curious illustration of Indian belief. Káäsä´nte, "Little-robe" (or
Little-hide), with two or three others, had gone to the North fork of
Red river to look for antelope. According to another story they went to
look for their old enemies, the Navaho, who, it seems, although now
removed to their former reservation in western New Mexico, still
occasionally penetrated thus far. Among them was a man named Pódodal (a
variety of bird), who claimed to understand the language of owls, a bird
believed by the Kiowa to be an embodied spirit. While resting one night
in camp this man warned Little-robe not to go to bed, but to round up
the ponies and keep watch over them, for an owl had told him that the
Navaho would try to steal them that night. During the night Pódodal
fired at something in the darkness, and on looking in the morning they
found the trail of a man, and blood drops, which they followed for a
long distance, but at last gave up the pursuit. That night the owl again
came and told Pódodal that the wounded Navaho was lying dead beyond the
point where they had turned back, and that he (the owl) would go and
fetch him.
On rising in the morning Pódodal saw some strange-looking object lying
on the ground in the lodge, and on examining it it proved to be the eye
of a dead Navaho. On the advice of Pódodal they then abandoned the hunt
and returned to the Kiowa camp, on a small branch of Apache creek
(_Sémät P'a_), an upper branch of Cache creek. They carried with them
the eye, hung at the end of a pole after the manner of a scalp, and
danced over it as over a scalp on arriving at the camp on the small
stream, since called _Tä´-kágyä P'a_, "Eye-triumph creek" from this
circumstance.
It should be added that there were some skeptics who laughed at the
whole story and declared that the eye was that of an antelope which
Pódodal had secretly shot.
On the Set-t'an calendar the event is indicated by a figure intended to
represent a scalp at the end of a pole, carried by a man wearing a
striped robe to indicate his name, Little-robe. On the Anko calendar
there is a representation of a scalp on a pole under the winter mark.
SUMMER 188O
This summer there was no sun dance, perhaps on account of failure to
find buffalo, and instead of the medicine lodge the summer is indicated
on the Set-t'an calendar by the figure of a leafy tree above a square
figure, which is explained as meaning that the author of the calendar
stayed at home, the lines being intended to show a space inclosed in a
fence after the manner of a white man's farm. A similar device is
several times used for the same purpose in later years. Under date of
September 1, 1881--a year later--the agent says:
[Illustration: FIG. 168--Summer 1880--No dance; Päbóte died.]
Last year I was encouraged in the belief that the Indians under my
charge were rather disposed to lay aside these ideas and
ceremonies, from the fact that very little was heard of their
medicine men during the year, and the Kiowas failed to hold their
annual "medicine dance." The latter part of this year, however,
from some cause, their medicine men have been unusually active, as
I learn has been the case at other agencies, and the Kiowas have
recently returned from the western part of their reservation, where
they held their annual dance (_Report, 101_).
The Anko calendar records the death of a chief named Päbóte,
"American-horse." He was a man of unusual height and size, hence his
name, which signifies literally an animal taller than the average. He
was buried in a coffin by the whites at the agency nearly opposite
Fred's store. On the calendar the square figure below the picture of the
man, and connected with it by a line, is intended to represent the
coffin.
On first explaining the calendar, in 1892, Anko evaded the mention of
this man's name, in accordance with the Kiowa custom which forbids
naming the dead, but three years later consented to do so. The same
objection was frequently encountered, but finally overcome in regard to
other names on the calendars.
WINTER 188O-81
For this winter the Set-t'an calendar has a house over the winter mark,
but he could not remember whose house it was intended to represent. In
Captain Scott's notes it is said to be Paul Set-k'opte's new house, but
Set-k'opte did not return from the east until 1882. It is probably
intended to represent a new house built for another, Paul Zoñtam, who
returned from the east in 1881 as an ordained Episcopal minister.
The Anko calendar records the visit of a large party of Pueblo Indians
from New Mexico, indicated by a human figure below the winter mark with
the hair bunched up in Pueblo fashion. There were about a hundred of
them and they stopped at various camps of the Kiowa and Apache,
remaining some time. This was the last time the Pueblos ever visited
these tribes. In the following fall Big-bow returned their visit.
[Illustration: FIG. 169--Winter 1880-81--House built; Pueblo visit.]
