The Sun Dance; Preparations; Its Religious Significance; and Purpose; How
it was Conducted, etc.
It may not be amiss to insert here a description of what was known to the
various Indian tribes as the Sun Dance. Each nation, people, or tribe in
past history has had some ceremony, symbolic in its nature, by which
honors and dignities were conferred upon those who sough honor and
preferment. Nor has this custom been confined to any particular class, for
all have, at different times, indulged in the practice, nor was it without
its influence and effect upon those who sought advancement. The Knights of
the Middle Ages, when in the act of receiving the symbols of their office
and vocation, were compelled to submit themselves to some kind of ordeal
by which they manifested their fitness to wear the honors they sought. So,
too, it was with the denizens of the plains, as the following narrative
from unimpeachable authority will illustrate. Just as in the days of old,
the ceremony was partly religious in its development, so, too, the
children of the plains invested the conferring of honors and rights to
preferment with religious ceremony and physical tests.
The Sun Dance, as practiced by the Cheyenne tribe of Indians, dates back
to time immemorial. In the performance of it, the Indian makes a
profession of faith in the Supreme Being, and at the same time subjects
those who engage in it, to a physical test that is sufficient to try the
heart and soul of even the most valiant. The first step in the proceedings
of this semi-religious festival, is to select the proper location for the
celebration of it. Weeks, and perhaps months in advance, some pow-wow is
held at which they make the selection of the place in which they wish to
hold their festival. Usually some well-known camping ground is chosen on
account of the abundance of fuel and water, both of which were necessary
for the proper conduct of the ceremony, for it was essential that there
should be means at hand for preparing the final feast, as well as an
abundant supply of water for the multitudes assembled from the different
districts for the purpose of watering their stock, as well as, affording
bathing facilities to such a vast number.
For several days prior to the actual enactment of the ceremony, Indians
would begin to assemble, straggling in from long distances, bringing with
them the greater part a their household belongings. North, south, east,
and west sent their contingents. Whole families with their teepees,
ponies, and dogs, assembled from all parts of the reservations or the
plains to participate in the festivities or to be merely on-lookers hoping
in their mere presence to receive some benediction from the Great Spirit
whom they assembled to worship. Long before the arrival of these scattered
bands, the Medicine Man was on the scene to give his attention to whatever
preparations were required for the occasion. He usually selected some
central point wherein to erect his place of worship. In this chosen spot
he was to enact the two-fold role of High Priest and Medicine Man, to
minister to their spiritual and corporal necessities.
Many days elapsed before the arrival of the final contingent, and the
intervening time had to be employed as best they could. This gave those
who had already arrived on the scene, an opportunity of visiting their
relations and friends, whom they had not met, perhaps since the preceding
Sun Dance. The older folks were content to while away the passing hours in
social converse, whilst the young engaged in feats of skill, contesting in
games peculiar to the tribe. It was quite evident that they were supremely
happy in their childish amusements, and enjoyed them as thoroughly as
their white contemporaries found pleasure and enjoyment in their more
up-to-date and scientific play toys. One thing particularly noticeable in
all their endeavors was the spirit of prompt obedience to parental
authority. The control that the Indian parent exercises over his child is
marvelous, and in all my intercourse with the children of the plains, I
have never known of a parent chastizing his child in a cruel or harsh
manner. It is a thing unheard of, that a child ever raised a hand or
uttered an unfilial expression of contempt towards his parents. I believe
that if an Indian child were to emulate the example of many white
children, whom I have known not only to treat their parents with contempt,
but even go so far as to treat them contumeliously, the Indian father
would be so staggered by such an outbreak and disregard for the
proprieties of his position, that it would require a council of chiefs to
decide upon the proper mode of dealing with the case, as it would lack all
precedent. The little redskin is attentive to the wants of his parents,
and at all times exercises a continual watchfulness over their wants to
forestall any command to fulfill some duty. Nor do the parents fill the
childish mind with tales of goblins and hobgoblins to excite terror in his
little heart. Even the customary punishment of locking the little child up
in some dark corner, is lacking, for there is no need of it. Obedience to
authority is part of the nature of the Indian child and it comes so easy
for him to render it that it never becomes irksome.
When the last stragglers have arrived, and the interchange of social
courtesies is fulfilled, the large central teepee, or ampitheatre is
erected and ready for occupancy. In the center of this teepee is placed a
large pole much the same as the old-time May pole used by the people of
the Middle Ages on the occasion of their annual celebrations, but in this
case the purpose was very much different, as will be seen later on in this
narrative.
