Green Corn Ceremony
green corn ceremony busk annual ceremony practiced among various native american people associated beginning yearly corn harvest busk term given ceremony white trader word corruption creek word puskita pusketv fast ceremony documented ethnographically throughout north american eastern woodland southeastern tribe historically involved first fruit rite community would sacrifice first green corn ensure rest crop would successful green corn festival practiced widely throughout southern north america many tribe evidenced mississippian people throughout mississippian ideological interaction sphere green corn festival still held today many different southeastern woodland tribe green corn ceremony typically occurs late june july determined locally developing corn crop ceremony marked dancing feasting fasting religious observation green corn ceremony celebration many type representing new beginning also referred great peace ceremony celebration thanksgiving hesaketvmese breath maker first fruit harvest new year festival well busk celebration new year modern tribal town stomp dance society ceremonial fire cook fire certain ceremonial object replaced everyone usually begin gathering weekend prior ceremony working praying dancing fasting big day whole festival tends last seveneight day including historical preparation involved without preparation last four day first day ceremony people set campsite one square ceremonial ground following feast remains last year crop men community begin fasting historically woman limited participation part ceremony night social stomp dance unique muscogee southeastern culture dawn second day four brushcovered arbor set edge ceremonial ground one sacred direction first dance day woman community participate ribbon lady dance involves fastening rattle shell leg perform purifying dance special ribbonclad stick prepare ceremonial ground renewal ceremony ceremonial fire set middle four log laid crosswise point four direction mico mekko chief ceremonial ground tribal town take little new crop corn bean squash wild plant others rubbed bear oil offered together meat firstfruits atonement sin fire relit nurtured special medicine medicine man heleshayv hilishiya kept alive following year green corn ceremony traditional time woman would sweep cookfire rest home collect filth well old clothing furniture burnt replaced new item new year woman bring coal fire home rekindle home fire bake new fruit year fire also eaten bear oil many creek also practice sapi ceremonial scratch type bloodletting mid morning many tribe men woman might rub corn milk ash white clay analogous mixture bathe form purification also drink medicine referred assi also referred white drink english trader referred black drink due dark liquid froth white shaken drinking white drink known stranger carolina tea caffeineladen mixture seven fourteen different herb main ingredient assiluputski creek small leaf yaupon holly medicine intended help receive purification purgative consumed mass amount historically men drank enough liquid throw purgative consumed clean dietary tract last year crop truly renew oneself new year second day tends focus womens dance third focused men purification second day men community perform feather dance heal community fasting usually end suppertime word given woman food prepared time men march singlefile formation body water typically flowing creek river ceremonial dip water private men meeting return ceremonial square perform single stomp dance retiring home camp feast time participant medicine rite allowed sleep part fast midnight stomp dance ceremony held includes feasting continues night fourth day friendship dance dawn game people later pack return home feeling purification forgiveness fasting alcohol sexual activity open water continue another four day puskita commonly referred green corn ceremony busk central festive holiday traditional muscogee people represents renewal annual cycle spirit tradition muscogee representative return summer ripening new corn common native american tradition environmental agricultural renewal historically seminole tribe yearold boy declared men green corn ceremony given new name chief mark maturity several tribe still participate ceremony year tribe historic tradition within ceremony include yuchi iroquois cherokee creek choctaw natchez chickasaw shawnee miccosukee alabama hitchiti coushatta taskigi seminole tribe tribe may variation celebration dance tradition performs new year ceremony involving fasting several comparison year rainmaking ritual howard lena oklahoma seminole medicine magic religion university oklahoma norman hudson charles southeastern indian university tennessee lewis jordan creek indian medicine way albuquerque university new mexico mahan joseph b green corn ceremony unpublished manuscript columbus state university archive martin mauldin dictionary creek lincoln university nebraska weisman brent richards unconquered people florida’s seminole miccosukee indian university press florida wright jr j leitch creek seminole lincoln university nebraska green corn ceremony iti fabvssa choctaw nation school choctaw language elementary school lesson green corn ceremony archived wayback machine joseph mahan collection columbus state university archive