76 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. VII. 



The Race to the Centre-Pole. 



Within half an hour the dancers, in charge of their grandfathers, 

 left the four tipis and assembled on the south side of the camp. 

 There they formed in one long line facing north. The dancers were 

 entirely naked except for a loin-cloth and blanket. Their blankets 

 were given to the servants of their grandfathers, and as they re- 

 ceived them they shouted four times. At the signal all raced to the 

 opposite side of the circle where the winner of the race, Crazy- 

 Buffalo, stepped upon the foot of the centre-pole, thus having the 

 honor of first counting coup on a dead enemy. The other racers 

 repeated this performance. One struck it with a stick, and all 

 sang a victory song in honor of the winner of the race. Then by 

 means of short poles, which had already been provided for the pur- 

 pose, they lifted the tree and carried it to the Sun Dance lodge , 

 halting four times on the way. The dancers and their grandfathers 

 returned to the secret tipis to begin preparation for the ceremony 

 proper. The Dog Soldiers went to the timber for additional boughs 

 to complete the arbor forming the lodge. When these were in place 

 women fastened four canvas tipis to the sides of the arbor and at- 

 tached the free ends to the lodge poles, thus forming a better protec- 

 tion for the dancers from the burning rays of the sun. 



Painting the Centre-Pole. 



The chiefs, leaders, and priests gathered around the centre-pole. 

 Standing-Elk related some war stories, each story stating that on 

 the return of each party they were successful and wore the black 

 paint of victory. Then White-Eagle related seven war tales, each 

 one with an equally happy ending. Next Red-Leaf related a tale 

 in which the victors returned home wounded and covered with blood. 

 At the end of this tale a band of red a foot and a half wide was painted 

 near the centre of the pole by Little-Walker, who also painted the 

 skull in his secret tipi. (See PI. X.) Then Yellow-Bear related 

 the story of a victorious party who, upon returning home, found 

 that they had no black paint and so had to burn grass for use in 

 blacking their faces. Little-Walker then burned some dry grass, 

 and with the black ash thus formed he painted a black band just 

 above the red one. A large bundle of willows was placed in the 

 fork of the pole, tied by a long lariat rope which hung free, and a 

 black handkerchief was tied to one of the forks as a mourning symbol. 

 Without further rites the pole was raised into position. (See PI. XL) 



