Similar Traditions Of Northern Paiute Native Americans To Christian Religion

Paganism is gradually disappearing among Indians on the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation, according to the Rev. William A Stinson vicar at St Mary’s on the desert of the Nevada Episcopal missionary district.

“Many of the old customs still exist to be sure,” he said, “but they interfere very little with our Christian teachings.”

There are now 400 baptized Indians on the reservation, of whom 175 have been confirmed.

“One of the strongest of the old traditions is that of water babies,” the vicar reported. “When some of the Indians tell me that the water babies were crying last night, they are really serious.

“Tradition has it that when the wind blows in off Pyramid Lake and sighs though the trees of the reservation it is the water babies crying, and something ominous is about to happen,” he explained. “Superstitious Indians remain indoors when they think the water babies are about.”

A similarity between religion of the primitive western tribes and the Christian religion was described by the vicar.

“It may only be a coincidence, but the older Indians have told me their ancestors used to kneel facing the east each morning as they washed their faces and would pray to the Great Spirit to cleanse their hearts as the water cleansed their faces,” he said. “As you know, the altars in our churches are always placed in the east end.”

“A literal translation of the Indians’ tribal name is water ute derived from the name of the original Ute Indians in Utah and pah meaning water,” he declared.