During the time the rank and file of the Indians were enjoying their
intercourse, the young men who were candidates for honors in the trials of
endurance, were busying themselves plaiting their hair and painting their
bodies. They decorated their faces and other portions of the body with
every conceivable kind of animal and reptile that human ingenuity could
invent, as taste or custom suggested. Some of the productions were very
artistic, and some were rather grotesque, but the tout-ensemble served the
purpose for which the work was intended. They were no novices in the art
of extracting colors from the plants and shrubs that grew in abundance on
the plains, and at the same time had developed the art of applying them to
the human body for decorative purposes. The paints were not indelible,
consequently they could be easily removed and another application made as
circumstances required. At times, the renewal of the decoration took place
as many as four or five times a day.
The ceremony lasted four days without any intermission. During that time
the candidates for honors were obliged to such a strict fast and
abstinence, that not a morsel of food, nor a drop of water passed their
lips during the time. One favor was conceded to them; they were allowed to
smoke. One might be inclined to think that, at times, the regulation was
not faithfully observed, but there he would be mistaken. There were too
many eyes upon the candidates to permit of his stealing off to the
commissary department of the assemblage, nor could he by any means carry
off beneath the folds of his garments a morsel of food as the extent of
his habiliments would not permit such a thing as his outfit consisted of a
breach-clout around his waist and a few feathers in his hair.
At the hour appointed for the opening of the ceremony, a chief mounted his
horse and rode through the assembled throng crying out that the ordeal was
about to begin. It was his duty also to set down the rules and
regulations governing the performance. When he had explained the
ordinances sufficiently to be understood by all the candidates, he
withdrew and the Medicine Man appeared on the scene. He was decked out in
his most gorgeous array of feathers and finery, with his hair plaited down
his back and ornamented with more feathers and quills. Truly, he was an
imposing spectacle to the simple minded tribesman and they looked upon him
with a species of awe. In his hand he bore the wing of an eagle. He took
up his position in a very conspicuous place and struck an attitude very
much like some of the Indians we see pictured standing on some eminence
with his hand shading his eyes and looking far away over the plains in
search of something of interest. The Medicine Man assumed about the same
attitude, using the eagle wing to protect his eyes from the sun. He stood
motionless for a period lasting about half an hour, gazing in the
direction of the blazing sun. I never came to learn the true meaning of
this action on the part of the Medicine Man, but I presume he expected to
discover some supernatural visitor coming from the direction in which he
was gazing. I can readily imagine what his consternation would be if one
of our modern aeroplanes passed close over his head while he was making
observations of the heavens. There is no doubt he would drop his eagle
wing and make a dash for his teepee laboring under the impression that the
devil was out making morning calls. Such an apparition would most likely
interfere with the completion of the programme, and the tribesmen would
probably seek shelter or protection from the whirring, roaring monster, in
the depths of the nearby timber. However, as no such occurance took place,
the Medicine Man continued his vigil until such time as he thought proper
to terminate it. Upon his return to camp, the tomtom sounded and the dance
was on. All the braves fell into line, and the pow-wow started with each
brave keeping step to the beatings of the primitive instrument. No squaws
were permitted to engage in the ceremony as it was to be a strict, test
of physical endurance. Much less, are white men permitted to participate
in the Sun Dance, as this is an institution particularly appropriated to
the Indian tribes. The squaws had their share of the work to do, and while
the ceremony was going on, they spent their time in making preparations
for the feast that was to follow upon the completion of the dance. The
young men who were not otherwise engaged and who did not care to undergo
the terrible ordeal about to follow, mounted their ponies and scoured the
plains for game. This was a necessary undertaking, as the amount required
to supply the throng present with food, was very great. True, each
tribesman brought some provisions, but that supply would be inadequate to
the demands of such an occasion.
If any white man had an opportunity to witness the proceedings of the Sun
Dance, he would most likely arrive at a very erroneous idea of the intent
and purpose of the occasion, nor would he understand the significance of
what he might see. The wild, wierd scene before him, the fantastic
movements of the participants in the drama would probably create in his
mind a false impression of the nature and character of the ceremony.
