Dec, 1905. The Ponca Sun Dance — Dorsey. 77 



Preparation for the Altar. 



After the pole was erected the women cleared with hoes a cir- 

 cular space about ten feet in diameter west of and between the centre- 

 pole and the outer edge of the lodge. The dirt they piled just at the 

 foot of the centre-pole on the west side. About the outer or western 

 quarter of the rim of the cleared space they placed a layer of weed 

 sage. 



In the mean time before the tipi of each man selected to dance 

 during the ceremony a long trimmed pole had been erected by his 

 mother or a female relative, from the top of which streamed a long 

 piece of calico or cloth. These were offerings or sacrifices, and 

 indicated that the tipis over which they waved were contributing 

 to the ceremony. Should a man erect one of the banners he would 

 be classed as a woman. 



The Dancers Enter the Lodge. 

 When the lodge was ready, a crier went forth to inform the priests, 

 who, during the time of the performance of the above-mentioned 

 rites, had been in the secret tipis preparing and painting the dancers. 

 The priests and their subjects came forth from the tipis and started 

 towards the lodge. On the way they halted four times, sitting down 

 on the ground for a few minutes each time. (See Pis. XII and XIII.) 

 Arriving at the entrance of the lodge, they passed on around the out- 

 side, encircling it by the way of the south and west, halting four times ; 

 again, arriving at the entrance of the lodge, they turned and entered 

 by groups, each led by a priest or grandfather, in the following order: 

 1. No-Ear. 2. Little-Walker. 3. Two-Crows. 4. Sits-on-Hill. 5. 

 Little-Hard-Man. The dancers of each group were all painted and cos- 

 tumed alike, each bearing the paint and costume of his grandfather. 

 The grandfather not only paints himself, but dances and fasts as do the 

 regular subjects. As the names of the dancers proper have already 

 been given in connection with their so-called grandfathers in the 

 list of Participants, it is not necessary to repeat them. In describing 

 the Paints, the numbers of groups will refer to the numbers as ar- 

 ranged above. 



Completion of the Altar. 

 As the line of dancers entered the lodge, No-Ear and Little- 

 Walker turned toward the cleared space and the latter placed the 

 painted buffalo skull, which he had carried from his lodge, upon 

 the sage, so that, at the outer edge of the cleared space, the skull 

 faced towards the centre-pole. Then No-Ear deposited on the 