SUMMER 1881
_K`ádó Sä' lä´ti_, "Hot-sun dance," or _Dóguătal Sáomhäpä-de K adó_ "Sun
dance when blood came up from the young man." It was called the "hot sun
dance" from the fact that it was held late in August, instead of in June
as usual, the delay being due probably to the difficulty of finding a
buffalo for the purpose; after a long search a solitary bull was found.
The dance was held on North fork of Red river, a short distance beyond
the end of the mountains.
The close upright lines between the forks of the medicine pole on the
Anko calendar he explains to indicate the heat, probably from the Indian
gesture sign for fire, made by holding the hand with thumb and fingers
together pointing upward, and separating them with a quick motion, the
concept being the upward motion of the sparks and smoke.
[Illustration: FIG. 170--Summer 1881--Hemorrhage or hot sun dance.]
The suggestive figure on the Set-t'an calendar records an incident which
gives another name to this sun dance, a young man, the adopted son of
Poor-buffalo, having been attacked by hemorrhage. He was called Măsá`te,
"Six," from the fact that he had six toes on each foot; his brother,
Bóhé, still living, is said to have six fingers on each hand, Such
instances of malformation are at least as rare among Indians as among
whites.
WINTER 1881-82
_Ĭmdádóá-de Saiá_, "Winter when they played the _dó-á_ medicine game."
This winter is noted for a great _dó-á_ game played under the auspices
of two rival leaders, each of whom claimed to have the most powerful
"medicine" for the game. The game was played in the winter camp on the
Washita, near the mouth of Hog creek, the Kiowa leader being Pa-tepte,
"Buffalo-bull-coming-out," alias Dátekâñ, now dead (see summer 1882),
while his opponent was the Apache chief and medicine-man Dävéko. The
Kiowa leader was recognized distinctively as having "medicine" for this
game, and it was said that he could do wonderful things with the
"button," making it pass invisibly from one hand to another while he
held his hands outstretched and far apart, and even to throw it up into
the air and cause it to remain there suspended invisibly until he was
ready to put out his hand again and catch it; in other words, he was
probably an expert sleight-of-hand performer. His Apache rival, Dävéko,
is known as a medicine-man as well as a chief, and is held in
considerable dread, as it is believed that he can kill by shooting
invisible darts from a distance into the body of an enemy. On this
occasion he had boasted that his medicine was superior for the _dó-á_
game, which did not prove to be the case, however, and as the Kiowa
medicine-man won the victory for his party, large stakes were wagered on
the result and were won by the Kiowa. It is said that this was a part of
Pa-tepte's effort to revive the old customs and amusements on a large
scale. The game was witnessed by a large concourse, all dressed and
painted for the occasion. The picture on the Set-t'an calendar is very
suggestive.
[Illustration: FIG. 171--Winter 1881-82--Dó-á game; medicine tipi.]
The name _dó-á_ signifies the "tipi game," from _do_, tipi or house, and
_a_, a game, because, unlike most of their games, it is played inside
the tipi, being essentially a game for the long nights when the whole
tribe is assembled in the winter camp. A similar game is found among
nearly all our wild tribes; it is played by both sexes, but never
together. In its general features it resembles our game of "hunt the
button," the players forming a circle around the fire in the tipi,
one-half of them playing against the others, sitting facing them on the
opposite side of the fire. The leader of one party then takes the
_k`íäbo_ or button, a short piece of stick wrapped around the middle
with a strip of fur and small enough to be concealed in the hand.
Putting his closed hands together, he raises his arms above his head,
clasps them across his chest or puts them behind his back, endeavoring
to pass the _k`íäbo_ from one hand to another, or from his own hand to
that of his next partner, without being perceived by any of the opposite
party, all the while keeping time to the movements of his hands with one
of the peculiar _dó-á_ songs, in which the members of his party join.
When the opposing player thinks he has detected in which hand the other
has concealed the stick, he indicates it with a peculiar jerk of his
thumb and index finger in that direction, with a loud _Tsoq_! (Comanche
for "That!"); if he has guessed correctly, he scores a certain number of
points, the account being kept by means of a bundle of green-painted
tally sticks. He then takes the _k`íäbo_ and begins a similar set of
movements in time to another song, in which his partners join; so the
game goes on far into the night, until the contest is decided and the
stakes won by one side or the other. It is a most animated and
interesting game, of which they are very fond, and frequently at night
in the winter camp the song chorus may be heard from several games in
progress simultaneously, the high-pitched voices of the women in one
tipi making a pleasing contrast to the deeper tones of the men in
another.
