chippewa. The back
is a flat board with a bow bent across the front where the head of the
child is placed. (Fig. 32.) A rim runs along the inside the size of the
child, cloths are attached inside this rim to the boards or back, and
the whole ornamented in various ways. The child is then bundled up,
inclosed in the rim, and the cloth covers strapped over it. This is
carried on their back, and at any time should the cradle fall the child
is protected by the bow across from touching the ground. These Indians
make a kind of sack with eyed holes in front of scarlet or blue cloth
ornamented with beads, and the child being well wrapped, all except the
head, it is placed in the sack and strapped up. There is no doubt but
this is the cause of their feet being straight, although they are not
intoed, as one would judge by their manner of walking. We can offer no
objection to this mode of caring for children. Their natural growth is
not affected thereby. At least it is the only method they could adopt
to answer in extremes of cold, heat, and rain, with infants on their
backs; besides their lodging affords little room for the conveniences
used by civilized persons for rearing children.
They are as careful of their offspring as their manner of life will
allow. Children are never weaned under 2 or 3 years old, giving for
their reason that it retards their growth, but most likely having
nothing but meat that a child can eat, they are obliged to do so. They
call their mother enaw (mother) and their father at-tai (father). They
address their children ma-chunk-she (my daughter) and ma-chink-she (my
son). No abbreviations are used. They call them also by their given or
proper names when there are several. There are no terms of endearment
further than humming songs and meaningless words, such as white nurses use to very small children.
댓글 없음:
댓글 쓰기