the soul of the indian-第4部分

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significance；　as　Sacred　Cloud；　Mysterious　Night；　Spirit　Woman；　and

the　like。　　Such　a　name　was　sometimes　borne　by　three　generations；

but　each　individual　must　prove　that　he　is　worthy　of　it。



In　the　life　of　the　Indian　there　was　only　one　inevitable

duty；the　duty　of　prayerthe　daily　recognition　of　the　Unseen　and

Eternal。　　His　daily　devotions　were　more　necessary　to　him　than　daily

food。　　He　wakes　at　daybreak；　puts　on　his　moccasins　and　steps　down

to　the　water's　edge。　　Here　he　throws　handfuls　of　clear；　cold　water

into　his　face；　or　plunges　in　bodily。　　After　the　bath；　he　stands

erect　before　the　advancing　dawn；　facing　the　sun　as　it　dances　upon

the　horizon；　and　offers　his　unspoken　orison。　　His　mate　may　precede

or　follow　him　in　his　devotions；　but　never　accompanies　him。

Each　soul　must　meet　the　morning　sun；　the　new；　sweet　earth；　and　the

Great　Silence　alone！



Whenever；　in　the　course　of　the　daily　hunt；　the　red　hunter

comes　upon　a　scene　that　is　strikingly　beautiful　or　sublimea　black

thundercloud　with　the　rainbow's　glowing　arch　above　the　mountain；　a

white　waterfall　in　the　heart　of　a　green　gorge；　a　vast　prairie

tinged　with　the　blood…red　of　sunsethe　pauses　for　an　instant　in

the　attitude　of　worship。　　He　sees　no　need　for　setting　apart　one　day

in　seven　as　a　holy　day；　since　to　him　all　days　are　God's。　



Every　act　of　his　life　is；　in　a　very　real　sense；　a　religious

act。　　He　recognizes　the　spirit　in　all　creation；　and　believes　that

he　draws　from　it　spiritual　power。　　His　respect　for　the　immortal

part　of　the　animal；　his　brother；　often　leads　him　so　far　as　to　lay

out　the　body　of　his　game　in　state　and　decorate　the　head　with

symbolic　paint　or　feathers。　　Then　he　stands　before　it　in　the　prayer

attitude；　holding　up　the　filled　pipe；　in　token　that　he　has　freed

with　honor　the　spirit　of　his　brother；　whose　body　his　need　compelled

him　to　take　to　sustain　his　own　life。



When　food　is　taken；　the　woman　murmurs　a　〃grace〃　as　she　lowers

the　kettle；　an　act　so　softly　and　unobtrusively　performed

that　one　who　does　not　know　the　custom　usually　fails　to　catch　the

whisper：　〃Spirit；　partake！〃　　As　her　husband　receives　the　bowl　or

plate；　he　likewise　murmurs　his　invocation　to　the　spirit。　　When　he

becomes　an　old　man；　he　loves　to　make　a　notable　effort　to　prove　his

gratitude。　　He　cuts　off　the　choicest　morsel　of　the　meat　and　casts

it　into　the　firethe　purest　and　most　ethereal　element。



The　hospitality　of　the　wigwam　is　only　limited　by　the

institution　of　war。　　Yet；　if　an　enemy　should　honor　us　with　a　call；

his　trust　will　not　be　misplaced；　and　he　will　go　away　convinced

that　he　has　met　with　a　royal　host！　　Our　honor　is　the　guarantee

for　his　safety；　so　long　as　he　is　within　the　camp。



Friendship　is　held　to　be　the　severest　test　of　character。　　It

is　easy；　we　think；　to　be　loyal　to　family　and　clan；　whose　blood　is

in　our　own　veins。　　Love　between　man　and　woman　is　founded　on　the

mating　instinct　and　is　not　free　from　desire　and　self…seeking。　　But

to　have　a　friend；　and　to　be　true　under　any　and　all　trials；　is　the

mark　of　a　man！



The　highest　type　of　friendship　is　the　relation　of　〃brother…friend〃

or　〃life…and…death　friend。〃　This　bond　is　between　man　and　man；

is　usually　formed　in　early　youth；　and　can　only　be　broken　by　death。

