File:Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (1901) (14596336090).jpg

Identifier: annualreportofbu23smit (find matches)
Title: Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology
Subjects: Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology Ethnology Indians
Publisher: Washington : U. S. Govt. Print. Off.
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Kahle/Austin Foundation and Omidyar Network

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. Theprimitive mans world abounds in perplexing mysteries. All that hisuntutored mind fails to comprehend is associated with some occultpower. This is the condition in which we find the North AmericanIndians. These people are in constant terror of being conjured.Young mothers especialU are solicitous for their infants, since thesearc the targets for the venom of diabolical beings. The childs headand face are always covered when a supposed witch approaches.Again, no man or woman who is reduced to poveity or has some phys-ical deformity, especially any peculiarity that might be taken for theevil eye, or has made an enemy of a prominent member of the tribe,feels safe from accusation. The owner of tine beads and other adorn-ments experiences nuich bitter with the sweet of possession becauseof the fear that some witch, prompted by jealousy, will strike himwith disease. Moonlight is a great boon to those who must go aboutat night, for it enables them to identify suspicious objects. Thev saj
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STEVENSONl WITCHCRAFT 393 that witches love the night ami lui-k in shadows and darkness. Witchesare Itolieved to bo, able to assume the shape of beasts, and the domesticcat, on account of its stealthy habits and its al)ilitv to pass throuohsmall openings, is a favorite form. The philosophy of these people is such that though the witch mayhe regarded as all powerful, none but the poor and unfortunate arecondemned. Few others are even brought to trial, for althougli itmay be whispered about that certain ones are witches, their promi-nence prevents public accusation. Several years ago the droughts werevery serious, and a retired sun priest was suspected and impeached,and his place was tilled b) another. The people whispered amongthem.selves, He is a sorcerer. This man was in fact far superior inintelligence to his successor, who miscalculated altogether the wintersolstice in isy^, and consecpiently threw the winter ceremonies out oftime, much to the disgust of the wiser heads in Zufii, w

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