When he has been accepted, the bridegroom goes the day following to the girl’s home, accompanied by all his friends and relations, who carry food and other gifts with them. A feast is prepared from this food, the gifts are distributed, and a general good time is indulged in. After the meal is over the old people declare themselves satisfied with the arrangements in a loud voice. The young man and his bride are now man and wife, and share the same blanket that night. Next day the girl returns with her husband to his home, and some days later her parents and relatives come and pay them a return visit, bringing with them also food and gifts. A second feast is then prepared, the gifts are distributed, and all partake of the food as before. This concludes the marriage ceremony, the pair after this being regarded as man and wife by the whole community. A man is free to marry whom he might outside his own family.
Shamanism
Shamanism was prevalent among the Thompson. This we can gather readily enough from their stories; and certain spots and localities are pointed out by the older Indians as the places where certain celebrated shamans underwent their fasts and training to gain their powers. There were several such spots on the banks of Stein Creek, a mountain stream that runs into the Fraser about five miles above Lytton. Worn and hollowed places are pointed out here and there, and these are said to have been made by the feet of the aspirants after shamanistic powers in the performance of their exercises. We find several groups of rock paintings along this creek, which are believed by the present Indians to have been made in the past by noted shamans. It is interesting to note that these paintings are invariably found high up on the cliff surfaces above the reach of the tallest man, in some cases as high as twenty or thirty feet from the ground. It is clear, therefore, that they must have used some kind of ladder or platform to reach these heights. This, to the Indian mind, always adds to their mystery. The modern Indians seem to have no knowledge of the significance of these paintings, and say that the pigments used by themselves will not stand the weather or endure like those of the ancients.6
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