SMOHAL'LA (c.1820—) (corrupted from IThntoquala, preacher, the name assumed by him in later life). The originator and high priest of the "Dreamer" Indian religion of the Columbia River region. Be was chief of the IVanapum, small tribe living about Priests Rapids on the Upper Columbia, Washington, and closely re lated to Yakima (q.v.) and Nez Pero (q.v.). When about forty years old, in a fight with a rival chief, he was hit upon the ground as dead, but regained consciousness and was brought off by some white men. who took him down the river in a boat without the knowledge of his people. On his recovery, he started upon a journey of exploration down through Oregon and California into Mexico, then back through Arizona, Utah, and Nevada to his old holm., where he an nounced that he had been all this time in the spirit world, from which he had returned to de liver a new revelation, the burden of which was an immediate return to the primitive Indian cus toms. He also organized a priesthood with an elaborate ritual in many points suggestive of the Catholic ceremonial, with which lie had formerly become familiar at the Yakima mission. He fell into frequent prolonged trances, in which he was perfectly insensible to the most painful tests, and from which Ile always emerged with a fresh revelation from the spirit world. He forbade his
disciples to follow the white man's road, to use liquor o• tobacco, o• to sell their lands. His following soon included nearly all the Indians of eastern Washington and Oregon and western Idaho. About 1870 the matter came to the notice of the Government from the refusal of the "Dreamers" to cone under reservation re strictions. In 1884 his doctrines were made the subject of a special military investigation in con nection with land troubles on the Yakima reserva tion. There were then two principal Dreamer churches, at Priests Rapids, where Smoballa re sided, and at, Union Gap on the reservation. sides Sunday services at these, according to their own ritual, the Dreamers bad a memorial lament for the dead in early spring, a salmon thanks giving in April. and a berry thanksgiving in the fall. each being accompanied by processions, bell ringing, trance recitals, and a least. See Mooney, The Ghost Dance Religion (Washington, 1897).