98 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IV. 



THE OFFERINGS-LODGE DEDICATED, 1902. 



While the priests aftd those who had begun fasting in the Offer- 

 ings-lodge were engaged in the evening meal, occurred the ceremony 

 known as "dancing in," which in the ceremony of this year, was 

 performed in full. 



About the center-pole of the lodge were gathered the chiefs of the 

 Arapaho tribe. Around the sides of the lodge were the spectators, 

 with a number of musicians on the south side. Between the circle of 

 spectators and the chiefs about the center-pole was an open space 

 which was to be occupied by the dancers. These soon came in and 

 danced at intervals for about two hours. There was manifested 

 during this time a great deal of hilarity on the part of the spectators. 



From time to time the chiefs about the center-pole related stories 

 of victories in war in former days. At one time, after a conference, 

 they simulated the former practice of choosing chiefs, it being sup- 

 posed that the sham battle early on this day gave the chiefs the 

 opportunity to judge of the abilities and bravery of the warriors. 



After this rather spectacular, but not very important, performance 

 had continued for some time, this crowd gave way to the priests and 

 the dancers who now appeared, and who were to occupy the lodge for 

 three days and three nights. 



THE BEGINNING OF THE DANCE. 



During the "dancing-in" performance, Debithe, the Lodge-Maker 

 and his wife, and other of the important priests had partaken of food, 

 and had returned to the center of the circle. The skull and other 

 ceremonial objects were now brought and deposited without ceremony 

 near the base of the center-pole. In the mean time the Rabbit-tipi 

 had been torn down by its owner and re-erected in its proper place in 

 the camp-circle. 



The nine men, who in addition to the Lodge-Maker were to fast 

 and go through the ordeal of the ceremony, put in appearance at the 

 lodge. All of them had partaken of the evening meal at home or in 

 the lodge of their friends, and all had painted themselves from head 

 to foot with white clay. Each one was provided with an eagle-bone 

 whistle and with a buckskin kilt, and wore an eagle breath-feather in 

 his hair; each carried in his hand, as he approached the lodge, a pipe 

 and tobacco bag. 



On arriving at the lodge they took their place in the southwestern 

 section, where each filled his pipe and passed it to H6cheni, who 

 lighted it, puffed upon it a fe% times, and passed it among the men 



