May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 87 



HEALING CEREMONY WITH THE WHEEL, 1902. 



Although this rite has been fully described in connection with the 

 account of the Wheel, it may add to the completeness of the detailed 

 account of the ceremony to note that at about noon of the fourth or 

 last day of the Rabbit-tipi, a man by the name of HaanI (Mountain), 

 together with his wife and two sick children, entered the lodge, Ha^nl 

 bearing in one hand a filled pipe, and in the other a piece of calico. 

 There was the usual preliminary performance, the ceremonial smoking 

 of the pipe, the introduction of the feast, the sacrifice of food, and the 

 partaking of food. Then Haanl, with one of his children in his lap, 

 followed by his wife with the other child in her lap, was cleansed by 

 the Wheel. It was noticed that on this occasion, as the Wheel was 

 placed to the mouth, the head of the snake was directed south, the 

 Wheel being placed to the mouth four times. Then came the usual 

 offering of the calico with the accompanying prayer, and the final 

 wrapping of the Wheel. 



The rite was performed just before the painting of the Lodge- 

 Maker and his companions for their final departure from the Rabbit- 

 tipi. The healing rite, requiring, as it does, nearly an hour for its 

 performance, delayed the afternoon rites of the painting, and conse- 

 quently the final preparations at the Offerings-lodge. That this 

 might not occur, Hawkan protested against allowing HaanK to "wrap 

 the Wheel," but the latter was so earnest in his desire, and pleaded 

 so strongly, that he. was given the privilege. 



THE PRIVILEGE OF PAINTING THE CENTER-POLE. 



This, together with certain other privileges, belongs naturally to 

 the Lodge-Maker of the ceremony. For reasons already explained, 

 there were, in reality, two Lodge-Makers in 1902. On account of 

 certain physical infirmities which he believed he could remedy, Yahiise, 

 already alluded to a number of times in the early pages of this paper, 

 desired also the privilege of assisting in the painting of the center- 

 pole, as well as, later on, of "wearing the Lodge-Maker's paint." He 

 therefore entered the lodge in the forenoon of this day, bearing a 

 filled pipe. 



Proceeding to Nishnateyana, he handed him the pipe and placed 

 his hands upon his head and wept — a supplication that he might be 

 allowed the privilege of the paint. The substitute Lodge-Maker at 

 this time also went through a similar performance. Yahiise's pipe was 

 now passed to Hocheni, who, holding it by the stem with both hands, 

 the bowl of the pipe being upwards, motioned it toward the southeast, 



