The Choctaw Indians believed that a person had a human-shaped spirit (a
shiliup) which had two forms: The outside shadow remained in the homeland
to frighten the living, and the inside shadow went to an afterworld, the
equivalent of heaven or hell.  A dea d body was wrapped in an animal skin
and placed on a six-foot scaffolding, where it could dry out in the open
air.  Then, in view of the family, a shaman would scrape the bones clean,
burn the scaffolding, and put the bones in a box inside a community hou
se.  A feast would follow.  This practice was abandoned after the
influence of missionaries spread Christianity among the Choctaws.