ON THE NORTH-WESTERN TRIBES OF CANADA. 39

—_—_——_— +

|
|
|
|
|
i
|
|

BS) Esai on a gene SS ee = :

eo eg 5 oe Oo 066 ZF oe - ee gh ws eee @
a-la-wia-6 a - a- la-wia-6 a - la- wia- oO a - la - wid - 6.
Nac-wi-to-ah a - a- la-wia-6 a - la- wia-o a -la- wia - 6.

Le., I, Nacwitdah, have missed it.

Lullaby.
2 Sa
eet eg gS eg ee gg Sgr aa Senet
Teatei - nad - ha ica - tei - nd - ha _ tca- tcik-stcik-

a ee em ae a
== SS 3 ae =
fag ot Fe oe =

ma-hé tei - a = tA-hd& tcartd mits tea - tel - la.

Le., See the mink there diving between the islands.

CusTOMS REFERRING TO BirtH, Puserty, MARRIAGE, AND DEATH.

The customs referring to birth seem to be almost the same as those
of the Lku‘figen. During the period of pregnancy the woman must not
wear bracelets and anklets. After the child is born the father must
clean himself by bathing ina pond. For four days he is forbidden to go
inacanoe. He and also the young mother are forbidden to partake of
fresh food. The former must speak in whispers only. The infant’s
head is flattened in acradle, which is very much like that of the Lku’igEn
+» construction. The cradle is either made of wood or plaited of strips
of cedar-bark. Immediately after birth the eyebrows of the babe are
pushed upward, its belly is pressed forward, and the calves of the leg
are squeezed from the ankles upward. All these manipulations are
believed to improve the appearance of the child. It is believed that the
pressing of the eyebrows will give them the peculiar shape that may be
seen in all carvings of the Indians of the North Pacific coast. The
squeezing of the legs is intended to produce slim ankles. It 1s, however,
probable that these manipulations have no lasting effect.

Numerous regulations refer to the birth of twins. The parents of
twins must build a small hut in the woods, far from the village. There
they have to stay two years. The father must continue to clean himself
by bathing in ponds for a whole year, and must keep his face painted
red, While bathing he sings certain songs that are only used on this
occasion. Both parents must keep away from the people. They must
not eat, or even touch, fresh food, particularly salmon. Wooden images
and masks, representing birds and fish, are placed around the hut, and
others, representing fish near the river, on the bank of which the hut
stands. ‘The object of these masks is to invite ail birds and fish to come
and see the twins, and to be friendly to them. They are in constant
danger of being carried away by spirits, and the masks and images—or
rather the animals which they represent—will avert this danger. The
twins are believed to be in some way related to salmon, although they

naa
a. a

RD SE