A beautiful festival, celebrated yearly in the olden time among the
Sioux and other Plains Indians, was called the "Maidens' Feast," and was
designed to stimulate a proper pride and dedication to duty among the
young girls of the tribe. I shall describe for you an adaptation of this
ancient ceremony, that may be appropriately used by Camp Fire Girls and
others on their summer outings.
This feast is always given at midsummer, in the fullness of bloom and
splendor, as befits a gathering of the flower of the village or
community. Invitations may be issued by the Guardian of the Camp Fire,
or Leader of the band of girls, in the form of thin leaves of birch-bark
or small bunches of sweet-grass. Another way of giving the invitation,
if all the girls are in camp, is to engage the services of some man with
a bugle or camp-horn to act as herald. He should dress in Indian costume
and make the rounds early in the morning, blowing the horn and
declaiming in a loud voice somewhat as follows:
"Hear ye, hear ye, all the people! The maidens of the ... Camp Fire are
summoned to repair at noon to-day to the Sacred Stone in the middle of
the encampment, there to hold the annual feast! Hear ye, hear ye!"
The maidens all come in ceremonial attire, and full Indian costume is
indispensable to the proper effect. The hair is arranged in
forward-turning plaits, and surmounted by a modest wreath or fillet of
wild flowers. They advance silently, in single file, and form a ring
about the "Sacred Stone," a rudely heart-shaped or pyramidal boulder,
which has been touched lightly with red paint. Beside the Stone, two new
arrows are thrust into the earth. The rock symbolizes permanence, or the
unchangeable forces of nature; the arrows, nature's punishment for
disobedience.
Now the leader of the maidens steps out of the ring, and laying her
right hand upon the summit of the Stone, pronounces in clear tones the
"Maidens' Vow:"
"Upon this Stone I take the maiden's twofold vow; the vow of purity--my
duty to myself; the pledge of service--my duty to others!"
She then steps back and seats herself sidewise on the ground in the
ring. Each in turn takes the vow in the same manner until the "maidens'
circle" is complete. Then all rise and chant, or recite in unison, the
"Maidens' Song:"
"We are the maidens of ---- (name of band);
Our faces are turned toward the morning;
In our hearts is the summer of promise;
In our hands" (make cup of both hands) "we hold the new generation!
United we go to meet the future,
Armed with truth to ourselves, and with love for all!"
At the close of the song, all take hands and dance four times about the
Stone, each time reversing the movement.
Lastly, they seat themselves again in the same order, and the "feast" is
served by handing it about the circle, each maiden taking her portion in
her own basin, or bowl, and eating it with her own spoon, having brought
these with her according to the Indian custom. Appropriate dishes for
the feast would be rice with maple sugar (wild rice if obtainable),
green corn or succotash, berries and nuts, maize cakes or pop-corn
dainties, or any strictly native product. After the food is served, it
is permitted for the first time to talk and laugh, all gravity and
decorum having been preserved by participants and spectators during the
entire ceremony.
The parents and friends of the young women should be invited, if
convenient, to witness the "Maidens' Feast," and a characteristic Indian
feature would be added if some of them should desire to signalize the
occasion by gifts to some needy person or cause. Such gifts should be
announced at the close of the festival.