May, 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 133 



THE DANCE. 



After each man had received his appropriate paint, he fastened a 

 buckskin kilt around his loins. The folded parfleche which had been 

 brought into the lodge from the Rabbit-tipi, and which had been lying 

 on the ground on the east side, was now placed in front of Hawkan, 

 while the rattle, which had also been lying by the side of the parfleche, 

 was handed to him. 



The Lodge-Maker now left his place in the line, went over to the 

 fire, and returned with a live coal, which he placed in front of him, 

 upon which he sprinkled spruce-leaves. Then he knelt down in front 

 of Watangaa. While he was doing this, the singers and drummers had 

 gathered around a large drum which stood east and south of the center- 

 pole and in front of the south end of the line of grandfathers. They 

 began drumming and started the first song. (See Fig. 2, Plate XLVI.) 



The Lodge-Maker took up the parfleche and passed it toward the 

 live coal where the incense was rising, passed it toward the coal 

 four times, and then over the coal, still holding it out in front of 

 him, but to his left side. He carried it around the lodge, continuing 

 to the south, west, north, and east of the center-pole, where he 

 brought it up to the men who were sitting about the drum. Here he 

 made a motion as if he would throw it among them, four times, actu- 

 ally passing it among them on the fourth time. As it fell among them, 

 they beat upon it violently and shouted and began the drumming and 

 singing of a new song. 



The five old priests now left their position in front of the altar, 

 and took a place near the fire, where they sat down facing south. The 

 dancers arose, faced toward the north, placed the eagle-bone whistle 

 in their mouths and began dancing and whistling to the time of the 

 drumming and singing. 



As has been above noted, the dancing motion consists merely of a 

 slight swaying or swinging of the body, with a slight bend at the knees 

 and at the back. Barely did the heel leave the ground. The dancers 

 stood in a single line, the Lodge-Maker occupying the west end of the 

 line as usual, and now standing, as he will hereafter during the cere- 

 mony, with his feet upon the sage in the excavation. 



Thus they danced, with slight intermission, on this night until 

 two o'clock in the morning, although the night grew colder. At about 

 ten o'clock in the evening there came a terrible storm of rain and sleet 

 and snow. About midnight the ground was covered with snow and 

 sleet, but the dancers kept bravely at their task, although they were 

 barefooted and entirely naked, except for a loin-cloth, and completely 

 exposed to the mercy of the weather. 