However, to arrive at the true meaning of what was being done, it is
sufficient to say that the heads of numerous families were present on the
occasion I speak of, to do homage and worship the Great Spirit, and offer
thanks for favors received in the past. This goes to show that the Indian
was not unmindful of his obligation to the Great Spirit, but brings out to
our view a side of the Indian character that is very seldom mentioned by
those who appear or seem to know all about him. They were grateful for the
gifts received from the hand of their Creator and on occasions of this
kind strove to show it. They probably had some friend or relative who
escaped from some calamity. If so, this was the occasion on which they
showed their gratitude to the Father of all. Perhaps, some of them had
wives and children who had recently recovered from some ailment. If so,
they were grateful. Sundry were the purposes for which they assembled on
this occasion to offer up their meed of praise and thanksgiving to the
Great Spirit. Their devotion was as sincere and deep-seated as the
Pilgrims who made long pilgrimages to the Holy Land to visit the sepulchre
of Him, who died for us all. The scoffer may not be able to see it, but
there is One who sees and judges, and who will render to each and all the
just reward on the day of the final reckoning, and the Indian may not be
as bad as painted when seen in the light of the Kingdom of Heaven, where
he will be judged according to his lights.
When the hunters have returned from the chase, each deposits in the
commissary department the trophies of the hunt, antelope, deer, badgers,
coons, rabbits. All is grist that is brought to that mill. Even the dogs
contribute their share to make the supply equal to the grand display of
culinary art that is to be staged at the close of the ceremony. It may
appear strange to the reader that the turkey had no place on the menu card
of the feast. The reason of this lay in the fact that the Indian
considered him too cowardly and timid to be food fit for the brave and
warlike members of the tribe, as it would have a tendency to diminish, if
not destroy their spirit of bravery and fortitude.
In the meantime, all had been a scene of activity in the ranks of those
who were contending for honors, as I have mentioned in a former paragraph.
The tom-tom had sounded the call to the test. The old warriors and the
young bucks who were out for preferment, had formed a procession and were
marching toward the ampitheatre. The old bucks who had won their honors on
the war-path were dressed in their fanciest blankets, while those who were
to undergo the ordeal wore nothing save the breach-clout, and a few
feathers. When the excitement of the preliminary movements had taken
possession of the young men, one of the most reckless of the young bucks
broke from the ranks and began to dance around the pole. There he gave
himself up to a frenzy of movement, gyrating and gesticulating in a manner
marvelous to behold. Swinging his hands, kicking up his heels, twisting,
twirling, performing antics of all kinds supposed to be of the nature of
warlike movements, he all the time gave vent to a series of yells, whoops,
and screams of the most unimaginable kind. At the proper moment, a new
feature of the ceremony took place. A man selected for the purpose came
forth bearing a knife in his hand. His duty it was to make incisions in
the back of the aspirant for honors. Two incisions were made on each side
of the back, about half an inch apart. When the knife had done its work,
the flesh was raised between the gashes and a skewer of wood, much
resembling the old-fashioned husking peg, was forced through the flesh
beneath the skin. Around the projecting ends of this was tied a buckskin
thong to which was tied a lasso. This operation was performed on both the
incisions. A buffalo skull was then tied to the lasso at its further
extremity. The operation is then complete, unless the young brave should
request an additional skull which would be provided if convenience, or
opportunity, permitted. If it were not possible to provide a buffalo head
for the occasion, the skeleton of a deer, or a bear would answer the
purpose as well. In fact, the skeleton of any beast of prey was considered
to suffice, as it was supposed to engender a warlike spirit in the
candidate. This feature of attaching the skeleton of a beast of prey was
not always performed in the same way, as some of the tribes preferred to
have it attached to their breasts.
When properly equipped with this new attachment, whether buffalo skull or
skeleton of a deer or other animal, the young buck was then turned loose.
