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 | | Historical Readings about the Spokane Indians | |
Nicholas Point, S.J. describes the Salish in the 1840s
Nicolas Point was a Jesuit missionary who lived among
the Coeur d'Alenes and the Flathead Indians in the early 1840s.
The following is an excerpt from his journals. It describes the general
conduct of the Indians and their
Calumet Ceremony at that time.
"Calumet" is another word for the Native American "peace pipe".
"After the women, the grand chief has the most
responsibility on his shoulders. He must lead the
group, choose the campsites, show to everyone an
example of courage and vigilance. The heads of
families stand guard at night and hunt during the
day. The young people pass their time doing nothing
and at night they enjoy undisturbed sleep. The little
children eat and amuse themselves from morning to night.
Strangely, they never seem to quarrel..."
"It is commonly known that among the Indians the calumet,
the symbol of amity, is still the principal instrument of
the cult. Formerly, the Flatheads would not have failed to
offer the first fruits to the Sun and the Earth and they
would have considered themselves blameworthy, indeed, if,
in passing the sacred calumet from one to the other they
failed in even the slightest proper ceremonial detail. But
now all they attempt while smoking is to maintain with decorum
the rules of civility. Usage requires that the youngest prepare
the tobacco. He always mixes in with it a kind of small leaf, called
by the Indians Kinnikinnik, which enters into the composition of the
calumet's contents only for the purpose of tempering its force or,
even more important, of making the principal component stretch further.
It is for the most honorable member of the group to light
the calumet thus prepared, and his neighbor offers him fire
for this purpose. Once lighted, the calumet makes the rounds,
going from right to left. Each smoker contents himself with
two or three inhalations. These inhalations vary according
to the manners of the smoker. The elegant ones exhale the
smoke through the nose; or, if they exhale it through the
mouth, it must be in such a manner that the smoke comes out
diagonally. Smoking time is during conversations. The speech
of the Indian under these circumstances has something solemn
about it. He gives each word the proper intonation and the
words are always accompanied by a gesture. His gestures are
so thoroughly in accord with his thought that, with their
help and the help of a few conventional signs, persons
speaking an entirely different language can understand
each other. I have seen Indians engage in long
conversations of this kind without missing
anything that they desired to communicate
to each other. This talent has been acquired and
perfected as a result of the need for speaking with
people whose language they do not know.
When the Indians are among their equals, or when
their superiors set them the example, their
conversation is sometimes intermixed with little
jokes. The Flathead rarely laughs out loud, but
his smile has something at the same time naive
and spiritual. What usually excites them most is the
memory of old practices in the worship of their
manitous or the recollection of how awkward they
were when they tried out the implements of civilization.
"The first time I saw a rifle," the old chief told me,
"I wanted to put it to use before I had learned how to
handle it. To get a better aim, instead of resting the
stock against my shoulder, I supported it against the
thing in the middle of my face. I pulled the trigger.
Alas! My poor nose." He ended his little story with
a smile.
Sometimes it is good to permit oneself a little
pleasantry to erase the frown from the face of
an Indian. One should do this rarely and the humorous
remark should be an adroit one, otherwise the Indians,
who are like children, too readily lose their respect
if or the missionary]. Besides, the Flathead, who is
naturally a shrewd observer, can jest with finesse.
It is necessary to be clever at repartee if you do
not wish to be bested."
from
Wilderness Kingdom: Indian Life in the Rocky Mountains: 1840-1847 -
The Journals & Paintings of Nicholas Point, S.J.,
translated and introduced by Joseph P. Donnelly, S.J.,
Holt, Rinehart and Winston: NY 1967, pages 147, 150
Last Updated
December 21, 2004
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