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The Soul of the Indian
by Charles A。 Eastman
An Interpretation
BY
CHARLES ALEXANDER EASTMAN
（OHIYESA）
TO MY WIFE
ELAINE GOODALE EASTMAN
IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF HER
EVER…INSPIRING COMPANIONSHIP
IN THOUGHT AND WORK
AND IN LOVE OF HER MOST
INDIAN…LIKE VIRTUES
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
I speak for each no…tongued tree
That； spring by spring； doth nobler be；
And dumbly and most wistfully
His mighty prayerful arms outspreads；
And his big blessing downward sheds。
SIDNEY LANIER。
But there's a dome of nobler span；
A temple given
Thy faith； that bigots dare not ban
Its space is heaven！
It's roof star…pictured Nature's ceiling；
Where； trancing the rapt spirit's feeling；
And God Himself to man revealing；
Th' harmonious spheres
Make music； though unheard their pealing
By mortal ears！
THOMAS CAMPBELL。
God！ sing ye meadow streams with gladsome voice！
Ye pine…groves； with your soft and soul…like sounds！
Ye eagles； playmates of the mountain storm！
Ye lightnings； the dread arrows of the clouds！
Ye signs and wonders of the elements；
Utter forth God； and fill the hills with praise！ 。 。 。
Earth； with her thousand voices； praises GOD！
COLERIDGE。
FOREWORD
〃We also have a religion which was given to our forefathers；
and has been handed down to us their children。 It teaches us to be
thankful； to be united； and to love one another！ We never quarrel
about religion。〃
Thus spoke the great Seneca orator； Red Jacket； in his superb
reply to Missionary Cram more than a century ago； and I have often
heard the same thought expressed by my countrymen。
I have attempted to paint the religious life of the typical
American Indian as it was before he knew the white man。 I
have long wished to do this； because I cannot find that it has ever
been seriously； adequately； and sincerely done。 The religion of
the Indian is the last thing about him that the man of another race
will ever understand。
First； the Indian does not speak of these deep matters so long
as he believes in them； and when he has ceased to believe he speaks
inaccurately and slightingly。
Second； even if he can be induced to speak； the racial and
religious prejudice of the other stands in the way of his
sympathetic comprehension。
Third； practically all existing studies on this subject
have been made during the transition period； when the original
beliefs and philosophy of the native American were already
undergoing rapid disintegration。
There are to be found here and there superficial accounts of
strange customs and ceremonies； of which the symbolism or inner
meaning was largely hidden from the observer； and there has been a
great deal of material collected in recent years which is without
value because it is modern and hybrid； inextricably mixed with
Biblical legend and Caucasian philosophy。 Some of it has even been
invented for commercial purposes。 Give a reservation Indian
a present； and he will possibly provide you with sacred songs； a
mythology； and folk…lore to order！
My little book does not pretend to be a scientific treatise。
It is as true as I can make it to my childhood teaching and
ancestral ideals； but from the human； not the ethnological
standpoint。 I have not cared to pile up more dry bones； but to
clothe them with flesh and blood。 So much as has been written by
strangers of our ancient faith and worship treats it chiefly as
matter of curiosity。 I should like to emphasize its universal
quality； its personal appeal！
The first missionaries； good men imbued with the narrowness of
their age； branded us as pagans and devil…worshipers； and demanded
of us that we abjure our false gods before bowing the knee at their
sacred altar。 They even told us that we were eternally lost；
unless we adopted a tangible symbol and professed a particular form
of their hydra…headed faith。
We of the twentieth century know better！ We know that all
religious aspiration； all sincere worship； can have but one source
and one goal。 We know that the God of the lettered and the
unlettered； of the Greek and the barbarian； is after all the same
God； and； like Peter； we perceive that He is no respecter
of persons； but that in every nation he that feareth Him and
worketh righteousness is acceptable to Him。
CHARLES A。 EASTMAN （OHIYESA）
CONTENTS
I。 THE GREAT MYSTERY 1
II。 THE FAMILY ALTAR 25
III。 CEREMONIAL AND SYMBOLIC WORSHIP 51
IV。 BARBARISM AND THE MORAL CODE 85
V。 THE UNWRITTEN SCRIPTURES 117
VI。 ON THE BORDER…LAND OF SPIRITS 147
I
THE GREAT MYSTERY
THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN
I
THE GREAT MYSTERY
Solitary Worship。 The Savage Philosopher。 The Dual Mind。
Spiritual Gifts versus Material Progress。 The Paradox of
〃Christian Civilization。〃