He joined in the chanting and kept step with the other dancers, but did
not mingle in the ranks, as the appendage attached to him and dragging
along might interfere with the rythmical movements of the dancers. He did
not, fail to keep step with his fellows, nor neglect his part of the
singing, but confined the field of his operations, separate from the
others, where he could conduct himself with what freedom the impediment he
was dragging, would permit. There he discovered himself confronted with
difficulties at several points, as the buffalo skull might become
entangled in a tuft of grass and intensify the pain he was already
suffering so heroically. In case of difficulty of the kind, he received no
assistance from outside sources, but was compelled to wiggle and twist
until he succeeded in loosing it from its hold or tore the flesh and skin
from his back. It might happen that the first obstacle that he met would
break the fleshy bonds that hold the skewers in place, and free him from
his burden, or he might drag his burden around for days. Oftentimes, in a
spirit of playfulness, some young redskin, promped by the genius of
mischief, would jump on the skull and tear it loose from its moorings, but
lacking this fortuitous event, and weary of the burden, he would
frequently in desperation wilfully become entangled in something or other
and break it of his own volition. When he became detached from the buffalo
skull in the manner described, there necessarily was left a gaping wound
with ragged edges. Then he received attention from the Medicine Man who
was close at hand for such an emergency. With his knife he trimmed off the
rough edges and expectorated the juice of some herb which he had been
chewing, into the wound. This remedy was supposed to be sufficiently
potent to eradicate any infection that might be lurking there, and produce
beneficial results owing to the healing qualities of the plant he
masticated. That was the total of the medical treatment the candidate
received during the whole term of his torture. Frequently there were as
many as a dozen candidates on, trial at the same time, and all were
compelled to endure the same torture. It frequently happened that some of
them weakened by hunger and exhausted from the pain they were suffering,
fell in a swoon. If such were the case, he was left where he fell, and no
attempt was made to render him any other assistance than throwing a
buffalo robe or blanket over him where he lay. There they permitted him to
lie, to recover or die as the case might be. It made no difference to the
other dancers what his condition might be, they continued their gyrations
apparently indifferent to the condition of the victim of hunger and
torture beneath the blanket. If he revived, he began again his dancing and
chanting as though there had been no interruption, which he continued
until freed from his burden. The test is the same for all, and the
attention and medical assistance rendered is identical in every case.
As I said before, other tribes prefer to have the incisions made upon
their breasts, but in such a case do not bear the burden of a buffalo
skull, but are attached by the lariat rope to the limb of a tree, or to
the centre pole of the ampitheatre round which they dance until they
succeed in breaking loose by tearing the skewer through the flesh that
holds it. As for the medical treatment, it is the same in all cases.
The ceremony is continued until the supply of volunteers for honors is
exhausted. Those who have passed through the ordeal successfully are in
line for promotion to the higher offices of their respective tribes
providing a vacancy occurs through death or accident. They are considered
the proper material to fill the offices of chief. They have been put
through a test sufficiently harsh to try the heart and soul to its utmost
capacity for suffering. Their courage and constancy was beyond question,
and henceforth were looked upon as men having a prior right to fill the
place of any old chief who might go to the Happy Hunting Grounds. They
were not only proud that they had borne the test successfully, but also
were more pleased that they had lived up to the traditions of the family.
They were firm believers in heredity, and were proud of the distinction of
being descended from some former warrior of prominence as the present day
white man is jealous of his descent from the first colonists who came over
in the Mayflower. I have met Indians who gloried in their descent from
Roman Nose, Black Kettle and other noted leaders who have long since
passed away, and I have found others who traced their lineage back to
Tecumseh, and Black Hawk.
The system of dancing just described was suppressed by Col. Woodson whilst
he was in charge of the Darlington Agency, as he considered it too cruel
and barbarous to be permitted on the Reservation because he thought it
would have a tendency to retard any progress the younger Indians might be
making towards a more civilized manner of life. I understand, however,
that Col. Woodson's order was rescinded by another Commissioner of Indian
Affairs at a later date, and they are now permitted to practice it in a
modified form.
It has been my lot to witness nearly every form of dance from the Irish
Jig to the latest form of Tango, or Bunny Hug, Scotch Reels, the French
Four, the Dutch Waltzes, the old American Cotillion, and the Virginia
Reel, but all these combined and set in motion at the same time to the
wildest and weirdest music known to the white race, would fail to produce
the soul thrilling, hair-rising emotions created by the Cheyenne Sun Dance
when in full swing. The sound of Patrick Gilmore's band, in its palmiest
days, would be as the twittering of the snow bird in comparison with the
roar of the Rocky Mountain lion, when the festivities were at their
height.
When the time limit of the Sun Dance expired, everything was placed away
for future use. The buffalo skulls, sacred utensils of the feast, were
carefully secreted, and the ampitheatre removed. Nothing remained but the
trampled grass to show that anything beyond the ordinary had taken place.
The Dance having been completed, the feasting begins. During all the time
the braves have been engaged in their soul thrilling, hair-raising
performance, the squaws have been busy. They were running back and forth,
making preparations for the banquet. Some spent their time skinning a
coyote or other animal, others dressing and cooking the food already
prepared, others looking around for choice morsels to tempt the appetite
of some lord and master, as they felt he might be in need of something
delicate to meet the wants of a stomach sensitive from long fasting.
