siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

SWANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL LIFE 15
One of the Isht ahullos," who was an old man, and who had long been a
secret teacher, among the women and children, on the nature and wants of the
spirit world and the causes that made it necessary to pack the bones of the
dead, arose from his seat and said
" Some people can make very light talk about the bones of our deceased
friends and relatives. Those sacred relics of our loved ones, who have passed
away from our sight are to be irreverently stigmatized by the name of ' oppressive
burthen,' ' useless incumbrance,' and the like. Awful ! And it was our
chief who could dare to apply the uncivil epithet to the precious and far-fetched
treasures. From all these things, I am forced, unwillingly, to infer that the
next thing the chief has to propose for your consideration will be for you to
cast away this ' oppressive burthen.' Shameful ! ( Hofahya. ) This thing must
not be. This people must not cast away the precious remains of the fathers
and mothers of this nation. They are charged by the spirits, who are hovering
thick around us now, to take care of them ; and carry them whithersoever the
nation moves. And this we must not, we dare not fail to do. Were we to cast
away the boues of our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, for the wild dogs
to gnaw in the wilderness, our hunters could kill no more meat ; hunger and
disease would follow ; then contusion and death would come ; and the wild dogs
would become fat on the unscaffolded carcasses of this unfeeling nation of
forgetful people. The vengeance of the offended spirits would be poured out
upon this foolish nation."
The council before which the Isht ahullo made this appeal to the religious
sentiment of the tribe was only an assembly of the leaders of the iksas. The
people were not present, and did not hear it. The chief, however, was fully
apprised of the secret action of these bad men ; and to counteract their dark
and mischievous influence on the minds of the people, he dismissed the Isht
ahuUos, and leaders of the iksas, with a severe reprimand, telling them plainly
that he had no further business for them to attend to. Then turning to the
Isht ahullo, and at the same time pointing at him with an arrow, [he] said
"Wlieu you again get in council with the lazy, bad hearted men to which
you belong, tell them that the time has come when you must be cautious how
you meddle with the affairs of this nation. Hear my words."
The minko, returning to his tent, sent for Long Arrow, to whom he communicated
his designs as to the disposition of the dry bones ; after which he
directed him to send the tool carriers to the iksas, and instruct them to summon
every man, woman and child, except the leaders of the clans and the conjurers
of all grades. The minko said
" Tell the people to assemble at the dance ground early in the day, to-
morrow. I wish to consult them on important national business. Let the
people, except those I have named, all know it before they sleep."
lu accordance with the notice sent by the chief, the entire tribe, male and
female, old and young, except the yushpakammi ^° and the leaders, came. These
were not found in the great assembly. But the healthy, clean washed, bright,
cheerful people were all present, and seated at the time the minko came to his
place on the council ground.
The minko looked around on the multitude, and very calmly speaking, ad-
dressed them as follows
" It is to you my brothers, my sisters, my countrymen, that I wish to declare
my thoughts this day. I look around upon the bright, cheerful countenances of
the multitude and I feel assured that you will hear my words ; and that you
will hearken to my counsel.;. You are a great people, a wonderful people, a
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