0008

A Council of State

On certain days in the year the chief meets with his Principal men to discuss important affairs. They are led by the oldest member, and they salute him in the order of their age, raising their heads twice to the height of their heads and saying: "Ha, he, ya, ha, ha;" to which the others reply: "Ha,Ha." After this salute they all take their seats on the bench, and the chief calls upon his iaruas* (that is, his priests) and his elders, always one at a time, and asks them for their advice.

While the men are considering the case, the chief orders the women to boil some casina, a drink prepared from the leaves of a certain root. One of the councilors stands up and, spreading out his hands, invokes a blessing upon the chief and the assembly. After this the cup bearer brings the hot drink in a large shell, offering it first to the chief and then to the others, according to their rank.

The casina is so highly valued that no one who has not proved himself a brave warrior is allowed to drink it in council. And its effect is so strong that the drinkers are immediately thrown into a sweat. For this reason no one is considered fit to be sent on a difficult mission or given and military responsibility who cannot keep the casina down. For they often have to go three or four days without food, but those who drink it can easily hold out for twenty-four hours afterwards without eating or drinking. On their military expeditions the only supplies (carried by the hermaphrodites) are gourds filled with casina, because it strengthens and nourishes the body, but does not go to the head.

*Father Pareja, who lived with the Timuquanan Indians half a century later, translates this word as "sorcerer."

Monday, 15-May-95 14:17:42 PDT