The Anko calendar notes the building of a medicine tipi by Dátekâñ, for
the purpose of bringing back the buffalo (see summer 1882). The tipi is
shown below the winter mark.
SUMMER 1882
This summer Dohásän, whose hereditary duty it was to supply the buffalo
for the sun dance, failed to find even one, and in consequence there was
no dance. For this summer the Anko calendar notes the death of
Pätso`gáte, "Looking-alike," a daughter of Stumbling-bear, noted for her
beauty. In accordance with the tribal custom in regard to speaking of
the dead, Anko for a long time refused to mention her name. The incident
is indicated by the figure of a woman where the medicine pole is usually
pictured.
The Set-t'an calendar notes the excitement caused by the efforts of
Dátekâñ, or Pa-tepte, to bring back the buffalo, also noted by Anko in
the preceding winter season. The figure represents the medicine-man
seated in his sacred lodge, wearing his ceremonial red blanket trimmed
with eagle feathers, and with a buffalo beside him.
[Illustration: FIG. 172--Summer 1882--Buffalo medicine; Pätso`gáte
died.]
The buffalo had now disappeared, and with it the old Indian life, the
sacred sun dance, and all else that they most cherished threatened also
to pass away. According to Kiowa mythology, the buffalo originally lived
in a cave underground, from which they had been released by their great
hero _Sinti_ and scattered over the prairies for the benefit of his
children, the Indians. Somewhat similar beliefs are entertained by other
tribes. As the buffalo had disappeared with the coming of the white man,
who, by reason of his superior knowledge, was rapidly dispossessing the
Indian, the native tribes almost universally believed, not that the
buffalo had been exterminated--a calamity too terrible for their
comprehension--but that it had been shut up again underground by their
enemy, the white man, in order more easily to accomplish their
subjection. It was believed that by prayer and sacred ceremonial the
buffalo might again be released to furnish food and life for the Indian,
and in every tribe there sprang up medicine-men who undertook to effect
the restoration.
Among the Kiowa this task was adventured by a young man named Dátekâñ,
"Keeps-his-name-always," who announced early in 1882 that he had had a
vision in which he received a mission to bring back the buffalo.
Accordingly, he began to make medicine and assumed the name of Pá-tépté,
"Buffalo-bull-coming-out," in token of his new powers. He was already
noted in other directions as a medicine-man, and had been the winner in
the great _dó-á_ contest mentioned in the calendar of the preceding
winter. It is possible that his success on that occasion encouraged him
to this attempt, as he began his buffalo medicine immediately afterward.
He erected a medicine tipi, in front of which he set up a pole with a
buffalo skin upon it, and prepared for himself a medicine shirt
ornamented with blue beads, over which he threw a red blanket trimmed
with eagle feathers. Thus attired, and carrying a sacred pipe in his
hand, he began his mystic ceremonies within the tipi, and from time to
time announced the results to the people, most of whom believed all he
said and manifested their faith by gifts of blankets, money, and other
property; they were further commanded to obey him implicitly, on pain of
failure of the medicine in case of disobedience. His pretensions were
opposed by the younger men among the returned prisoners from the east,
who used all their influence against him, but with little effect. After
nearly a year of medicine-making, being unsuccessful, he announced that
some one had violated some of the innumerable regulations, and that in
consequence his medicine was broken for the time and they must wait five
years longer, when he would begin again. Before that time had elapsed,
however, he died, but his claims and prophecies were revived and
amplified five years later by Pá-iñgya (see summer 1888).
[Illustration: FIG. 173--Winter 1882-83--Bot-édalte dies; Grass leases;
Camp on Pecan creek.]
WINTER 1882-83
For this winter the Set-t'an calendar records the death of a woman named
Bot-édalte, "Big-stomach," indicated by the figure of a woman with an
abnormal abdomen above the winter mark.
The Anko calendar notes that the Indian police camped this winter on
_Dónä´i P'a_, "Pecan creek" (Elk creek of North fork of Red river),
indicated, as in 1877-78, by the figure of a pecan nut below the winter
mark. The Texas cattle trail crossed at that point and the police were
stationed there to keep the cattle off the reservation. Quanah, chief of
the Comanche, was there also in the interest of the cattlemen, and it
was through his persuasion that the allied tribes finally agreed to
lease their grass lands.
