The principal ceremonial connected with the worship of the Prey Beings
takes place either a little before or after the winter solstice or
national New Year.
This is due to the fact that many of the members of the above-mentioned
associations also belong to other societies, and are required on the
exact night of the New Year to perform other religious duties than those
connected with the fetich worship. Hence, the fetiches or gods of prey
have their special New Year's day, called We-ma-a-wa u-pu-k'ia te-wa-ne
("The day of the council of the fetiches").
On this occasion is held the grand council of the fetiches. They are all
taken from their place of deposit and arranged, according to species and
color, in front of a symbolic slat altar on the floor of the council
chamber in a way I have attempted to indicate, as far as possible, by
the arrangement of the figures on the plates, the quadrupeds being
placed upright, while the Eagles and other winged fetiches are suspended
from the rafters by means of cotton cords. Busily engaged in observing
other ceremonials and debarred from actual entrance, until my recent
initiation into the Priesthood of the Bow, I have unfortunately never
witnessed any part of this ceremonial save by stealth, and cannot
describe it as a whole. I reserve the right, therefore, to correct any
details of the following at some future day.
The ceremonials last throughout the latter two-thirds of a night. Each
member on entering approaches the altar, and with prayer-meal in hand
addresses a long prayer to the assembly of fetiches, at the close of
which he scatters the prayer-meal over them, breathes on and from his
hand, and takes his place in the council. An opening prayer-chant,
lasting from one to three hours, is then sung at intervals, in which
various members dance to the sound of the constant rattles, imitating at
the close of each stanza the cries of the beasts represented by the
fetiches.
At the conclusion of the song, the "Keeper of the Deer Medicine," who
is master priest of the occasion, leads off in the recitation of a long
metrical ritual, in which he is followed by the two warrior priests with
shorter recitations, and by a prayer from another priest (of uncertain
rank). During these recitations, responses like those of the litany in
the Church of England may be heard from the whole assembly, and at their
close, at or after sunrise, all members flock around the altar and
repeat, prayer-meal in hand, a concluding invocation. This is followed
by a liberal feast, principally of game, which is brought in and served
by the women, with additional recitations and ceremonials. At this
feast, portions of each kind of food are taken out by every member for
the Prey gods, which portions are sacrificed by the priests, together
with the prayer plume-sticks, several of which are supplied by each
member.