siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

SWANTONJ CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL LIFE 225
whether the importance of this feast was due wholly to white in-
fluence. Christmas is called in the Choctaw language Nafa iklanna,
" middle of winter." In preparation for a feast, when venison was
relied upon, hunters were appointed, to each of whom a territory
was assigned and he was directed to return in plenty of time so that
the cooking could be gotten out of the way and the young people
could dance. One of the principal dishes was composed of beef or
venison and corn cooked together in the manner elsewhere described.^^^
It was cooked in large pots, of which there might be from
three to five on the fire at a time. When the food was ready to serve,
certain men appointed for the purpose lifted these pots from the fire
and set them down on a table made of split pine logs. Other men
then served into each man's plate what was allotted to him, and still
ethers poured out the coffee or tea. Men were also appointed to fan
the meat continuously to keep the flies away. However, it is claimed
that if it was hung up above a certain height the flies would not
bother it.
The band captain now called out the name of each family in turn
and the members of it then marched up to the table and seated them-
selves. In olden times, and occasionally even now, the men ate be-
fore the women and children; later men and women sat on o^^posite
sides of the table. If the feast included all of the five bands, the
captains called them beginning with that farthest off. While they
were eating they preserved perfect order and the captains addressed
them all that time. The principal speaker, captain, or head chief,
did not eat until after the other men, but before the women and
children. After all had had enough, the head chief would call them
to order again and make a speech in which he recounted the facts
regarding their race and told them what they ought to do and what
they should refrain from doing. Every time he made a point they
cheered him. When he was through one of the band chiefs addressed
both men and women about the dances that were to take place that
night, laying down the regulations in accordance with which they
were to be conducted. Relatives were not permitted to dance to-
gether. No girl was allowed to dance with a boy unless the parents
on both sides agreed to it. " then than now."
Everything was much more harmonious
He added the following information regarding the green corn
dance. This was held in summer, probably in August, and during
it laws were made for the ensuing year. They then took time to
ferret out the relationship between every two families in order to
regulate the marriages properly. The dance lasted three days. As
many hunters were told off by the captains and chief as were needed
to supply a definite amount of game. The head chief himself
"' See p. 48.