[page 27]


23.

23.

One of them had a very small and roughly made wooden drum, and was beating a strange rhythm with the help of a mallet, while the others were dancing in place in a surprising way, completely nude, save the animal skins they wore on their legs and that came up to the knee, above their knees the thighs were nude, just like their torsos, they had wrapped the braided tree bark loincloths around themselves to hide their private parts: the whole of their bodies was painted with multiple colors, their hair was colored red and decorated with all kinds of feathers etc.[89]

ihre Art! Einer von ihnen hatte ein gantz kleine von Holtz schlecht gemachte Trommel und schluge ein absconder-lichen Tack mit ein Schlegel darauf, die andern dantzten auf eine wunderbahre Art auf einem Platz herum, gantz nackend ausser an den Beinen hatten sie Thierhäute biß an die Knie, oberhalb den Knien waren ihre Schenkel bloß, wie auch der gantze Körber am Oberleibe, ihren Schaam hatten sie mit geflochtner Baumrinde umgürdet : Den gantzen Leib hatten sie von allerley Farben gemahlt, wie auch ihre Haare gantz roth ge-färbet, nebst mit allen Sorten Federn geziehret etc.

As soon as they had danced for about an hour, some of them painted themselves with other colors and put all sorts of rings in their noses and ears. On the end of their noses they had 2 or 3 holes in which to put rings, their ears were slashed in three parts, each of which held a ring[90]

Sobald sie ohngefähr eine Stund gedantzt hatten mahlten sich einige von ihnen wiedrum mit andern Farben machten aller Sorten Ringe in ihre Nasse und Ohren. Ihre Nassen hatten an den Spitzen 2 biß 3 Löcher vor diese Ringe hinein zu hängen, ihre Ohren hatten sie zu 3 Theil geschlitzt und Ringe darinen hangen.

They did not use chairs either but sat on the ground all the time. They also have surprising customs in their land! When they are old and can no longer hunt, their peers bury them alive, upright, and set fire to their head and the whole tribe dances around to the sounds of music produced from a small drum;

Auch bedienen sie sich keineswegs mit Stühlen sondern sitzen allezeit auf der Erde. Auch haben sie sehr wun-derliche Gebräuche in ihrem Lande ! Ihre Freundschafft wan sie alt seyn daß sie nicht mehr auf den Raub gehen können so begraben sie sie lebendig aufrecht in die Erde, und machen ihnen ein Feuer auf den Kopf und dantzen hernach die gantze Freundschafft drum herum mit einem kleinen Trommel-Spiel

[réclame]

ihre

https://gallica.bnf.fr/iiif/ark:/12148/btv1b10110846m/f14/pct:50,0,100,100/,700/0/native.jpg

Strasbourg, Médiathèque André Malraux, ms f 15, p. 27.

[agrandir]


 Notes

89. “Imagine the nearly nude bodies, tanned by the sun and open air, gleaming with grease and smoke; the head bare, thick black hair, smooth, straight and flat; the face masked with black, blue, and red, by round, square, and diamond-shaped sections; one nostril pierced so as to wear a large copper or silver ring; three-tiered pendants fell from the ears to the shoulders, from holes that a finger could fit through; a small square apron covering the pubis, another covering the coccyx, each attached by a belt of ribbon or rope; the thighs and legs were bare, soon embellished by a long cloth gaiter; a slipper of smoked hide on the feet; in some cases, a shirt with big short sleeves, multicolored or dyed blue and white floating on the thighs: above a wool covering or a bit of square twill thrown on one shoulder, and tied under the chin or under the other armpit: if the request is made for war or celebration finery, the hair is braided, and the braids ornamented with feathers, grasses, flowers, even small bones: around the upper arm the warriors wore large copper or silver bands that look like our dogs’ collars, and around their heads diadems formed from loops of silver and worked glass: in hand, the pipe or the knife, or the club, and the little mirror the Savage uses with more vanity to admire so many charms, than the most coquettish little Parisian mistress. A bit more covered around the hips, the women differ still more from men, in that they carry, nearly always, one or two children on their backs, in a sort of sack, the ends of which can be tied in front. Whosoever has seen the Bohemians has a very close idea of this gear” : Volney (Constantin François), Tableau du climat et du sol des Etats-Unis d’Amérique, suivi d’éclaircissements sur la Floride, sur la colonie Française au Scioto, sur quelques colonies Canadiennes et sur les Sauvages, enrichi de quatre Planches gravées, dont deux Cartes Géographiques et une coupe figurée de la chûte de Niagara, t.2, Paris, Courcier and Dentu, AN XII (1803), p. 423-424, [catalogue de la médiathèque Malraux]
90. “The Indians pride themselves on having ears that are large and as wide as possible, which puts them at risk of having them torn off. It is very common to lose them in their orgies; but when they are only torn, they cut them very close with a knife, sew all the parts together with a needle and deer’s nerves, & after sweating profusely after having a bath, they go about their normal activities." : Long (John), Voyages chez différentes nations sauvages de l’Amérique septentrionale, renfermant des détails curieux sur les mœurs, usages, cérémonies religieuses, le système militaire, &c. des Cahnuages, des Indiens des Cinq & Six Nations, Mohawks, Connecedagas, Iroquois, &c. des Indiens Chippeways, & autres Sauvages de divers tribus, sur leurs langues, les pays qu’ils habitent, ainsi que sur le commerce des pelleteries & fourrures qui se fait chez ces peuples, avec un état exact des postes situés sur le Fleuve S. Laurent, le lac Ontario, &c. &c., par J. Long, trafiquant, & interprète de langues Indiennes, traduits de l’Anglois par J.B.L.J Billecocq, citoyen Français, Paris, chez Prault et Fuchs, an II, p. 202-203, .