The original attitude of the American Indian toward the Eternal；
the 〃Great Mystery〃 that surrounds and embraces us； was as simple
as it was exalted。 To him it was the supreme conception； bringing
with it the fullest measure of joy and satisfaction possible in
this life。
The worship of the 〃Great Mystery〃 was silent； solitary； free
from all self…seeking。 It was silent； because all speech is of
necessity feeble and imperfect； therefore the souls of my ancestors
ascended to God in wordless adoration。 It was solitary； because
they believed that He is nearer to us in solitude； and there were
no priests authorized to come between a man and his Maker。 None
might exhort or confess or in any way meddle with the religious
experience of another。 Among us all men were created sons of God
and stood erect； as conscious of their divinity。 Our faith might
not be formulated in creeds； nor forced upon any who were
unwilling to receive it； hence there was no preaching； proselyting；
nor persecution； neither were there any scoffers or atheists。
There were no temples or shrines among us save those of
nature。 Being a natural man； the Indian was intensely poetical。
He would deem it sacrilege to build a house for Him who may be met
face to face in the mysterious； shadowy aisles of the primeval
forest； or on the sunlit bosom of virgin prairies； upon dizzy
spires and pinnacles of naked rock； and yonder in the jeweled vault
of the night sky！ He who enrobes Himself in filmy veils of cloud；
there on the rim of the visible world where our
Great…Grandfather Sun kindles his evening camp…fire； He who rides
upon the rigorous wind of the north； or breathes forth His spirit
upon aromatic southern airs； whose war…canoe is launched upon
majestic rivers and inland seasHe needs no lesser cathedral！
That solitary communion with the Unseen which was the highest
expression of our religious life is partly described in the word
bambeday； literally 〃mysterious feeling；〃 which has been
variously translated 〃fasting〃 and 〃dreaming。〃 It may better be
interpreted as 〃consciousness of the divine。〃
The first bambeday； or religious retreat； marked
an epoch in the life of the youth； which may be compared to that of
confirmation or conversion in Christian experience。 Having first
prepared himself by means of the purifying vapor…bath； and cast off
as far as possible all human or fleshly influences； the young man
sought out the noblest height； the most commanding summit in all
the surrounding region。 Knowing that God sets no value upon
material things； he took with him no offerings or sacrifices other
than symbolic objects； such as paints and tobacco。 Wishing to
appear before Him in all humility； he wore no clothing save his
moccasins and breech…clout。 At the solemn hour of sunrise or
sunset he took up his position； overlooking the glories of earth
and facing the 〃Great Mystery；〃 and there he remained； naked；
erect； silent； and motionless； exposed to the elements and forces
of His arming； for a night and a day to two days and nights； but
rarely longer。 Sometimes he would chant a hymn without words； or
offer the ceremonial 〃filled pipe。〃 In this holy trance or ecstasy
the Indian mystic found his highest happiness and the motive power
of his existence。
When he returned to the camp； he must remain at a distance
until he had again entered the vapor…bath and prepared
himself for intercourse with his fellows。 Of the vision or sign
vouchsafed to him he did not speak； unless it had included some
commission which must be publicly fulfilled。 Sometimes an old man；
standing upon the brink of eternity； might reveal to a chosen few
the oracle of his long…past youth。
The native American has been generally despised by his white
conquerors for his poverty and simplicity。 They forget； perhaps；
that his religion forbade the accumulation of wealth and the
enjoyment of luxury。 To him； as to other single…minded men in
every age and race； from Diogenes to the brothers of Saint
Francis； from the Montanists to the Shakers； the love of
possessions has appeared a snare； and the burdens of a complex
society a source of needless peril and temptation。 Furthermore； it
was the rule of his life to share the fruits of his skill and
success with his less fortunate brothers。 Thus he kept his spirit
free from the clog of pride； cupidity； or envy； and carried out； as
he believed； the divine decreea matter profoundly important to
him。
It was not； then； wholly from ignorance or improvidence that
he failed to establish permanent towns and to develop a material
civilization。 To the untutored sage； the concentration of
population was the prolific mother of all evils； moral no less than
physical。 He argued that food is good； while surfeit kills； that
love is good； but lust destroys； and not les