Anko notes also that the Indians now "began to talk about grass leases,"
but that as yet there was no grass money paid. It is indicated on the
calendar by three circles for dollars below the winter mark, with a +,
intended for a picture of the Indian gesture sign for "cut off" or
"stop," made by bringing the extended right hand downward in front of
the other, as if cutting a rope with a knife-stroke.
On this subject the agent says, under date of August 17, 1883:
The grass question seems to be the most difficult thing I have to
contend with. I find it impossible to keep trespassing cattle
entirely off the reservation, and we are now crowded on all sides.
It seems to do very little good to put them off, for it is found
that cattle that have just been driven off will come back on the
reservation as soon as the police force advances. Our Indians are
not disposed to rent the grass, yet if it is used it seems they
should be paid for it.... The grass should be utilized in some way
that will benefit the Indians, and if it is not possible to supply
them with herds sufficient to consume it, it does seem as if the
grass should be rented and the Indians receive the money for it
(_Report, 103_).
The final result was the establishment of the system of grass leases.
SUMMER 1883
_´dalk`atói K`ádó_, "Nez Percé sun dance," so called on account of a
visit from the Nez Percés, called by the Kiowa the "people with hair cut
off across the forehead." The figure above the medicine pole on the Anko
calendar is intended to represent a man in the act of cutting off his
front hair. The Set-t'an calendar has beside the medicine lodge the
figure of a man wearing the peculiar striped blanket of the Nez Percés.
This sun dance is sometimes known as _Máp'ódal K`ádó_, "Split-nose sun
dance," because held on the Washita on pasture lands inclosed by a
cattle man known to the Indians by that name.
[Illustration: FIG 174--Summer, 1883--Nez Percé sun dance.]
On account of difficulties with the whites, the Nez Percés of Chief
Joseph's band had left their homes in eastern Oregon in the summer of
1877, and after a retreat of a thousand miles were intercepted in
Montana by General Miles, when within a few miles of the British border,
and compelled to surrender. They were brought as prisoners to Fort
Leavenworth, and thence removed, in July, 1878, to a reservation
assigned to them in Indian Territory. The climate and surroundings
proving entirely unsuited to them, they were returned to reservations in
Washington and Idaho in 1885, their numbers in the meantime having been
reduced from about four hundred and fifty to three hundred and one,
about one-third of their whole number having died. It was while
domiciled in Indian Territory that they visited the Kiowa and other
tribes, dancing with the Kiowa and Apache at the head of _Sémät P'a_,
"Apache creek" (upper Cache creek), and attending the Kiowa sun dance,
which was held on the north side of the Washita, about ten miles above
Rainy-mountain creek, near where now is Cloud Chief. This was the first
time the Kiowa had ever seen the Nez Percés, although they had a dim
traditional memory of them in their old northern home.
In the spring of this year the keeper of the _taíme_ medicine,
Set-dayá-ite, "Many-bears," died, and the image was taken by Taímete,
"_Taíme_-man," who continued to hold it until his death in 1894.
WINTER 1883-84
For this winter the Set-t'an calendar has the picture of a house with
smoking chimney beside a tipi. It appears to be a canvas house, such, as
those Indians in a transition state sometimes use. Set-t'an explains it
to mean that Big-tree was given a stove by the government and put it
into a large tipi which he occupied; but Scott's informant, who is
corroborated by Anko and others, explains it as meaning that Gákinãăte,
"Ten," the brother of Lone-wolf, built a house this fall on the south
side of the Washita, about opposite Cobb creek. Stumbling-bear says that
he himself had received a stove as far back as 1875, two years before
the government built his house.
[Illustration: FIG. 175--Winter 1883-84--House built; children taken;
Sioux dances.]
The Anko calendar records the taking of a large number of children to
the Chilocco Indian school, near Arkansas City, Kansas. The heavy drafts
made during the term to furnish children for Chilocco and other schools
very considerably reduced the number of pupils in attendance at the
reservation schools; according to the agent's statement, seventy were
thus taken at one time (_Report, 103_). The figure below the winter mark
is intended to represent two wagons filled with children.
