Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1878 — The Origin of Obeisances. [ARTICLE]

The Origin of Obeisances.

Speaking of a party of Shoshones surprised Dy them, Lewis and Clarke say: “The other two, an elderly woman and a little girl, seeing wo were too near for them to escape, sat on the ground, and, holding down their heads seemed as if reconciled to the death which they supposed awaited them. The same habit of holding down the head and inviting the enemy to strike, when all chance of escape is gone, is preserved in Egypt to this day. Here we are shown an effort to propitiate by absolnte submission; and from acts so prompted originate obeisances. When, at the outset, in illustration ot the truth that ceremony precedes not only social evolution but even human evolution, I named the behavior of a small dog which throws itself on its back in presence of an alarming great dog, probably many readers thought I was putting on this behavior a somei whac forced construction. They would * not have thought so had they known that a parallel mode of behavior occurs among human beings. Describing the Batoka salutation, LiviDgtone says: “ They throw themselves on their backs on the ground, and, rolling from side to side, slap the outside of their thighs as expressions of thankfulness and welcome.” Whether or not consciously adopted for this reason, the assumption of this attitude, which implies, “ You need not subdue me, 1 am'subdued already,” is the best means of obtaining safety. Resistance generates autagonism and arouses the destructive instincts. The stronger animal or the stronger man becomes less dangerouswhen the weaker animal or man passively submits; because nothing occurs to excite the passion for victory'. Hence, then, the natural genesis of this obeisance by prostration on tbe back, which, perhaps, more than any other position, makes selAdefensc impracticable. I say perhaps, because another attitude may be instanced as equally helpless, which more elaborately displays complete subjugation. “AtTonga Tabu * * * * the common people show their great * * * * the greatest respect imaginable by prostrating themselves before him, and by putting* his foot on their necks.” The like occurs in Africa. Laird says the messengers from the King of Kundah “each bent down and put my foot on their heads, and threw dust over themselves.” And among ancient historic peoples this position, originated by defeat in battle, became the position assumed in acknowledgment of submission.— Herbert Spencer j in Popular Science Monthly.