Page:The American Indian.djvu/230

184 bearing the ruler in a litter was also found here. The widespread use of the "black drink," a purifying emetic, also reminds one of Pueblo practices. Finally, certain special maize ceremonies are found throughout the whole extent of maize culture, though the farther we get from Mexico and Peru, the weaker these become.

Among the Central Algonkin tribes of the Great Lakes we have another ritualistic form in the sense that it does not pertain to agriculture or to a yearly cycle. Its most complete expression seems to be the Midé ritual which concerns itself with the spiritual relations between the individual and the powers above. The spectacular public performance of pretending to pass, or "shoot" a shell into the initiate is the best known objective feature of this ceremony. Important parts of the ritual are recorded on bark tablets so that we see here also the beginnings of written records.

In the Plains area, beyond the encroachments of maize culture, we have the sun dance festival which seems to have been the occasion for the fulfilling of conventional vows made during the preceding year, but we also have a considerable development of the ceremonial pipe ritual, shared with certain contiguous tribes to the east. In California, ritualistic performance is very inconspicuous, which in contrast to what is observed elsewhere presents this culture as one of very little interest here.

The only other part of North America where ritualism is prominent is among the Pacific Coast tribes of Canada and southern Alaska. Here, perhaps more than elsewhere, the social group, clan or gens, is the keeper of special rituals and is wholly responsible for the ceremonies based upon the same. One idea, or pattern, seems to dominate these rituals, viz., the paying of proper homage to one's supernatural clan ancestors. In fact, the ritualistic ceremonies of the whole salmon area are little more than staged demonstrations of the clan, or family, origin myth. The principal features of these "ritualistic plays" are the impersonations of the animal-like monsters who are the true heroes of the myths. For this very elaborate masks are prepared, some of which have movable eyes, ears,