Whatever the occupation, they were all busy, as the number to be waited
upon might number thousands. It was no easy task, but they were equal to
the occasion. At the signal given as before, the feast is on. To see them
plunging with reckless abandon into the midst of the feast, one would be
forced to conclude that the long fast had little effect upon their
appetites except to render them sharper. All thought of the stomach being
in a delicate condition was forgotten, and the chief work at hand was to
give undivided attention to devouring as much of the viands within reach
as the capacity of the stomach would permit, and that was some capacity.
Nicety of choice was not manifested to any great degree, for their hunger
was usually at such a pitch that they could devour anything that the teeth
could masticate to some degree. Here you might see a lordly old chief
manipulating the hurricane deck of a gray wolf, or a skunk with wonderful
dexterity; there another warrior bold making a savage attack upon a
handful of raccoon claws, and so it went from one end of the multitude to
the other, each earnestly intent upon demolishing the pile of viands set
before him and wondering if there was any more left for a second assault.
The time generally allotted for the repast was sunrise. Then each and all
squatted upon the ground anxious for the welcome ordeal to begin. Sitting
on their haunches, facing the rising sun, not a word was spoken. It might
have been that they were too worn out from the long fast, or perhaps they
were so pre-occupied with the thought, of the great spread before them
that they had no inclination to talk, but the more probable reason is that
it was one of the regulations set down to govern the termination of the
festival. No matter what the motive was that governed the conduct of the
throng in the matter of maintaining silence and avoiding undue noise, the
fact was that they set to the work of supplying the wants of the inner man
without delay, either in beginning, or continuing the work of demolition.
All the rules of etiquette, as prescribed for the four-hundred, were
suspended. It was a case of "Reach what you can, and while making way with
it keep the eye on the lookout for more. Anything you do not see is not
good for you." They did not merely eat their food, they seemed to absorb
it. The execution was rapid and effective, and the final result might have
been summed up in a huge pile of bones from which the meat had been
thoroughly removed.
The breakfast, as one might call the repast just ended, did not terminate
their stay in the locality, but each and all felt it a bounded duty to
remain as long as there was any of the huge pile of provisions remaining.
They were all jubilant over the happy termination of the ordeal, and the
young men who had endured the test successfully strutted about with a
pardonable pride in their bearing. Feasting took the place of fasting and
all were merry as far as their method of life would permit the expression
of that feeling. When the last vestiges of the immense store of game
disappeared, they all gathered up their possessions and made ready to set
out to their respective camping grounds. Prior to their departure they
held a sort of conclave in which they decided when and where to hold the
next meeting, and also outlined the nature of the dance to be performed on
the occasion. It might be a Medicine Dance, or a Green Corn Dance, or
some other festivity peculiar to the notions of the tribes and the
exigencies of the occasion. Whatever the decision was, it was abided by
faithfully on the time appointed. This settled, they returned home with
the satisfaction of having done what they considered a duty, and felt that
they had fulfilled their obligations to the Great Spirit.
I feel very much indebted for the above description of the Sun Dance, to a
lady who spent many of her younger years among the tribe who conducted it.
She is familiar with the customs of the tribe, knows their traditions,
and, in fact, may be considered an authority on things relating to the
history of that nation. Her name, at the time of which I write, was Mina
E. Ashpard, but was changed by the Indians to Tat-ta-voe-e-tau, or Blue
Beads, on account of the string of blue beads which she usually wore
around her neck. She was loved and admired by the whole tribe, but
particularly by several young chiefs who sought her hand in marriage. Her
affections, however, leaned to another direction, and she afterward
married W. C. Ross, who owns a large tract of land adjoining the
flourishing City of El Reno, the Queen City of the North Canadian. Mrs.
Ross is today the mother of a large family of sons and daughters who are a
credit to her and an honor to the State of Oklahoma. Even today she
delights in telling how she used to enjoy riding out on a broncho,
lassoing a wild antelope, or deer, and dragging it back to camp amid the
cheers and acclamations of the whole tribe.
W. C. Ross, through his foresight and good business management, succeeded
in locating his family allotments in close proximity to the City of El
Reno, as I have mentioned above, and his location proved to be one of the
most valuable in the Canadian Valley. By its increase in value, due to its
location, and by his knowledge of farming, he has placed himself and his
family above the reach of want. He is educating his sons and daughters in
the Catholic School of El Reno, and they have proved themselves good
students. Their native talents developed in such surroundings, show that
they are or will be capable of fulfilling the duties of responsible
positions in the very near future.