Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

SiECHTs] THE SWIMMER MANUSCRIPT 135
case was cited by one informant : When he was a boy (about 50 years
ago) the members of the tribe were still drawing an annual pension of
$50 in gold from the Government, Once a girl died and it happened
that her annual pension arrived the same day. Her mother insisted
that the golden coins be buried with her in the cofiin. And so it was
done.
The body is not put into the coffin until two or three hours before
burial. Prior to this the corpse, all dressed up, is laid on wooden
boards (pi. 9, b) in a sUghtly slanting position, the head being raised
about 60 centimeters, the feet about 30 centimeters above the ground,
A sheet is thrown over the body, covering it completely. Whenever
anyone comes in to see the corpse the sheet is thrown back from the
face (pi. 9, b); the visitor just looks at the face for a few minutes;
he neither
speaking.
addresses it nor touches it; he then goes away without
The body is kept in the house two or three days. From myths,
traditions, and hazy recollections of some of the medicine men, it
would appear that this period used to be a longer one^— possibly seven
days— in former times, but now the Government officials do not permit
so long a delay.
While the corpse is still in the house, relatives, friends, and neighbors
gather during the nights and in turn half of their number watch
and sometimes sing, while the others sleep.
Of this watching the meaning is now lost, but the object of it must
originally have been to prevent the witches from coming and "stealing
the liver" of the corpse.
As for the singing, aboriginal dirges seem to have been completely
lost, and when any singing is done at all some Cherokee Christian
hymn (cf. Cherokee hymn book) is sung. The hymn selected depends
solely on the repertory at the command of the gathering.
If this singing takes place, men as well as women may join in it.
After the death of a member of the settlement, no winter provisions,
preserves, etc., are to be touched for four (others say for seven) days.
As soon as it is known that a death has occurred provisions are immediately
to be prepared for four (or seven) days, so that they do
not have to be touched for that period; since provisions, if they are
not let alone for the first few days following a death, "will be exhausted
in no time."
Attention may once again be drawn to the purificatory rite observed
by the medicine man who was in charge of the patient before his
death. (See p. 103.)
The coffin is made by two men acting under a foreman. This
"company" is elected for the term of a year, at the same time as the
"grave-digging company" (cf. infra) and the chief of the settlement
(see p. 80).