INDIAN NOTES AND MONOGRAPHS
EDITED BY F. W. HODGE
A SERIES OF PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO THE AMERICAN ABORIGINES
RELIGION AND CEREMONIES OF THE LENAPE
BY M. R. HARRINGTON
NEW YORK MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN HEYE FOUNDATION 1921
RELIGION AND CEREMONIES OF THE LENAPE
BY M. R. HARRINGTON
CONTENTS
PAGE
Preface 13
CHAPTER I Pantheon 17 Supreme Being 18 Evil Spirit 24 Manĭʹtowŭk of the Four Directions 25 The Sun 27 The Moon 28 The Earth 28 Thunder Beings 29 Keepers of the Heavens 31 Mĭsinghâliʹkŭn, or Living Solid Face 32 Mother Corn 43
CHAPTER II Minor Deities 45 Doll Being 45 Tornado 47 Snow Boy 48 Comet 48 Evil Manĭʹtowŭk 49 Animal Spirits 49 Plant Spirits 51 Local Genii 51
CHAPTER III Survival of the Soul 52 The Soul 52 The Land of Spirits 52 Ghosts and Mediumship 54 Early Accounts 56 Penn 56 Brainerd 56 Zeisberger 57
CHAPTER IV Visions and Guardian Spirits 61 Initiation of Boys 63 Other Visions 64 The Guardian Spirit 65 Favored Individuals 66 Unami Examples 67 Minsi Examples 72 Historical References 77 Brainerd 77 Zeisberger 77 Loskiel 78 Heckewelder 78 Adams 80
CHAPTER V Unami Annual Ceremony 81 The Leader 81 Officers 84 Preparations 85 Ceremony Commenced 87 Chief’s Speech 87 Recital of Visions 92 Conclusion of Rites 96 Departure of the Hunters 97 Prayer for the Hunters 99 Return of the Hunters 100 New Fire 101 Use of Carved Drumsticks 101 Turtle Rattles 103 Phratry Prayers 104 Women’s Night 105 Conclusion of Ceremony 106 Payment of Attendants 107 Finale 108 Payment of Officers 110 Valuation of Wampum 111 Indian Comments on the Ceremony 111 Penn’s Account 115 Zeisberger’s Account 116 Adams’ Account 118 Another Form of the Annual Ceremony 122
CHAPTER VI Minsi Big House Ceremonies 127 Myth of Origin 127 Number of Ceremonies 128 Arrangement of the Big House 129 Preliminaries 132 Fire 132 Purification 133 Opening of the Ceremony 133 Chief’s Speech 133 Ceremonial Drink 134 Recital of Visions 135 Other Features 136 The Prayer Cry 136 Feast 137 Final Address 137 Conclusion of Rites 137 Grand River Version 138 Waunbuno’s Version 143
CHAPTER VII The Mĭsiʹngʷ‛ or Mask 146 Origin of the Mask and of the Big House 147 Mĭsiʹngʷ‛ Dance 152 Notification 152 Preparations 153 The Ceremony 153 Adams’ Account 154 Other Functions of Mĭsiʹngʷ‛ 156 Masks of the Minsi 158 The Mask Society 159 Ceremonies 159
CHAPTER VIII Minor Ceremonies 162 The Doll Being 162 Myth of Origin 162 Preparations for the Ceremony 163 The Doll Dance 164 Minsi Doll Ceremony 166 An Old Minsi Doll 168 An Early Account of Naniʹtĭs 169 Bear Ceremony 171 Traditional Origin 172 Preparations 172 The Rites 174 Otter Ceremony 176 Myth of Origin 176 The Ceremony 179 Buffalo Dance 182 Imported Ceremonies 183 Skeleton Dance 183 Peyote Rite 185 Paraphernalia 186 Officers 188 Conduct of the Ceremony 188 Ghost Dance 190
CHAPTER IX Summary 192 Religion 192 Ceremonies 196 Minor Ceremonies 198
Notes 201
Index 206
ILLUSTRATIONS
PLATES
PAGE
Conclusion of Lenape Annual Ceremony in Oklahoma. Native Painting by Ernest Spybuck, a Shawnee Frontispiece
I. Lenape Man and Woman of Oklahoma in Ceremonial Costume 22
II. Costume worn by Impersonator of Mĭsinghâliʹkŭn 34
III. Masks of the Minsi (After Peter Jones) 38
IV. Stone Head or Mĭsiʹngʷ‛, from Staten Island, N. Y. 42
V. Lenape Ceremonial House near Dewey, Oklahoma 82
VI. Lenape Annual Ceremony in Progress. Native Painting by Ernest Spybuck, a Shawnee 86
VII. Plan of Lenape Ceremonial House and Grounds 94
VIII. “Nahneetis, the Guardian of Health.” 168
IX. The Peyote Rite among the Lenape. Native Painting by Ernest Spybuck, a Shawnee 186
FIGURES
1. Mask of the Oklahoma Lenape 32
2. Rattle of Turtleshell used by Mĭsiʹngʷ‛ 33
3. Charm representing Mĭsinghâliʹkŭn 37
4. Mask from the Canadian Lenape 39
5. Stone Head or Mĭsiʹngʷ‛ 40
6. Central Post of Ceremonial House showing Carved Face 83
7. Side Posts of Ceremonial House showing Carved Faces 84
8. Ceremonial Fire-drill used at the Annual Ceremony 86
9. Rattle of Land-tortoise Shell, used by Celebrants at the Annual Ceremony 93
10. Drum made of Dried Deerskin, used at the Annual Ceremony 94
11. Sacred Drumsticks, used at the Annual Ceremony 102
12. a, Plain Drumstick used at the Annual Ceremony. b, Prayerstick 102
13. Paint-dish of Bark, used at the Annual Ceremony 105
14. Drum of Dried Deerskin. Minsi type 129
15. a, Drumstick, Minsi type. b, Prayerstick 130
16. a, Regalia of Otter-skin used in the Otter Rite. b, Regalia as worn 178
17. Flint and Steel used in the Otter Rite 180
18. Rattle or Land-tortoise Shell used in the Otter Rite 181
19. Peyote “Button” 185