An Introduction to the Mortuary Customs of the North American Indians

An Introduction to the Mortuary
Customs of the North American
Indians

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Title: An introduction to the mortuary customs of the North American
Indians
Author: C.H. Yarrow

Release Date: September, 2004 [EBook #6462] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on December 17,
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Language: English
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MORTUARY CUSTOMS ***

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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION--BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY
J.W. POWELL DIRECTOR
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF MORTUARY CUSTOMS
AMONG THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS
BY DR. H. C. YARROW ACT ASST SU G USA
WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1880

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY
_Washington D. C. July 8, 1880_
This little volume is the third of a series designed to promote
anthropologic researches among the North American Indians. The first
was prepared by myself and entitled "Introduction to the Study of
Indian Languages," the second by Col. Garrick Mallery entitled
Introduction to the Study of Sign Language among the North American
Indians.
The following are in course of preparation and will soon appear.
Introduction to the Study of Medicine Practices among the North
American Indians

Introduction to the Study of Mythology among the North American
Indians
Introduction to the Study of Sociology among the North American
Indians
The mortuary customs of savage or barbaric people have a deep
significance from the fact that in them are revealed much of the
philosophy of the people by whom they are practiced. Early beliefs
concerning the nature of human existence in life and after death and the
relations of the living to the dead are recorded in these customs. The
mystery concerning the future love for the departed who were loved
while here, reverence for the wise and good who may after death be
wiser and better, hatred and fear of those who were enemies here and
may have added powers of enmity in the hereafter--all these and like
considerations have led in every tribe to a body of customs of
exceeding interest as revealing the opinions, the philosophy of the
people themselves.
In these customs, also are recorded evidences of the social condition of
the people, the affection in which friends and kindred are held, the very
beginnings of altruism in primitive life.
In like manner these customs constitute a record of the moral condition
of the people, as in many ways they exhibit the ethic standards by
which conduct in human life is judged. For such reasons the study of
mortuary customs is of profound interest to the anthropologist.
It is hoped that by this method of research the observations of many
men may be brought together and placed on permanent record, and that
the body of material may be sufficient, by a careful comparative study,
to warrant some general discussion concerning the philosophy of this
department of human conduct.
General conclusions can be reached with safety only after materials
from many sources have been obtained. It will not be safe for the
collector to speculate much upon that which he observes. His own
theory or explanation of customs will be of little worth, but the theory
and explanation given by the Indians will be of the greatest value. What
do the Indians do, and say, and believe? When these are before us it
matters little whether our generalizations be true or false. Wiser men
may come and use the facts to a truer purpose. It is proposed to make a
purely objective study of the Indians, and, as far as possible, to leave

the record unmarred by vain subjective speculations.
The student who is pursuing his researches in this field should carefully
note all