May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 121 



heat that cleanses the body and gives subsistence to mankind. In 

 other words, it is the rising of the sun, with its course during the day, 

 the cleared place extending from the inverted U-shaped sticks being 

 the path. Then the seven sticks on both sides and the two lying 

 along the side of the sticks represent a tipi, for the reason that the 

 Lodge-Maker stands inside. The standing sticks are symbols of 

 breastpins, and the two sticks, protectors from the fire, the boundary- 

 line between the people and the fireplace. 



The river of life is represented by locating the lake of holy water, 

 to extend to the Wheel, then to the skull, on to the hiiman being, the 

 Lodge-Maker. After the earth, then the rivers and creeks were made ; 

 thus the Last-Child. 



The Garter-Snake represents the course of the river of life, and 

 it is for this reason that the Wheel is next to the skull. The skull 

 bears the picture of the creation of the earth, together with the symbol 

 of human breath. Garter-Snake is the Last-Child. All the food that 

 is offered goes to him and he eats it. The altar represents a tipi, 

 the word for which means growing, I command, I say, I have camped, 

 I have told it to you. The altar represents a river, with timber, tipi, 

 and a human being, represented by the woman who sits behind the 

 altar, a little to the left of the Wheel. The seed comes from the 

 woman, that gives life to children, just as water comes out from a spring. 



When the Lodge-Maker enters the ditch the tipi is made complete. 

 The man takes the lead and the wife follows. In other words, the 

 action of the Lodge-Maker to the ditch points to the intercourse; 

 therefore come the children, the woman sitting behind the Wheel. 

 The ditch is the path. This tipi (altar) was inhabited by an old 

 woman close to a river, and Garter-Snake was her grandchild, i. e., in 

 other words, the big river with a stream. (This old woman made 

 ditches inside of the tipi, extending to all directions, to catch her 

 food — animals.) 



The placing of food in the ditch at the ceremonial lodge is 

 giving it to the Garter-Snake. This old woman puts away the food, 

 and her grandchild goes and searches for it during her absence. He 

 finds it in a wooden bowl, for the reason that the wooden bowl is used 

 behind the Wheel in making the holy water, hethathonecha, he reaches 

 the water, I reached the water. 



THE SEVEN TREES. 

 On the left of the buffalo skull, extending beyond the sod, was a 

 small cedar tree. It is always green, keeps its color, is durable, looks 

 good to the eye, and is a gift from the Great Spirit. Its twigs are 