It　is　the　essence　of　comradeship　and　fraternal　love；　without　thought

of　pleasure　or　gain；　but　rather　for　moral　support　and　inspiration。

Each　is　vowed　to　die　for　the　other；　if　need　be；　and　nothing　is　denied

the　brother…friend；　but　neither　is　anything　required　that　is　not　in

accord　with　the　highest　conceptions　of　the　Indian　mind。











III

CEREMONIAL　AND　SYMBOLIC　WORSHIP



Modern　Perversions　of　Early　Religious　Rites。　　The　Sun　Dance。　　The

Great　Medicine　Lodge。　　Totems　and　Charms。　　The　Vapor…Bath　and　the

Ceremonial　of　the　Pipe。



The　public　religious　rites　of　the　Plains　Indians　are　few；　and　in

large　part　of　modern　origin；　belonging　properly　to　the　so…called

〃transition　period。〃　　That　period　must　be　held　to　begin　with　the

first　insidious　effect　upon　their　manners　and　customs　of　contact

with　the　dominant　race；　and　many　of　the　tribes　were　so　influenced

long　before　they　ceased　to　lead　the　nomadic　life。



The　fur…traders；　the　〃Black　Robe〃　priests；　the　military；　and

finally　the　Protestant　missionaries；　were　the　men　who　began　the

disintegration　of　the　Indian　nations　and　the　overthrow　of　their

religion；　seventy…five　to　a　hundred　years　before　they　were　forced

to　enter　upon　reservation　life。　　We　have　no　authentic　study　of　them

until　well　along　in　the　transition　period；　when　whiskey　and　trade

had　already　debauched　their　native　ideals。



During　the　era　of　reconstruction　they　modified　their　customs

and　beliefs　continually；　creating　a　singular　admixture　of　Christian

with　pagan　superstitions；　and　an　addition　to　the　old

folk…lore　of　disguised　Bible　stories　under　an　Indian　aspect。　　Even

their　music　shows　the　influence　of　the　Catholic　chants。　　Most　of

the　material　collected　by　modern　observers　is　necessarily　of　this

promiscuous　character。



It　is　noteworthy　that　the　first　effect　of　contact　with　the

whites　was　an　increase　of　cruelty　and　barbarity；　an　intensifying　of

the　dark　shadows　in　the　picture！　　In　this　manner　the　〃Sun　Dance〃　of

the　Plains　Indians；　the　most　important　of　their　public　ceremonials；

was　abused　and　perverted　until　it　became　a　horrible　exhibition　of

barbarism；　and　was　eventually　prohibited　by　the　Government。



In　the　old　days；　when　a　Sioux　warrior　found　himself　in　the

very　jaws　of　destruction；　he　might　offer　a　prayer　to　his　father；

the　Sun；　to　prolong　his　life。　　If　rescued　from　imminent　danger；　he

must　acknowledge　the　divine　favor　by　making　a　Sun　Dance；　according

to　the　vow　embraced　in　his　prayer；　in　which　he　declared　that　he　did

not　fear　torture　or　death；　but　asked　life　only　for　the　sake　of

those　who　loved　him。　　Thus　the　physical　ordeal　was　the　fulfillment

of　a　vow；　and　a　sort　of　atonement　for　what　might　otherwise　appear

to　be　reprehensible　weakness　in　the　face　of　death。　　It　was

in　the　nature　of　confession　and　thank…offering　to　the　〃Great

Mystery；〃　through　the　physical　parent；　the　Sun；　and　did　not　embrace

a　prayer　for　future　favors。



The　ceremonies　usually　took　place　from　six　months　to　a　year

after　the　making　of　the　vow；　in　order　to　admit　of　suitable

preparation；　always　in　midsummer　and　before　a　large　and　imposing

gathering。　　They　naturally　included　the　making　of　a　feast；　and　the

giving　away　of　much　savage　wealth　in　honor　of　the　occasion；

although　these　were　no　essential　part　of　the　religious　rite。



When　the　day　came　to　procure　the　pole；　it　was　brought　in　by　a

