第 5 节
作者:竹水冷      更新:2021-02-19 00:59      字数:9322
  spirit; deed names; birth names; or such as have a religious and symbolic
  meaning。       It   has   been   said   that   when   a   child   is   born;   some   accident   or
  unusual   appearance   determines   his   name。           This   is   sometimes   the   case;
  but is not the rule。       A man of forcible character; with a fine war record;
  usually   bears   the   name   of   the   buffalo   or   bear;   lightning   or   some   dread
  natural force。      Another of more peaceful nature may be called Swift Bird
  or   Blue   Sky。    A  woman's   name   usually   suggested   something   about   the
  home;      often   with    the   adjective    〃pretty〃    or  〃good;〃     and   a   feminine
  termination。      Names of any dignity or importance must be conferred by
  the old men; and especially so if they have any spiritual significance; as
  Sacred   Cloud;   Mysterious   Night;   Spirit   Woman;   and   the   like。          Such   a
  name was sometimes borne by three generations; but each individual must
  prove that he is worthy of it。
  In the life of the Indian there was only one inevitable duty;the duty
  of   prayerthe   daily   recognition   of   the   Unseen   and   Eternal。       His   daily
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  devotions   were   more   necessary   to   him   than   daily   food。           He   wakes   at
  daybreak;   puts   on   his   moccasins   and   steps   down           to   the   water's   edge。
  Here he throws handfuls of clear; cold water into his face; or plunges in
  bodily。     After the bath; he stands erect before the advancing dawn; facing
  the   sun   as   it   dances   upon   the   horizon;   and   offers   his   unspoken   orison。
  His     mate    may     precede     or   follow    him    in   his   devotions;     but    never
  accompanies him。 Each soul must meet the morning sun; the new; sweet
  earth; and the Great Silence alone!
  Whenever; in the course of the daily hunt; the red hunter comes upon a
  scene that is strikingly beautiful or sublimea black thundercloud with the
  rainbow's glowing arch above the mountain; a white waterfall in the heart
  of   a   green   gorge;   a   vast   prairie   tinged   with   the   blood…red   of   sunsethe
  pauses   for   an   instant   in   the   attitude   of   worship。    He   sees   no   need   for
  setting   apart   one   day   in   seven   as   a   holy   day;   since   to   him   all   days   are
  God's。
  Every   act   of   his   life   is;   in   a   very   real   sense;   a   religious   act。 He
  recognizes   the   spirit   in   all   creation;   and   believes   that   he   draws   from   it
  spiritual   power。      His   respect   for   the   immortal   part   of   the   animal;   his
  brother; often leads him so far as to lay out the body of his game in state
  and decorate the head   with symbolic paint or   feathers。                   Then   he   stands
  before it in the prayer attitude; holding up the filled pipe; in token that he
  has    freed   with    honor    the   spirit  of   his  brother;    whose     body    his   need
  compelled him to take to sustain his own life。
  When food is taken; the woman murmurs a 〃grace〃 as she lowers the
  kettle; an act so softly and unobtrusively performed that one who does not
  know the custom usually fails to catch the whisper: 〃Spirit; partake!〃                       As
  her    husband      receives     the   bowl     or   plate;   he   likewise     murmurs       his
  invocation to the spirit。         When he becomes an old man; he loves to make
  a notable effort to prove his gratitude。             He cuts off the choicest morsel of
  the meat and casts it into the firethe purest and most ethereal element。
  The hospitality of the wigwam is only limited by the institution of war。
  Yet;    if  an  enemy      should    honor    us   with    a  call;  his   trust  will   not   be
  misplaced;   and he   will go   away  convinced   that   he   has   met   with   a   royal
  host!     Our honor is the guarantee for his safety; so long as he is within the
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  camp。
  Friendship is held to be the severest test of character。               It is easy; we
  think;   to   be   loyal   to   family   and   clan;   whose   blood   is   in   our   own   veins。
  Love between   man and   woman is   founded on the mating   instinct and is
  not free from desire and self…seeking。            But to have a friend; and to be true
  under any and all trials; is the mark of a man!
  The   highest   type   of   friendship   is   the   relation   of   〃brother…friend〃   or
  〃life…and…death   friend。〃   This   bond   is   between   man   and   man;   is   usually
  formed in early youth; and can only be broken by death。 It is the essence
  of comradeship and fraternal love; without thought of pleasure or gain; but
  rather for moral support and inspiration。 Each is vowed to die for the other;
  if need be; and nothing is denied the brother…friend; but neither is anything
  required that   is not   in accord  with the highest conceptions   of the  Indian
  mind。
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  III CEREMONIAL AND
  SYMBOLIC WORSHIP
  Modern Perversions of Early Religious Rites。             The Sun Dance。        The
  Great   Medicine   Lodge。      Totems   and   Charms。      The Vapor…Bath   and   the
  Ceremonial of the Pipe。
  The   public   religious   rites   of   the   Plains   Indians   are   few;   and   in   large
  part   of  modern     origin;  belonging    properly    to  the  so…called   〃transition
  period。〃    That period must be held to begin with the first insidious effect
  upon   their   manners   and   customs   of   contact   with   the dominant   race;   and
  many of the tribes were so influenced long before they ceased to lead the
  nomadic life。
  The fur…traders; the 〃Black Robe〃 priests; the military; and finally the
  Protestant missionaries; were the men who began the disintegration of the
  Indian    nations   and   the  overthrow     of  their  religion;   seventy…five    to  a
  hundred years before they were forced to enter upon reservation life。               We
  have no authentic study of them until well along in the transition period;
  when whiskey and trade had already debauched their native ideals。
  During     the  era   of  reconstruction    they   modified    their  customs    and
  beliefs continually; creating a singular admixture of Christian with pagan
  superstitions; and an addition to the old folk…lore of disguised Bible stories
  under   an   Indian   aspect。   Even   their   music   shows   the   influence   of   the
  Catholic chants。      Most of the material collected by modern observers is
  necessarily of this promiscuous character。
  It is noteworthy that the first effect of contact with the whites was an
  increase of cruelty and barbarity; an   intensifying of the dark shadows in
  the  picture!    In   this   manner   the   〃Sun   Dance〃   of   the   Plains   Indians;   the
  most important of their public ceremonials; was abused and perverted until
  it   became     a  horrible    exhibition    of  barbarism;     and   was    eventually
  prohibited by the Government。
  In the old days; when a Sioux warrior found himself in the very jaws
  of destruction; he might offer a prayer to his father; the Sun; to prolong his
  life。   If rescued from imminent danger; he must acknowledge the divine
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  favor   by   making   a   Sun   Dance;   according   to   the   vow   embraced   in   his
  prayer; in which he declared that he did not fear torture or death; but asked
  life only for the sake of those who loved him。                   Thus the physical ordeal
  was   the   fulfillment   of   a   vow;   and   a   sort   of   atonement   for   what   might
  otherwise   appear   to   be   reprehensible   weakness   in   the   face   of   death。         It
  was in the nature of confession and thank…offering to the 〃Great Mystery;〃
  through   the   physical   parent;   the   Sun;   and   did   not   embrace   a   prayer   for
  future favors。
  The ceremonies usually took place from six months to a year after the
  making   of   the   vow;   in   order   to   admit   of   suitable   preparation;   always   in
  midsummer and before a large and imposing gathering。                          They naturally
  included   the   making   of   a   feast;   and   the   giving   away   of   much   savage
  wealth in honor of the occasion; although these were n