76 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



THE RAWHIDE DRUM AND NIGHT REHEARSAL. 



Shortly after midnight, immediately on the return to the Rabbit- 

 tipi of the grandfather and the Lodge-Maker's wife, after an interest- 

 ing rite described later on in the pages of this paper, a Crier was heard 

 outside calling for musicians and a drum. Soon after, some of the 

 Dog-soldiers and several members of the Star society arrived, just 

 outside of the lodge, bringing with them a large drum. Hdwkan took 

 a live coal from the fire with a forked stick, which he placed in front 

 of him. The Lodge-Maker arose from his position and assumed a 

 squatting posture just behind the coal. The folded rawhide was then 

 passed by a messenger inside the lodge to Hawkan, who placed it by 

 the side of the l^odge-Maker. Hawkan then gave a pinch of cedar- 

 leaves to the Lodge-Maker, who held them between his thumb and two 

 fingers of his right hand, holding the leaves in front of his face and 

 resting his elbow upon his right knee. 



Hawkan then began singing, accompanying the song with the 

 rattle, while Chanitoe beat the Badger-pack as the movement of the 

 song slowly proceeded, the Lodge-Maker keeping time, moving his 

 right hand back and forth in a position parallel to his body. This was 

 continued through the second song. At the beginning of the third 

 song he still kept his elbow upon his knee, but moved his hand in 

 front of the left side of his body, where he again kept time by moving 

 his hand back and forth, out in front of himself, to the movement of 

 the song. In a similar manner the fourth song was sung. At the 

 beginning of the fifth song, the Lodge-Maker moved his hand so that 

 it was held exactly in front of his face, where he again kept time to 

 the song. At the conclusion of the song he deposited the incense 

 upon the live coal. This little episode formed one of the most inter- 

 esting and most beautiful of the entire Sun Dance ceremony, and was 

 exceedingly impressive. 



The Lodge-Maker now took up the rawhide, motioned it toward 

 the incense four times, then passed it slowly over the coal and walked 

 in a sunwise circuit in front of those sitting on the south side of the 

 lodge. He made four movements with the rawhide toward the musi- 

 cians, who had now entered and taken up a position just south of the 

 door, when at the fifth, he passed the rawhide in among them, where- 

 upon they beat upon it. Other musicians now entered the lodge, 

 crowding around a large drum at the southeast corner. The rattle 

 was passed to the leading Dog-soldier, and they began beating upon 

 the large drum and soon began singing. Niwaat, the actual Lodge- 

 Maker, had in the mean time put on his buffalo robe, with the fur side 