party　of　warriors；　headed　by　some　man　of　distinction。　　The

tree　selected　was　six　to　eight　inches　in　diameter　at　the　base；　and

twenty　to　twenty…five　feet　high。　　It　was　chosen　and　felled　with

some　solemnity；　including　the　ceremony　of　the　〃filled　pipe；〃　and

was　carried　in　the　fashion　of　a　litter；　symbolizing　the　body　of　the

man　who　made　the　dance。　　A　solitary　teepee　was　pitched　on　a　level

spot　at　some　distance　from　the　village；　and　the　pole　raised　near　at

hand　with　the　same　ceremony；　in　the　centre　of　a　circular　enclosure

of　fresh…cut　boughs。



Meanwhile；　one　of　the　most　noted　of　our　old　men　had　carved　out

of　rawhide；　or　later　of　wood；　two　figures；　usually　those　of

a　man　and　a　buffalo。　　Sometimes　the　figure　of　a　bird；　supposed　to

represent　the　Thunder；　was　substituted　for　the　buffalo。　　It　was

customary　to　paint　the　man　red　and　the　animal　black；　and　each　was

suspended　from　one　end　of　the　crossbar　which　was　securely　tied　some

two　feet　from　the　top　of　the　pole。　　I　have　never　been　able　to

determine　that　this　cross　had　any　significance；　it　was　probably

nothing　more　than　a　dramatic　coincidence　that　surmounted　the

Sun…Dance　pole　with　the　symbol　of　Christianity。



The　paint　indicated　that　the　man　who　was　about　to　give　thanks

publicly　had　been　potentially　dead；　but　was　allowed　to　live

by　the　mysterious　favor　and　interference　of　the　Giver　of　Life。　　The

buffalo　hung　opposite　the　image　of　his　own　body　in　death；　because

it　was　the　support　of　his　physical　self；　and　a　leading　figure　in

legendary　lore。　　Following　the　same　line　of　thought；　when　he

emerged　from　the　solitary　lodge　of　preparation；　and　approached　the

pole　to　dance；　nude　save　for　his　breechclout　and　moccasins；　his

hair　loosened　and　daubed　with　clay；　he　must　drag　after　him　a

buffalo　skull；　representing　the　grave　from　which　he　had　escaped。



The　dancer　was　cut　or　scarified　on　the　chest；

sufficient　to　draw　blood　and　cause　pain；　the　natural　accompaniments

of　his　figurative　death。　　He　took　his　position　opposite　the

singers；　facing　the　pole；　and　dragging　the　skull　by　leather　thongs

which　were　merely　fastened　about　his　shoulders。　　During　a　later

period；　incisions　were　made　in　the　breast　or　back；　sometimes　both；

through　which　wooden　skewers　were　drawn；　and　secured　by　lariats　to

the　pole　or　to　the　skulls。　　Thus　he　danced　without　intermission　for

a　day　and　a　night；　or　even　longer；　ever　gazing　at　the　sun　in　the

daytime；　and　blowing　from　time　to　time　a　sacred　whistle　made　from

the　bone　of　a　goose's　wing。　



In　recent　times；　this　rite　was　exaggerated　and　distorted　into

a　mere　ghastly　display　of　physical　strength　and　endurance　under

torture；　almost　on　a　level　with　the　Caucasian　institution　of　the

bull…fight；　or　the　yet　more　modern　prize…ring。　　Moreover；　instead

of　an　atonement　or　thank…offering；　it　became　the　accompaniment　of

a　prayer　for　success　in　war；　or　in　a　raid　upon　the　horses　of　the

enemy。　　The　number　of　dancers　was　increased；　and　they　were　made　to

hang　suspended　from　the　pole　by　their　own　flesh；　which　they　must

break　loose　before　being　released。　　I　well　remember　the　comments　in

our　own　home　upon　the　passing　of　this　simple　but　impressive

ceremony；　and　its　loss　of　all　meaning　and　propriety　under　the

demoralizing　additions　which　were　some　of　the　fruits　of　early

contact　with　the　white　man。



Perhaps　t