May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 127 



EXPENSE OF MAKING THE OFFERINGS-LODGE. 



To form a correct estimate of the total expenses incurred by the 

 Lodge-Maker of the Sun Dance is not easy. It seems probable, how- 

 ever, that it costs him from three hundred to five hundred dollars, in 

 money and goods, before the ceremony is concluded. Of course he 

 is aided by his relatives and especially by the tribe. Payment is 

 made, as we have just seen, to the grandfather, and to the Rabbit- 

 tipi people, i. e., to those who assisted in making and painting various 

 objects and in performing certain rites in the Rabbit-tipi. 



THE FEAST AND SACRIFICE OF FOOD. 



It was now about half-past three in the afternoon, and all prelimi- 

 nary arrangements had been completed for the beginning of the cercr 

 mony proper. The people began to gather in great numbers about the 

 lodge, the female relatives of those who were to fast bringing in large 

 quantities of food, which was placed west and south of the center-pole, 

 the dancers having seated themselves in front of their grandfathers, 

 who were in a row at the south and west side of the lodge. (See Fig. 

 I, Plate LXIII.) 



Thihauchhawkan, who sat on the end of the line of the dancers 

 nearest the altar, after all the food for the feast had been brought in, 

 took a pinch of food, arose, and looked up toward those beams which 

 bore the black and red paint, beginning first with the one on the 

 southeast, and asked a blessing of each one of the Four-Old-Men, 

 dropping as he did so, a piece of food. Then he leaned over the 

 excavation and passed his hands over it four times, and deposited a 

 ■piece of food in front of the skull for the Man-Above. He then went 

 to H6cheni and gave him a bunch of sage, whereupon he walked to a 

 spot under the southeast black-painted beam, then in a dextral circuit 

 to the other three beams, where he invoked the aid of each of the 

 Four-Old-Men, and he proceeded to the altar, where he passed the 

 sage up toward the skull four times, and then spread it out in the bot- 

 tom of the excavation, thus covering the red and black paint. He 

 returned to his position in the line. 



One of the dancers arose, and taking a pinch of dog meat, passed 

 beneath each of the four painted beams ; under each one he stretched 

 his hand upward and dropped a pinch of food on the ground. (See 

 Plate LXIV.) He then went to the excavation and passed his hand 

 up toward the skull four times, rubbed his hands together, and 

 deposited what remained of the food in under the seven semicircular 

 sticks which stood in the excavation. (See Fig. 2, Plate LXIII.) 



