36 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV, 



HdcHENi's Prayer before Star Society. 



"My Grandfather, Light of the World; Old-Woman-Night, my 

 Grandmother, — I stand here before this people, old and young. May 

 whatever they undertake to do in this ceremony, and may their desires 

 and wishes and anxieties in their every-day life, meet with your 

 approval; may the growing corn not fail them and may everything 

 that they put in the ground mature, in order that they may have food 

 and nourishment for their children and friends. May whatever light 

 comes from above, and also the rain, be strengthening to them, that 

 they may live on the earth under your protection. May they make 

 friends with the neighboring tribes, and especially with the white 

 people. May the tribe be free from all wrong, from all crimes, and 

 may they be good people." 



THE ANNOUNCEMENT. 



Hocheni was now seen to leave the lodge and pass directly to the 

 northeast side of the great camping circle. He carried in one hand a 

 beautifully carved black pipe, and in the other hand the tail of a 

 buffalo. He wore leggings and moccasins of buckskin and a cotton 

 shirt, over which he had placed a white sheet, which he wore as a 

 blanket. He was painted red, even including his blanket and the 

 other portions of his costume. He walked slowly, and it was noticed 

 that no one passed him as he proceeded. Having reached the line of 

 the lodges, he cried out in a loud voice: "All you people, old and 

 young, listen to me! Man-Above, my Grandfather, Old-Woman-Night, 

 my Grandmother, Dog-soldiers, Lime-Crazy-Men, Club-Board-Men, 

 — may all the people increase day and night, be free from all sickness 

 and distress! May peace and happiness exist! Thihduchhdwkan is 

 ready. So says Thihduchhdwkan to you all." 



At the end of the announcement, Hocheni uttered a long hklloo, 

 and all within the sound of his voice are supposed to say, "Thanks," 

 while the parents in each tipi pray: "My child, may you grow up a 

 man." Hdcheni then passed to that side of the camp-circle toward 

 the southwest, then to the southeast, and then toward the northeast, 

 halting at each of these three points, where he uttered the same 

 announcement, whereupon he returned to the lodge of Debithe. 

 Hdcheni and Hdwkan now instructed some of the Star society, while 

 they were still in Debithe's tent, to search the camp-circle for a com- 

 plete buffalo hide, and take it out on one of the hills near the camp- 

 circle and make a frame for it and erect it in the form of a buffalo. 



