The Sioux or Dakota Indians are one of the largest tribes left. They live
at present chiefly in the states of North and South Dakota. There are a
number of divisions or sub-tribes of them—the Santee, Sisseton, Wahpeton,
Yankton, Yanktonnais, and Teton Sioux. The Tetons in turn are divided into
several bands each with its own name. These are all Sioux proper, but
there are many other tribes that speak languages that are related to the
Sioux. Among these Siouan—but not Sioux—tribes are the Winnebagoes,
Mandans, Ponkas, Assinaboines, Omahas, and Otoes.
The Sioux are tall, finely built Indians, with large features and heavy,
massive faces. They are a good type of the Plains Indians who until lately
lived by hunting buffalo. There are now nearly thirty thousand true Sioux
and about ten thousand Siouans of related tribes.
Among all peoples of the Siouan family it is probable that the terrible
sun dance was practiced. It differed somewhat from tribe to tribe. It was
seen and described by a number of whites, but to-day it has been forbidden
by the United States government, and it is some years since it last took
place.
The sun dance was made to please Wakantanka, the sun. If there were a
famine or disease, or if one wished success in war, or to have a good
crop, a young man would say, “I will pray to Wakantanka early in the
summer.” The man at once began to prepare for the event. He took sweat
baths, drank herb teas, and gave feasts to his friends, where herb teas
were used. He had to be careful of what things he touched; used a new
knife, which no one else might use; must not touch any unclean thing. He
could not go in swimming. He and his friends gathered together all the
property they could, that he might give many gifts at the time of the
dance.
At his house every one had to treat him kindly and not vex him. An _umane_
was made near the back of the tent. This was a space dug down to the lower
soil. Red paint was strewn over it, and no one might set foot upon it. Any
of those who were to take part in the dance, after he had smoked would
carefully empty the ashes from his pipe upon this spot. The spot
represented life as belonging to the earth.
Invitations to neighboring tribes were sent early, and long before the
dance parties began to arrive. Some of these would spend several weeks
about the village. At first they pitched their camps wherever it best
suited them. A little before the dance orders were given, and all the
visitors camped in one large camp circle, each tribe occupying a special
place. The space within this circle was carefully leveled and prepared. A
special building was erected in the center of this circle in which the
young men made their preparations. In it were buffalo skulls,—one for each
dancer,—a new knife and ax, and couches of sage for the dancers to lie
upon.
A sacred tree was next secured and set up. This was an important matter.
Men of consequence were first sent out to select it. When they had found
one they announced it in the village, and a great crowd rode out on
horseback to the spot. Many strange things were done in getting it, but at
last it was cut down. A bundle of wood, a blanket, a buffalo robe, and two
pieces of buffalo skin—one cut to the shape of a man, the other to that of
a buffalo—were fastened in the tree. It was then carried in triumph back
to the camp and set up.
A dance house was built around this tree. It was like a great ring in
shape, and the space between it and the tree was not roofed. The dance
house was built of poles and leaves. In it all the more important parts of
the ceremony were performed. After the tree was set up and the dance house
built, all the town was in excitement; men, dressed in all their finery,
went dashing on horseback around the camp circle, shooting their pistols
and making a great noise. The old men shot at the objects hung in the
sacred tree. At evening the young men and women rode around, singing.
During all this time the young men had been preparing for the dance. They
were especially dressed, they had sung, drummed, and smoked. When the
evening came that has been described, the dance really began. The young
men danced from the lodge, where they had been making preparation, to the
dance lodge.
The leader carried a buffalo skull painted red. All cried as they went. On
entering the dancing house they saluted the four cardinal points and
seated themselves at the back of the lodge, singing. A spot, shaped like a
crescent, was then cut in the ground, and the dancers placed in it the
buffalo skulls they carried. Shortly afterward began the tortures, which
have made this dance so famous. They were intended to test the bravery of
the young men and to please the sun. Sometimes a man stood between four
posts arranged in the form of a square. His flesh was cut in two places in
the back, and thongs were passed through and tied to the post in front.
Another had a buffalo skull hung to the thong passed through his back, and
danced until the weight of the skull tore out the thong. From a pole hung
eight thongs; one man took two of these and passed them through his cuts
and fastened them; he then hung back and looked upward at the sun. Other
men, who did not take part in the dance itself, sat near the sun pole, and
with new knives cut bits of flesh from their shoulders and held them up to
the sun pole. Sometimes a man took his horse with him into the dancing
lodge. His chest was pierced in two places and thongs from the pole were
inserted; he was then tied to his horse, and the animal was whipped up.
The thongs were thus suddenly jerked and the flesh torn.
[Illustration.]