Anko notes also that a party of Dakota came down to dance with the
Kiowa, indicated by the feather dance-wand at the side of the winter
mark.
SUMMER 1884
There was no sun dance this summer, and the Set-t'an calendar has only
the figure of a tree to indicate summer, with a figure below intended to
represent an inclosed field, implying that the owner stayed at home.
Concerning this the agent says, under date of August 28:
The Kiowas have danced less this year than usual, and they seem to
have given up their annual medicine dance, for as yet they have
said nothing about it. The holding of this dance has always been a
great occasion and considered one of their most important
ceremonies, for they have believed it absolutely necessary to
secure their health and success in all their undertakings, either
at war or in the chase. They have generally gone out on the plains
from 40 to 60 miles from the agency and been absent from five to
six weeks. On several occasions since the buffalo disappeared, they
have suffered very much with hunger while out, and I hope we have
heard the last of the dance (_Report, 104_).
[Illustration: Fig. 176--Summer 1884.--No sun dance; Hauled freight.]
The calendar of Anko for this summer notes the hauling of government
freight by the Kiowa, including himself, indicated by a figure of a
wagon where the medicine pole would otherwise be. This was in agreement
with a plan inaugurated several years before, by which those Indians
who had suitable teams and wagons--the latter furnished by the
government--were permitted to haul supplies for the agency and were paid
for their labor as an inducement to get them to adopt the white man's
industries. As there was no railroad near at that time, most of the
freight had to be hauled overland from Caldwell, Kansas, a distance of
150 miles. For such labor during this year the Indians received nearly
$8,000, and performed the work cheerfully and in a satisfactory manner
(_Report, 105_).
WINTER 1884-85
The Set-t'an calendar has a house above the winter mark, which is
interpreted to mean that the Kiowa camped all winter on the Washita near
Set-k`opte's house, just above the agency. This was the fact, but
another informant suggests that the original intention was to record the
event that the Kiowa about this time began to build houses for
themselves. On this subject the agent says at this time:
These Indans retain much of their roving disposition, and except
during the cropping season do not camp long in one place, but do
not go far from their fields. Few of the Kiowas, Comanches, and
Apaches have houses, and most of them live in tents. This will
probably be the last of their savage customs to be abandoned
(_Report, 106_).
[Illustration: FIG. 177--Winter 1884-85--Winter camp; Tón-ak`á's
elopement.]
In 1886 it is officially stated that only nine Kiowa families were
living in houses, all the rest being in tipis (_Report, 107_).
The Anko calendar records the stealing of another man's wife by
Tón-ak`á, "Notched-tail," i. e. "Water-turtle," a noted medicine-man,
for which the woman was whipped and a number of Tón-ak`á's horses were
killed by the injured husband. The turtle below the winter mark
indicates the event.
SUMMER 1885
_Píhó K`ádó Sän_, "Little Peninsula sun dance," so called because it was
held in a peninsula formed by a bend of the Washita about twenty miles
above the agency; the same place where another dance, the _Píhó K`ádó_,
had been held in 1839. The figure on the Set-t'an calendar shows the
medicine lodge within the bend (see summer 1839). The figure on the Anko
calendar is intended to represent the medicine pole with the buffalo
head fastened below the forks.
[Illustration: FIG. 178--Summer 1885--Little Peninsula sun dance; Grass
payment.]
On this occasion Dohásän had to go to the Staked plain to find a buffalo
for the purpose. This dance was the first held by Taímete, the successor
of Set-dayá-ite. On this point the agent has to say:
I mentioned in my last report the fact that the annual medicine
dance of the Kiowa would not be held that year, and I expressed the
hope that they had abandoned it; but their old medicine man has
since died, and his successor, unfortunately a young man of little
ability or character, ordered that another be held this year. The
Comanche have no such ceremonial as an annual dance, and the other
tribes of the reservation have no medicine dance, but the Caddoes
frequently meet together and dance for enjoyment, as white people
do (_Report, 108_).
The Anko calendar notes that the Comanche received their first grass
money this summer, shown by the circles for dollars below the medicine
pole, but with nothing to indicate the tribe. The Kiowa did not make
leases until a year later. For some reason, perhaps on account of a
change of agents which occurred about this time, there is no notice of
this payment in the official report.
[Illustration: FIG. 179--Winter 1885-86--Camp burned.]
WINTER 1885-86