Identifier: annualreport6621912newy (find matches)
Title: Annual report
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: New York State Museum
Subjects: New York State Museum Science Science
Publisher: Albany : University of the State of New York
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
e office of song-holder by the CattaraugusSeneca is hereditary to the name Odankot, Sunshine. The presentsong-holder of the Ganundase lodge, the pagan lodge at New-town, Cataraugus reservation, is a youth who is learning the song,George Pierce, the former Odankot, having recently died.Visitors may listen to the songs in an outer room, but are debarredfrom viewing the mysteries. Each member, on entering, de-posits his medicine packet on the Altar of the Mystery and placeshis contribution of tobacco in the corn-husk basket. The tobaccois thrown into the fire by the invoker as he chants his prayer tothe Creator, the Thunder Spirit, and to the Great Darkness. The n8 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM flute-song is played during the second and third sections. Atthe close of the ceremony a pigs head is passed and pieces ofthe boiled meat are torn from the head with the teeth, the mem-bers cawing in imitation of crows. In early times a bears headwas eaten. The food is then distributed, and the meeting or
Text Appearing After Image:
Fig. 3 The medicine outfit, husk tray, medicine bundle, rattle and flute sitting is concluded. The ceremony commences at about noclock p. in. and is adjourned at daybreak. The sun must netsee the rites. The business of the society is all conducted beforethe ceremony commences: reports of the officers are given and thetreasurers report read. The paraphernalia of this society consistof the medicine bundles, the flute, gourd rattles for each singer, thesacred tobacco basket and a bark dipper. The necessary furnish-ings are a table and a fireplace, these being the altars. and a lamp.The medicine is not used in the ceremonies ; it is simply sungfor. Its power is conserved for use by the medicine people in heal-ing ceremonies. The singing of the ritual is conducted in totaldarkness, the lights being brought in only during the intermissions. THE CODE OF HANDSOME LAKE IIO, DEWANONDIISSOnDAIKTA, PYGMY SOCIETY, THE DARK DANCE CEREMONY The ritual of this society consists of 102 songs, divided in

Note About Images